cam shaft

Rick82 · Post by **Rick82** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:00 pm

sorry ive been away the last couple of weeks but ive had trouble with my computer. had to format and everything. anyway my poor little piazza has also been off the road, i was on my way home from work and as i approached the lights it stalled, so naturally i changed gear and tried to clutch start before i reached the lights but that failed. i tried turning the key 2 or 3 times but nothing and then my worst fears where realised. the timing belt had gone. my car doctor had a look at her and said that the cam shaft had siezed causing the belt to stop turning and in turn smash my valves with the pistons. Im now waiting for my car back as i pulled the head off the other engine and sent it down to them after having the second head serviced should be back on the road by tuesday, waiting on a gasget kit.

GeminiCoupe · Post by **GeminiCoupe** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 8:43 am

Shit, i know your pain. The silver Piazza i bought had a similar thing happen to it, i decided the engine was abit too fucked for my liking so ive replaced it with the engine out of my red car. Gets dropped in this afternoon, hopefully can start her too.

Alot of Piazza owners are killing engines this week - 3 so far.

Nick-

Post by **wedgenut** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:19 pm

Cam seizure usually due to shitty grit in oil blocking oilways on bearing journals. Lotsa oil and filter changes the key to long life. The filter is the key as they operaste a bypass so if the filter gets blocked unfiltered oil circulates through all the expensive bits. Its about the time it goes thunk that you realise what the cehck engine light is for (if it has a working lamp in it). Tough break, been there also, anyone want a stuffed head and camshaft? Give it a good flush out before running with new head or you might be down the same road shortly.

Rick82 · Post by **Rick82** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 6:45 am

how often should an oil change be done in the piazza?? and or change the oil filter. coz i thought that every 5 thousnad would be heaps but after about 4.5 i noticed that the engine was copletly dry and so was all my other fluids eg brakes, water,power steering.

Post by **wedgenut** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 4:05 pm

Turbo can stuff the oil real quick and i'm not as fan of putting new oil through an old filter so I always change both at the same time and do it every 3000kms. Oil and filters are cheap in comparison to an engine rebuild. That is why I don't go for expensive synthetics as it gets all shitty just as quick. In theory you shouldn't use any fluids btween services. You may see a small drop ni brake fluid to compensate for pad wear and a teeny wee bit maybe in the clutch but almost impossible to measure. none of the rest should ever change unless you have issues like oil and water leaks or oil burning from worn rings or guides and water loss from head problems, overheating and blowing out due to thermostat or rad cap stuffed. Shit I couldn't be bothered with that. Fix it up. Even in one of my smoky turbo engines I wouldn't go through a litre in 5000kms and I only need to add water to any one with a weepy water pump and that is only a cup or two. The only fluid loss i experience a lot of is that expensive stuff that you put in the little hole up the back on the drivers side and jeez that hurts. LOL

Rodeobob · Post by **Rodeobob** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 9:03 pm

Rick82 wrote:how often should an oil change be done in the piazza?? and or change the oil filter. coz i thought that every 5 thousnad would be heaps but after about 4.5 i noticed that the engine was copletly dry and so was all my other fluids eg brakes, water,power steering.

Oil/filter change interval would depend mostly on the distances you are covering. If its all short distance work you need to change it more often than if your going on big trips all the time. An engine thats at running temp wears less and burns fuel better so the oil doesnt get heavily contaminated as quick as cold running at rich mixtures over short distances.

Nothing should get dry. Shame on you. You should get under the bonnet at least once a week and check all that stuff (and your tyre pressures and lights too). You dont just tip the bonnet to service a car. You need to find out where all this stuff is leaking too and from. Brake fluid causes rust. No oil or water will mean a blown up motor. Id hate to be replacing a steering pump that got stuffed due to running with no oil in it.

Preventative Maintanace its called.

Bob.

GeminiCoupe · Post by **GeminiCoupe** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 9:14 pm

The power steering pump is easy, its the power steering rack you need to watch out for. A nightmare to remove with the engine OUT, cant imagine doing it on a car with the engine still in it.

Nick-