Well as you all may know by now at the Essex meet Damiens' engine decided to develop a low down tapping noise which increases with engine speed disappears on overrun and then returns at idle. The car runs smoothly and without fault apart from the low down tapping noise which having reviewed a number of videos on youtube I believe to be a bent rod. I have been away for a few days but my brother managed to get down to the garage and film the engine from cold start.
There are two videos one is the noise from the engine from cold start up on Monday evening having sat in the garage since Sunday afternoon for the first few moments at this time the noise is not present, the only noise you can hear are the injectors if your wondering..
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...t=100_3315.mp4
Then after about 5 minutes of running this is how it sounds, you can just about hear it with the bonnet open and it is easier to hear it with the bonnet down.
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...t=100_3317.mp4
This video of someone elses engine is probably a better video to give you an idea of what it sounds like but perhaps slightly quieter..
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXx1o2liXHs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXx1o2liXHs[/ame]
I'm 99% sure it's a rod and based on this and after having a few days out to think it over I've come up with 3 conclusions.
1, Return the car mechanically to standard and sell the turbo, injectors, ecu etc seperately then sell the car complete with a noisy engine in an attempt to claw some of the money back I have invested but allow someone else to give the car a 2nd chance.
2, Break the car completely and sell off in parts. This being the way to claw the most back from what I have invested.
3, Strip the current engine, fit uprated rod's and clean/check all the other parts. Replace the oil pump, shells refitting with new h/gasket etc thus restoring the car to how it was with the added protection of having stronger rods.
As far as I view it there are no other options yes I could source another standard engine but there would be no guarantees with a second hand engine as to it's condition and it's likely to do the same again, plus with my engine having only done 109,000 miles with superb service history I know up until the tapping noise that this engine is sound. Up until Sunday it didn't even tap on start up regardless of whether it was hot cold or had been left for a month unused...
My thoughts on the options above are as below..
Repairing the engine: I invest the cash in the engine and something else decides to go pete tong. Perhaps the gearbox for example, I've had it suggested that I could convert it to manual whilst repairing the engine. Yes the car could be converted but I've driven a number of manual T5/850's and tbh I don't like them. I am sure this will start WW3 but I genuinely think the car lends itself more towards an auto than a manual. I find the manuals harsher and clunky, the whole idea behind what I've done with Damien is to have a 50/50 balance between comfort and performance. I came from the Orion which was hard to drive in traffic and generally harsh which is what made me change. I like the relaxed nature of Damien when your just making a journey but I also like to know that I have a good turn of smooth power and handling on demand. To remove or alter this would remove my enjoyment from the car and remove the purpose of having it. It's purely a leisure vehilce so I need to enjoy it to justify it. Another concern I have about repairing the existing engine is having split an engine apart will it actually be the same again.. Sounds silly but I've heard a number of stories about engines which just aren't the same again after being apart.. plus you've got the agro of possible oil and water leaks as a result of a faulty gasket it poor sealer join.
As it stands currently I have a folder full of receipts which total well into the £XX,XXX's that I've spent in proper maintainence, care and repairs which have helped me along to this point. I am not going to bore you with the details but to say that I've had a bumpy ride with this car over the last 4 1/2 years would be an understatment, if it could go wrong it did, why do you think it's called Damien! But that money is already spent and I know I won't get anywhere close to that value back, tbh it was written off along time ago. So as I said my views towards the car have changed and currently I feel to make any further investments would be poorly thought out. To counter the second hand engine point going down this route goes against anything I've done on the car before now and I know I wouldn't be happy.. Sounds strange I know but I just wouldn't.
So rather than invest the cash how about calling it a day?
So option 1 would allow Damien to have a "2nd chance" with someone else.. Maybe they would have more luck with than I have with the car... and I'd get a little something back for my efforts.
Option 2 would be the most finanically sound idea I am sure I could claw back a good sum for all the parts, except the engine, as I think it's fair to say they're in good condition That would mean destroying the car which right now I like the sound of.... Would help me vent my disappointment at the very least, I think I'd actually get some satisfaction out of it tbh...
I know it's a fair rant and it sounds like I am being petty, tbh I doubt many of you will understand as I've never really posted about the faults I've had to over come with the car but honestly this really feels like the straw that broke the camels back for me atm tbh...
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