Anyone know if the Astra diesel (year 2000 model) is any good?
Like the sound of a chain cam on the eco-tec engine, will be buying with highish mileage (90-120K) any common expensive problems to know about?
do any of the other engines have timing belts?
Thanks in advance, Regards, Ian
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Have you looked at the Car-by-Car Breakdown on ths site...plenty of info............
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Given the well publicised problems caused by cambelts breaking, reverting to cam chains is a good idea in theory but they can break at the same frequency, with the same effect, as cambelts if maintenance is neglected.
The Vauxhall 2.2 petrol, and it's related diesel variants (2.0 & 2.2) do suffer from chain failure - from lack of lubrication caused by the extended oil change intervals now employed (20k or 30k). A modification was introduced, and retro-fitted to some earlier engines, but a big question mark remains.
The Astra uses various Isuzu, GM or Fiat diesels but I don't think they use the GM 2.2 petrol derived diesels.
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I bought a 1999 x Reg Astra Diesel with the Isuzu engine. Everyone says the Isuzu is the better diesel but this was a heap of ****. Within three months of buying it it developed a severe oil leak from the cam gasket. Duly replaced this and the oil soaked timing belt and it was ok for 30 seconds then oil poured out again.
On dismantling I found that there was severe wear on the cam an the housing (separate from the head in this case. Easy I thought, get another pair of cams and a housing and we'll be on the road again.
Wrong.
These engines had a limited run and are rarer than hen's teeth secondhand. I ended up selling my £3000 car three months later for £650 as a non runner as nowhere I tried (and I spent a whole day ringing round) had one.
Never again
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Beware. The 2.0 diesels are chain cam but can have problems with bad running due to the air mass sensor and engine management light coming on - power loss.
The 1.7 is the Isuzu version with cambelt, see previous posting re the issues with this one. Also I think the Isuzu can have ECU failure causing bad running.
Sounds tempting to eliminate cambelt but may have other problems instead.
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The 2.0 dti has never had a problem with its cam chain, that was ONLY the earlier 2.2 petrol. The dti lump is very reliable and yes they do have mafs go sometimes, but you can get them on e-bay for about £50.
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