[Ian Rochester]

One of our window cleaning vans, the Vauxhall Vivaro, decided to start playing up yesterday and limped home in "safe mode" doing 10mph for the last 10 miles!

Took it into the garage today and he's told me the engine is ......f?@ked!

I wouldn't care but I was looking to either sell it or px it just a couple of weeks ago then changed my mind as it was still in sound condition!!

I'm now probably looking at the best part of a grand to get it back on the road.

On the plus side we've just picked up a new three times a year window cleaning contract today for a high school.

In one hand out the other.

[Lee GLS]

Sorry to hear that, did he tell you what was wrong with the engine?

[carl stanton]

sorry to hear that pal
i was just on my way home and thought i would calll the mechanic to book in for cam belt change, and pop 3 miles from home, thought what the heck, wife came out and towed me home, cam belt snapped!!  was a gonna

[Ian Rochester]

He says it looks like it's "dropped a valve" ??

Going to strip it down tomorrow to see the extent of the damage and to price up replacement.

Local dealers have offered me £500 for it against a £11,000 one .........I laughed at her on the phone, the van itself is in great condition 54 plate with only 70000 miles on the clock.  Don't know if anyone remembers it but I bought it off a guy on here from Ireland, fully fitted with Pro 5 for £3400 about 2 years ago, so I can't really complain.....but I will!!!

[KLEENAWAY]

Ian how fast was the van going when it went "pop"? Abit odd for an engine to just drop a valve....did they check the timing belt for sign of wear?

Danny

[bobby p]

if it had dropped a valve it wouldnt idle , if it still idled it wont be a valve problem

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

if timing belt had gone it wudnt

drive
vivaros n trafics any problems go into
safe mode
did it overheat???

[Ian Rochester]

Not exactly sure what happened or how it happened, will get more information tomorrow when they have it all apart.

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

may well just be head gasket

[Window Washers]

does this type of van go into safe mode then shut itself down to stop damage to engine ?

[AuRavelling79]

Turbo died?

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

was just going to say turbo
my trafic's turbo went
but he wuda seen loadsa white smoke

[KLEENAWAY]

I didnt think the timing belt had gone Gav...thought it might have jumped a tooth, thats why i asked haw fast he was going ! Like gav said, if turbo went it would pour smoke out of the exhaust.

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

IT WILL NOT OF DROPPED A VALVE! DO NOT TAKE THE GARAGES WORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT WILL BE A SENSOR OF SUM TYPE!
GET IT ON A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE ASAP!

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

hows the van

[richardlingard]

thats harsh man i know what it feals like...and the worst thing is tring to find out whats wrong

[H S and Son]

My vauxhall limped home in safe mode just before Christmas. Took it to the garage, they said it was a glitch that nothing seemed to be wrong with it, turned off limp
mode, it's been fine since, touch wood.

[Ian Rochester]

Cylinder head off, valves all bent! 

Apparently it looks like a keypin has sheared and everything has moved out of sync by a small, but sufficient amount to do the damage.

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

oh dear gonna cost ya ian 

[bobby p]

u did very well to drive it back on bent valves , i never thought that was possible