Honda Civic - Garage advice

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Thu 13 Oct 2016 09:56
Honda Civic - Garage advice - user111
Hi, ive had some annoying problems with my car recently and am looking for some advice about what to do about it.Three months ago my car(civic) started leaking oil badly so I took it to a garage and they said it is leaking from the camcover gasket,front main crank seal and had contaminated the cam belt and that the belt would need replacing.They said nothing about the water pump at this stage at all nor was there any mention of it being changed in the invoice.The garage replaced those oil seals and the cambelt and all was fine for a while.Two months later the car starting leaking antifreeze and started making a squeaking noise at the same time from around the water pump area,but this time I took it to another garage for an opinion.I did this because the first garage was very rude and not the best to deal with.
The other garage said the antifreeze was leaking from the water pump onto the cam belt and fan belt and as a result was contributing to the squeaking noise and had contaminated both belts,which would require replacement.They also said the water pump was knacked and on the brink of failure and strongly advised to get the cambelt,water pump replaced before the engine is ruined.Now at this garage they replaced both drive belts and water pump.For now, no leaks. Also at that garage I mentioned to them about the prior oil leak and they said the oil could of contaminated the water pump and speed up its demise.Now because i am not a mechanic i had no idea about this possibility.Now I don't know whether to put this down to really bad luck or the fault of the first garage for not replacing the water pump at the same time as the cambelt a precaution.The water pump had only done about 30k miles prior to its failure.Do i have a case with the first garage or what ?

Thanks
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Thu 13 Oct 2016 10:53
Honda Civic - Garage advice - 72 dudes

Sadly, you will have no comeback with the first garage. It's common and good practice to change the water pump whenever a cambelt is changed, but you have no legal proof that the water pump failure was as a direct result of the oil contamination.

Put it down to experience/bad luck and continue to use the second garage, who sound more honest and appear to know what they are doing.

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Thu 13 Oct 2016 11:18
Honda Civic - Garage advice - RaineMan

To save on labour costs cambelt driven water pumps should replaced proactively at the same time as the cambelt. You will not have any comeback as first garage would just say it was in perfect condition when they did the wark. If you have found a good garage stick to it. Before I found one a couple of years ago I had used four different ones and suffered bad workmanship and being charged for unnecessary work. Sadly holding certificates from various organisations means nothing on the day.

Edited by RaineMan on 13/10/2016 at 11:21

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Thu 13 Oct 2016 11:25
Honda Civic - Garage advice - SLO76
The first garage were incompetent. It is standard practice for the water pump to be replaced when you change a timing belt never mind one that's been contaminated by an oil leak, though I doubt this would trigger an early failure. I doubt however that any claim against them would be successful. They didn't advise you correctly but did only do the work they were instructed to do. You mention that the pump had only done 30k though. Is this the mileage the car has done or since the last belt change? What age and what engine is it? The Civic stopped using a belt drive back in 2005.

Edited by SLO76 on 13/10/2016 at 11:28

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Thu 13 Oct 2016 13:00
Honda Civic - Garage advice - user111
The car has 90k miles now on the clock.The cambelt+water pump was last changed at 60k which was 3 years ago prior to this problem.Car is 54 reg 1.6l civic.
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Thu 13 Oct 2016 17:18
Honda Civic - Garage advice - SLO76
The car has 90k miles now on the clock.The cambelt+water pump was last changed at 60k which was 3 years ago prior to this problem.Car is 54 reg 1.6l civic.

They were incompetent for not advising you to have the water pump changed at the same time then. Was concerned that it had been a newer model with no timing belt that they had charged you for a job they hadn't done. Wouldn't be the first time I've heard people being told to have the belt changed on a motor that hasn't got one. Shame you've had such a bad experience, these are great wee cars. We had one for years. Only issue that goes on all of them is the electric steering rack. It was one of the early electric rather than hydrolic systems and the rack is a common failure. Gets sticky on the straight ahead, requiring constant minor corrections and usually develops a rattle that sounds like a worn anti roll bar bush or drop link. Ours had this for years but was getting steadily worse. A used rack isn't wise as it may be just as bad so it's a fairly costly job to do. Hope you miss this one, you've spent enough.

Edited by SLO76 on 13/10/2016 at 17:23

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