vauxhal vectra - Engine Dead, clicks or whirrs ,Common Fault

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Sun 30 Jan 2011 14:09
vauxhal vectra - Engine Dead, clicks or whirrs ,Common Fault - amethyst73

I am shocked that so many people are having the same problem with vauxhall vectras suddenly not starting with a dead engine, just a click or a whirring noise.

I have an 2006 2.2 Sri and within weeks of purchasing it would not start. Husband being a mechanic knew it was serious with just the whirring noise like a fan instead of an engine. parked up fine next day dead. obviously the weather and the battery was the obvious signs but it was more serious. Luckily this was still under warranty as Vauxhall charged £300 to link it to the computer, Result the CAM CHAIN, and with hundeds more onto the bill for timing chain, cam chain tensioners, gasket, cylinder block gasket, filter element etc etc AND WITH ONLY 20,000 on the clock.NOT GOOD I expect more miles from this !!

AND NOW ITS HAPPENED AGAIN - 2 years later another 20,000 on the clock, parked up fine and next day its died, just a clicking noise from the engine that feels solid, and the Radio working on its own accord, coming on and off !!!

I have discovered through experience that the Cam chain is only lasting 20,000 miles for an unknown reason as the car is well looked after. Now NO longer under warranty i am not happy that i have to face another costly adventure with vauxhall, Isnt it about time Vauxhall Amended this problem !!!

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Sun 30 Jan 2011 19:14
vauxhal vectra - Engine Dead, clicks or whirrs ,Common Fault - Collos25

Sounds like a faulty starter motor to me as did your first problem.

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Mon 31 Jan 2011 10:40
vauxhal vectra - Engine Dead, clicks or whirrs ,Common Fault - TheOilBurner
Hmm, are you sure it's the cam chain? I'm amazed it a) went so early and b) has gone again. Were there warning signs before the failures? When cam chains do fail, they tend to give way whilst on the move (i.e. while the engine is running, how would it break when the engine is not turning?) and provide plenty of aural warning beforehand. The old 2.2 petrol had problems with lubricating the chain (the 2.2 non-direct from the 90s) and this would be obviously noisy for several hundred or thousand miles before actually failing. This was long fixed, many years before your car was built, however.

We have a 2006 Zafira with the exact same engine, it's done nearly 70,000 miles now without any cam chain problems at all.

Looking at the various forums for Vauxhalls, the Vectra and the forum dedicated to the 2.2 petrol (z22se forum, also covers the z22yh engine) there are very, very few reports of cam chain failures on these units.

How often is the oil being changed? We stick to a rigid 10,000 miles or one year on Vauxhall longlife fully synthetic oil, going nowhere near the silly 20k that Vauxhall thinks is ok.
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Mon 31 Jan 2011 13:01
vauxhal vectra - Engine Dead, clicks or whirrs ,Common Fault - dadbif
I echo the previous comment re the starter motor, classic symptoms, could be the battery or the starter
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Tue 8 Feb 2011 18:53
vauxhal vectra - Engine Dead, clicks or whirrs ,Common Fault - amethyst73

yes i would have thought engine needed to be running for cam chain to go but no, fine on park up, dead next day, first time and now. No warning signs at all,.

Yes we had a zafira never had a problem with that engine, always had vauxhalls, never a problem but this 2.2 SRI has a mind of its own. It only has best synethetic oil evry 5,000 miles. My vauxhall dealer was mystified to which is why it took 6 times on diagnostic computer at a price cus they couldnt find the failure ( cam chain problems would not show on computer)

I only wish it was the starter motor, or battery, Engine is locked solid, bit more serious than that .

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Tue 8 Feb 2011 19:09
vauxhal vectra - Engine Dead, clicks or whirrs ,Common Fault - Collos25

Having re read this thread I think its a wind up.

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