Valerian

Glad you got it sorted ....i hope Phirm are going to support you in getting some compensation from Storm for not doing the job correctly.

I suggest you ask the garage to tell you EXACTLY what's wrong with the engine before you let them go ahead. "Blown head" isn't exactly much of an explanation if you ask me.

I think i would sell the C.... replace it with a Ferrari ...and then very quickly..... forget i ever owned it...... joker:

Thermostat should start to open at 85C.......should be fully open at 105C so doesn't sound too concerning as long as your rad fan starts to operate between 92 and 97C. The temp guages are not all that accurate but keep an eye that it doesn't go too far above 105C. Might be worth changing your thermostat just for piece of mind.

The KR engine water temp usually sits around 80C on the move then climbs to around 90C in traffic (idle) .The Rad fan should come on around 90C also. Oil temp usually sits approx 10C more than the water temp.

is/was your enigine rattling at all ?

Best paint to spray it with is Plasticoat ......available from any good hardware store. It's an enamel based paint specially for plastics and metals....available in a wide variety of funky colours.....including black. I once sparayed some alloys in the chrome spray they do and 4 years on they still look like new.

If you feel about at the back of the fan housing you should find a plastic locking tab........once you undo this......turn the fan housing clockwise to release it.

It's not in the middle at all. Take the passenger side parcel shelf out and you'll see it tucked away in the right hand corner under the dash.

If you want to make sure it's the starter motor at fault and not the wiring to it....do the following:- Find yourself a long screwdriver with either a wooden or a rubber insulated handle. On the starter motor you will see two connectors....one is a bolt on cable that runs to the battery....the other is a blade connector that runs to your ignition switch. Remove the blade connected wire. Now short across the blade terminal and the bolt on battery terminal on the starter motor. There'll be lots of sparks but the motor should turn over....if it doesn't then the fault lays with the starter motor. (turn your ignition on if you want the car to start while doing this)

I've never personally actually done any work on a VR6 engine but with most engines it's not possible to remove the cylinder head without disturbing the chains. I'de speak to your local Trading standards office about this garage if i was you. If they haven't done the work they said they have done, we are more or less talking about fraud. How much did they charge you for the work and can you prove they haven't done it?

surfer.vr6.....saw you driving down Sticklepath Hill yesterday at approx. 4pm. The white L'reg you saw a week ago belongs to a lad from SM ...but he doesn't come in here .....he said hi though

The mechanical timing would be affected if they hadn't lined up the camshaft and crankshaft TDC marks correctly when refitting the cam chain. They would also have to check and set the ignition timing. So in answer to your question......YES .....the timing is "touched" (as you put it). If this flat spot has only exsisted since you had the work done at Storm....i suggest you take the car back, explain the problem and suggest they rectify it.

sounds like your solenoid is sticking.....when it doesn't work have you tried tapping it with a hammer?

I recommend Redex.....as a valve and injector cleaner....it's been a saviour quite a few times for me at MOT times in the past. I usually buy the larger bottle and tip half the contents into the fuel tank then just go for a long drive. Used it for years in just about every car i've ever owned ......gets the thumbs up from me. I'de have your ignition timing checked if i was you though.

What price and how much warranty does "erm hello" come with...and is she the latest 2006 model?

Does the engine turn over at all? Do you just get a clicking noise when you turn the key? Or does it just not do anything?

Fat red/black wire is starter motor.... red wire is battery feed Grey wire is dash lighting black/yellow is fusebox feed black is earth ....if i remember right

okey doke .....think i need to shake off my precision engineering thoughts.

when lining all the TDC marks .....crank pulley, cam pulley and flywheel....i've just noticed that the camshaft sprocket mark on the inlet manifold doesn't line up.....exhaust sprocket lines up ok.......looks to be one tooth out. Compliments of the last garage it visited again no doubt....lol

If i pull the chain half way round the sprocket it won't move at all. The play i was reffering to was midway between the sprockets.....i'de imagine the sprockets themselves would also wear over time. Seems to be plenty of oil circulatiing around the head...oil temperature stays around 90 deg when driving and climbs to 100 deg when idling. Taking the cams off and lifters out today for examination.

Fat red/black wire is starter motor....red wire is battery feed....if i remember right

Found this sound file in another thread My engine noise is very similar to this http://www.ghettobeast.com/corrado/raddoenginebay.mp3

Have the rocker cover off at the mo . regards to the cam chain .....seems a bit odd this one......on initial inspection the chain had approx 5 to 10mm play ......but on turning the engine by hand to TDC the chain had no play in it. cams look ok .....could be a bearing Rattle sounds like a cross between a very loud tappet and a very loud exhaust mainifold leak.......hell of a noise it's making

this sounds rather familiar........apart from the fact i can still drive my other car