Alfa Romeo Forum - View Single Post - Not happy

Chris155 · 18-04-2008

Originally Posted by JackGTA

I had to laugh at the £2176 + VAT quote the dealers gave me. I also had to get a second opinion, so I took the car over to Ruspers, the independant specialists.

They said that it definately wasn't the HG (I was already suspicious about that as the car was running fine once warm, not losing coolant and it wasn't water vapour coming out the back) but instead the valve guide stem seals. Still a big job, but it's going in to them early May to get sorted out, going to get the 36k service and the cambelt done too, all for a heck of a lot less than the dealers quoted just for the HG (which wouldn't have solved it anyway!).

I was quite impressed with Ruspers, they seem to know what they're talking about. Nice little village too!

I'm glad I was a bit suspicious of the dealers, but I'd had problems with them before. Poor communication, can't-be-bothered attitude, absurd pricing and mis-diagnosis. Is it frowned upon to name them here?

Valve stem oil seals?!

My ar5e. I have NEVER seen them fail on an alfa. Its something else.

"Its still a big job"

Its as big a job as replacing the head gaskets.... You have to remove the heads and strip the valves out to replace the oil seals. You have to do exactly the same thing to skim the heads which is generally the case if a HG fails.

18-04-2008	#19 (Post Link)
Chris155 AO Silver Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chester Posts: 3,244 Member car: 156	Re: Not happy - serious problem Originally Posted by JackGTA I had to laugh at the £2176 + VAT quote the dealers gave me. I also had to get a second opinion, so I took the car over to Ruspers, the independant specialists. They said that it definately wasn't the HG (I was already suspicious about that as the car was running fine once warm, not losing coolant and it wasn't water vapour coming out the back) but instead the valve guide stem seals. Still a big job, but it's going in to them early May to get sorted out, going to get the 36k service and the cambelt done too, all for a heck of a lot less than the dealers quoted just for the HG (which wouldn't have solved it anyway!). I was quite impressed with Ruspers, they seem to know what they're talking about. Nice little village too! I'm glad I was a bit suspicious of the dealers, but I'd had problems with them before. Poor communication, can't-be-bothered attitude, absurd pricing and mis-diagnosis. Is it frowned upon to name them here? Valve stem oil seals?! My ar5e. I have NEVER seen them fail on an alfa. Its something else. "Its still a big job" Its as big a job as replacing the head gaskets.... You have to remove the heads and strip the valves out to replace the oil seals. You have to do exactly the same thing to skim the heads which is generally the case if a HG fails.