IMPORTANT - All 2.2 Owners - UPDATED 21 July

[av8or]

Hi guys. The first part of this message is a bit of background on my car for you to read;


However at 9000km's (i had the oil & filter changed at 1500kms & 7500kms) the car's dipstick was dry. I took it into my dealer and we started to do oil consumption test. The car was averaging 350ml's per 1000kms.

At 15000km's they rebuilt the head. Aparently they found the valve guides & the valve stem seals were totally rooted!

So that was done, we kept doing the oil consumption test and again at 17000k's low & behold it started using oil. This time it was using between 280 & 340ml of oil.

So at 25000k's they fitted new rings, pistons, low end bearings ect ect. All the time Holden kept blabbing on about how there is not really a problem and that this "WOULD" fix it.

Well at 27000k's again it started using oil again
So after massive arguments (i mean massive, but the Holden dealership were FANTASTIC !!!!) They agreed to put in a short motor (everything from below the head). Well that was yesterday, the car has now done 33500k's.

In the last 12 months the car has spent a total of 72days in the Holden workshop This doesnt include the time spent @ the dealer for consumption test.... The best bit, i have another 7000km's of oil tests to do before im in the clear.

It is really dissapointing the way Holden Australia handled the case. But I love my car! Evertime i drive it I know why i do Saying that I am getting a little disheartened by all the trouble I have had.

Well the short motor went in just under 10,000km's ago. It should have been the end of my woes..

However the car is using oil & has been for the last 5000kms. It is averaging 310mL per thousand k's... Which means in 10000kms it will use around 3.2L well over the accepted 2.5L.

However more light has been shed on the problem by my dealership. Holden have released REVISED PISTONS & RINGS FOR THE 2.2 L ENGINES. You would have thought that Holden would have sent an engine that included the revised rings. But typical Holden style... They didn’t. They now want me to do another 6000’ k to prove that the car is again using oil.

Enough is enough and my demand to Holden is to replace the car. Unfortunately it would seem that Holden are only worried about saving face. So far they have spent over 16grand on my car. If they decided to put another engine in (this time with the new pistons) then that would bump the price to well over 20grand.

My reason for letting you all know this is I want you to all be on the lookout for your cars using an abnormal amount of oil. If it is, get it into your dealership ASAP and demand that they start the process (oil consumption tests).

My issue is likely to drag on as I have dug my heals in (I feel that my request is fair and just after what I have had to deal with for the last 13 months). However Holden & Opel have obviously found a defect with some of the 2.2's hence the new kit being realised.

I hope that no one else has to go thought the Crap that i have had to deal with, CAS & Holden should be ashamed and I must admit after today's new discovery (that they had installed an old stock motor) I don’t think i will ever buy a Holden Again.

Sorry for the Grip.. But not a happy camper here at the moment.

Good Luck, I hope the pistons do not need to be installed in you car.

Andy

[Jass]

Andy i have a feeling that this is not only a case with the 2.2. My astra T is doing the same ****ing thing. I have done an independent leak down test and its still cosuming oil. Holden still say they can't find a problem with the car yet, the stupid things is still chewing up oil. Iam going to take it to another dealership as this i think is a problem i believe from factory.

If you want andy pm as i have the same symptoms on my car.

[Degen-Astra]

Andy,

What year is your car?

[av8or]

June 03.. May 03 build. The new pistons & rings have been in the engines aparently since May some time (this year)

[Degen-Astra]

Thanks Andy,
I will keep an eye, nose and ear out.

[Seus]

Very interesting
havn't had any problems myself, but i will stay on the lookout

thanks for telling us
and i hope ur problems end

[Jass]

Andy my car has the same build date as yours :bang:

[GOZOFF]

Strange can't be to common when i go to change my oil its like still the same amount from when it was last put in,it never seams to loose any oil :roll:
Sorry to hear yours is bad hope it gets rectified for u quick smart :wink:

[Jass]

I think its only on some of the 2.2 Davide. You might be one of the ones without a problem on your car. :)

[InsaneAsylum]

which 2.2???????????? the C22SEL or the Z22SE???

[Jass]

I think it would be the Z22se isnt that the newer of the two engines? Andy's car is pretty much new, Andy can you confirm?

[av8or]

Yep... The Z22SE is the one giving GM grief

[InsaneAsylum]

thanks for clarifying that :)... the c22sel has it's own demons

- internal corrosion of wires
- IAC valve
- stuffed rocker cover gasker
..and the rest

[NUTTTR]

In 16,000k's i've used less than 100mls of oil....... so i'm guessing i don't have a problem, mines a may 03 build from memory too!

[edit - GOZOFF - obviously the blue astra's are superior..... it's been proven :D]

[astrix]

My 2.2 is a November 02 build and has been using oil since new. Pistons and rings were replaced at 23k after 9k of oil consumption testing( was using about 200 ml per 1000 kl ). Luckily for me the dealer checked the replacement pistons and ordered a second set as the first set supplied by Holdens were out of spec.
Have only done 2k since the rebuild but have not detected any oil usage yet.

[rjastra]

I have a 2001 June build SRi. No excessive oil usage problems at all.

I did run it in hard though. A softly softly approach tends to lead to glazed bores and excessive oil usage.

hmmm, maybe I should ditch the Astra now....

[av8or]

Well guys the storm that has been brewing between myself & Holden seems to be drawing nearer.

After exhaustive debate. They decided to replace the Rings & Pistons again (This decision was made by the WA service manager).... Well i hit the roof to say the least. That was at 4.30pm on Monday.

At 8am yesterday (tuesday) my dealer rang me and told me that the Service Manager had a change of heart and has decided to replace the engine, this time with a Long motor (Whole Engine Top to Bottom)....

Holden have also promised to make it up to me for the 50,000km's of grief that has been caused with this car.

So we will now try the 3rd engine in my car :oops: and hopefully this will settle the consumption down. They are now trying to source a new engine that has the revised pistons & rings fitted to it. Aparently that is fairly difficult as Holden dont search by engine number. Rather they use part number.

So hopefully 5th time Lucky with this car.

However right now the Mazda SP23 is looking mighty tastey at the moment :D

Anyway guys, just thought that I would update you all.

See ya Guys,

Andy

[Jass]

Damn andy hope it all gets sorted out mate, dont get me started one what i think about holden.

Is this holden going to buy the car back off you incase this is still a problem?

[rjastra]

However right now the Mazda SP23 is looking mighty tastey at the moment

Forget the SP23.... bland,noisey and ugly. They have also delayed some production runs to fix some "issues". I think one is the clunk in the front suspension.

[Anonymous]

mazda sp23 has it all over the astra 2.2 sri. Especially in regards to modern styling, and standard offerings.

tables should swap when the new astra comes out though

[Rhino]

Not to mention you could put a bloody suit case in the glove box!!!

HUGE I tell ya!

15.5 1/4 mile... 6 airbags and cupholders! I'd have one.

[av8or]

The Cupholders do it for me :lol: That is one thing that aircraft designers ALWAYS forget about :-) The Darn Cup Holders

[astra_city]

the SP23 is a nice car...but not sure if I'd personally trade in an SRi (if i had one) for one. I don't think it would drive that much better than the Astra really, so you would be spending a fair bit of money just on a newer interior and more NVH than the Astra. And our Astra's have cupholders in the doors! :) But yeah, if they were both the same price (which they're not) I would probably go for the SP23..

Good luck with the car Andy, hope it is all fixed this time!

[imad4u]

the sp23 didnt do much for me.. the engine is.... b-o-r-i-n-g, the 2.2lt i find is much more fun to drive... and the seats in the sp23.. whats doing there... ?? they are eeww's :mrgreen:

[rjastra]

The SP23 (yes I have driven one) is noisier than the SRi.. and the engine is a non-event. There is NO WAY it will do a 15.5 sec 0-400m.

The interior should be better designed and equipped... its a 6 year NEWER design

[NUTTTR]

Mum has an SP20, and i have an SRi, and the sri shits all over it for performance, driving, etc :D

[av8or]

Well more news again today.

Holden Spare Parts wanted to send an old stock engine over to Phoenix Holden and they wanted Phoenix to Rebuld the BRAND NEW Engine with the Updated Pistons & Rings :bang: :bang: :bang:

They were promtly told to take a longgggggggggg walk of a short plank.

So Now Holden Spare parts have sourced a Brand New Long Engine from the stores in Germany. So in a couple of weeks the brand new engine should arrive.

The Total repair bill once this is done will be just a tad shy of 30grand.. Not bad really is it.

Fingers crossed that this will fix the problems.

Andy

[Degen-Astra]

So you will have a car worth around the $50k mark. :wink:

[Anonymous]

just wondering if any anybody has any legal/decent knowledge as to what point in this situation you can demand a new car?

[av8or]

Well that is what I have been pushing for. But to be perfectly honest with you I am so tired of arguing with Holden. I just want it fixed. If they want to put another new engine in (remember im now onto my 3rd engine) then I cant be naffed arguing anymore.

I had a lawyer draw up a letter of demand to Holden, but at the end of the day. The contract that we have (the warranty) does not inclde replacement. They only leagally have to fix the car.

However they are working out a compensation package for me :roll: dont know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

But Heaven help them if this New engine starts to get a thirst....... :!: :!: :!:

Over the last 14 months we have worked out that my car has used around 20 litres of oil... Not bad for a brand new car is it :wink: :wink:

But yep in the end the car will have cost them an absolute fortune. 2 Rebuilds, 2 new engines, 92 days of car hire..... Expensive little Astra :D

And the best thing is, I have been thanked by both my Service Manager & the CAS (Holden Customer Support) team for being such a great customer to deal with.... Not once have i raised my voice.... pretty good effort really.....

Andy

[Jass]

You got patience Andy. i think i would have put my fist through someones head by now :P

[Mr T]

just wondering if any anybody has any legal/decent knowledge as to what point in this situation you can demand a new car?

There was an "anti-lemon" law introduced about 3 years ago, I am not sure how much you have to go through before you can claim on it. On the news the other night they said that since the introduction of that law there had only been one claim. You can file for this claim through the Department of Fair Trading.

I think that in this case, my personal judgement would say that you have seen enough, and if it is not fixed now then you would have a claim.