Going with a mate to see a potential westy purchase (his) - running a 2l XE - Not played with Vauxhall - what should I look out for in terms of
problems / warning signs?....
Thanks all.
if its not been used for a while and its got a rattly top end then dont worry too much. The hydraulic lifters tend to squeeze oil out over time and
its a common symptom. Should disappear after a few miles
oil in the water showing a porous head.
Watch out if it has "Proton" written on the rocker cover. 
Noisy tappets (if not quiet when up to temperature or after a short run they'll need replacing - patent parts are crappy, and OE ones cost the
earth!).
Oil/water mix is another, due to waterways running through the head corroding. This can be overcome quite cheaply if it has occurred, but check to
make sure. Keep a look out for engines with the Coscast (Cosworth designed) heads - they're rare, but don't suffer from this problem.
Bottom end is pretty nails and will see many miles, but listen out for any signs of knocking. If the shells have worn it can throw a spanner in the
works, and lead to excessive bore score, complete with flappy piston. It is a rare thing, but I've come across it a couple of times.
Check for sticking thermostats, and cracks inthe housing, as these were a minor issue. You can also replace the std thermo with a lower temp one for
not much money, a common mod with big BHP engines and LET (turbo version) users.
Oil coolers had a tendancy to leak in Vaux engines as well. More commonly found on the V6's, XE's also had issues. Not necessary in a 7, I
feel, unless you're looking to track it or push it hard on a regular basis. Just disconnect or bypass!
Apart from that, 150BHP as standard, highly tuneable, and a solid engine.
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
if its not been used for a while and its got a rattly top end then dont worry too much. The hydraulic lifters tend to squeeze oil out over time and its a common symptom.
Cheers folks!...