Car engine repair Opel Vectra B (petrol)

Structure, power levels, individual components, eight-valve engine, sixteen-valve engine, lubrication system, break-in, durability, speed, compression pressure, toothed belt, work on the cylinder head, hydraulic tappets, assistance in case of cylinder head gasket failure, dismantling of the cylinder head, bearing damage, engine damage.

A look at the engine bay
In the Vectra we have, on the one hand, one of the traditional engines with two valves on each cylinder. We call this engine an 8-valve engine, based on the...

Individual nodes
For those interested in the operation of the engine, below is a selective description of the most important parts before we move on to maintenance and repair...

Eight-valve engine
Cylinder head and camshaft To improve thermal conductivity and save weight, the cylinder head is made of lightweight metal. The valve seats are inserted into...

16-valve engine
The short name of the 16-valve engine is "DOHC 16V". This is an abbreviation of the English name "Double Over Head Camshaft 16 Valves" or in Russian "two...

Lubrication system
The engine has many bearing supports and rubbing elements that need lubrication. The engine oil must be pumped there under pressure using an oil pump. It sucks...

Engine ventilation
Even a properly functioning engine blows more than 50 liters of exhaust gases per minute past the piston rings into the crankcase. In order to prevent the...

Visual inspection of the engine
Inspect the engine from top to bottom. Slightly oily areas are not a cause for concern, all engines "sweat" a little grease from time to time. Here is the...

Running in a new engine
The cylinder walls, as well as the pistons and piston rings, have microscopic roughness on their surfaces when new. These small irregularities can only be...

Engine life
It doesn't matter whether it's an 8-valve or a 16-valve engine, as a rule, they all last 150,000-180,000 km. This mileage has only one starting point. You will...

Nominal and maximum engine speed
Any internal combustion engine develops maximum power at a certain speed. This is the so-called nominal speed. Further increase in speed does not increase...

Limiting the number of revolutions
When the maximum number of revolutions is exceeded, which varies for individual engines, the valve springs begin to oscillate so much that the perfect opening...

Measuring compression pressure
Measuring the compression pressure in the engine cylinders provides information on whether the valves and piston rings are still tight. This affects the engine...

Help with pressure problems
Too low pressure readings Compression pressure from 13.0 to 14.0 bar in an 8-valve engine or from 14.0 to 15.0 bar in a 16-valve engine indicates good engine...

Engine scrolling
In some cases the engine needs to be either put into the correct position or turned. There are various options for this. To turn the crankshaft manually, you...

Working with a toothed belt
As already mentioned, the valves are controlled by a toothed belt. It drives the camshaft at half the crankshaft speed. It also drives the water pump. The...

Checking the condition of the timing belt
Remove the front timing belt cover. The toothed belt must not be oily or have cracks. The sides of the teeth must be in good condition and must not show any...

Replacing the timing belt
Maintenance work Remove the timing belt only when the engine is cold. Remove the front timing belt cover. Set the engine to the TDC position of the 1st...

Checking the timing belt tension
After all work on the toothed belt drive, its tension must be checked and, if necessary, adjusted. The check is carried out with a cold engine. The valve...

Cylinder head work
Cylinder head work – starting with dismantling – requires a more in-depth knowledge of the subject than was necessary in the description of previous repair and...

Hydraulic tappets
Valve body In general, knocking in the cylinder head area indicates one or more defective hydraulic tappets. In this case, the corresponding tappet is not...

Help with cylinder head gasket problems
Tip: If oil has penetrated into the cooling system after the cylinder head gasket has been damaged, the radiator needs to be flushed. To do this, pour 2 liters...

Bearing damage
Detonation noises in the engine compartment, increasing as the oil heats up, are signs of bearing damage. The following may be considered as the cause:...

Engine damage
Engine damage doesn't have to be a total bust. Our list will help you find the most cost-effective way to help your car: Repair the engine yourself. This is...

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