10th Dec 2016, 11:13

My experience with a 2008 Ssangyong Actyon 2.0.

Bought it for what I thought was a good price in May 2016.

Apparently the seller had the engine replaced with an import earlier this year as the injectors were stuffed and a replacement engine was cheaper than replacing the injectors.

On researching I knew about possible injector issues so that gave me enough confidence to buy.

However from the beginning, cold start was an issue, and even warm start was becoming difficult. Suspected gloplugs and error codes confirmed this.

Now the fun started.

Took it to a local Ssangyong place here in Cape Gate, cost me R3200 for gloplugs and I could wait while they were replaced. What should take an hour, half a day later I was told by the workshop manager there were 'complications', but wasn't told what. Took a whole day for them to get the job done, with labor account for hours booked.

Turns out they didn't have right tool (?). To remove the gloplugs and to get maneuvering space, they removed the tappet cover and then the injectors; however injector 4 was stuck, hence the 'complications'.

Was told by someone that you can buy size 10 plug spanner at Goodhope Spares, which fits perfectly to remove gloplugs. I did, and as a test removed one myself in less than a minute.

Went back to the dealership workshop and told the manager that if I manage to replace the gloplugs in under 5 minutes, he must reverse the labour charges. He agreed not believing how I could possibly do it, so when I did I had great satisfaction from the look on his face. Labour charges reversed.

However starting problems still not sorted; not bothering with the workshop again as I had no confidence in that lot, a friend told me that it was possibly injector problems and that they can be tested and rebuilt here by a place in Okavango park.

Off I went after spraying quickstart, as now that was the only way to get the bakkie going.

So they took the injectors out, except no. 4 which was stuck. They could not get it out, and even had 2 lots of specialists there to try. The other 3 injectors on testing were found to leak so badly that on starting it could not build up enough pressure, hence the starting issues.

At this point I realised that the guy I bought from must have known about the injectors, as he already had the same problem before and would know the symptoms, hence selling so quickly after having replaced the engine.

Reconditioned injectors were about R3000 each, but with my 4th injector now broken, they had to source an injector body to recondition; in the end it cost me R22000 for 4 rebuilt injectors.

Meanwhile, since the 4th injector could not be gotten out, the bakkie went to a mechanic's workshop to remove the head and have the injector laser-cut out. Had to go through a lot of running around to get a head gasket, but got one from the same guy that suggested having the injectors rebuilt.

The mechanic, however, using some home made concoctions to soak the injector, managed to pull it out. Great. In go the rebuilt injectors, and started it up. However the engine now sounds like a tractor, and no oil pressure.

After much pondering, oil filter removed, which was totally blocked with black gunk. Replaced filter, but same again. In the end the sump was dropped; turns out one of these genius specialists that came to remove the stuck injector left a black plastic bag stuffed in the engine. This was possibly to catch any pieces from dropping.

On reporting this to the injector repair crowd, nobody knew or took responsibility, and as different parties were involved, everybody was innocent...

R7500 later to get all the plastic out, also in the end had to replace the oil pump for R3800.

OK, start her up again. Running but still noisy and no power. At this stage it had been months between dropping off the bakkie and getting it back.

Needed it desperately, so drove it and the day after I got it back at about 100k, the engine seized rock solid. Did not even turn when rocking the bakkie in 5th gear.

Towed back to mechanic.

I managed to get an engine from a scrapyard for R11000, which came out of a vehicle that rolled and some of the parts were damaged, but could use the good parts on my seized engine.

The plan is now to build one engine from the 2 and of course use the reconditioned injectors. So on stripping the donor engine, guess what... no 4 injector stuck... now again trying to get it out, it broke off, and the mechanics had an available hands problem (his mechie resigned) with emergency repairs coming in all the time, thus not getting to my bakkie.

Now last week I had the bakkie and 2 engines, partly rebuilt, towed and now in my garage. 6 months later at a cost of R42000, still no closer to a mobile vehicle.

Now to find someone to finish the rebuild and fit the engine. Still not getting to my urgent projects and no money left to buy another bakkie.

At the moment I am at the robots collecting money...