[Engine] Heavy knock cylinder head area 1.6Hdi Multispace

[Andyy]

Help, has anyone come across this one??
Slowed down from motorway at a junction, had the oil pressure warning come up momentarily, including slight loss of power.
I had to carry on for a bit, no warning lights, but still had a slight loss of power (in 5th at a bit under 60, would not really accelerate). The light came on again for a moment as I slowed to a stop again. Let the motor cool down a bit, checked the oil level, think it was a bit low, but on the dipstick, definitely above minimum level.
The motor sounded a bit big endy to me, with a slight tick from the top end, no smoke, but not quite sounding quite right.
Now I have it recovered back home, there is a really heavy single knock from the cyl head, at Camshaft speed, I can't hear anything from the bottom end at the moment.
Doesn't sound like its misfiring, and no smoke.
My concern is, that if I go down the route of pulling the head apart to check rockers etc, that there is still going to be an underlying problem somewhere with the oil pressure.
Have 110,000 miles on the clock, I've had it a year, FSH, but I actually think its been a bit abused. Have recently  fitted a new cam belt kit, crankshaft oil seal, & oil change.
Its had a long term oil leak, which I'd hoped was a slight sump leak, but I have a feeling the leak is somewhere around the front of the motor around what I think might be the oil pump, behind the cam cover. Its only very minor, never gets on the cam belt, & I've never needed to top up between oil changes.

[polar]

What engine

most have an oil level warning light

[Andyy]

Its a DV6 109PS, and yes it has oil level warning, I am certain that it was not the problem

[Jed Clampit]

Check the cam belt for tension and the timing it may have moved a tooth also the fuel pump .

[Andyy]

Check the cam belt for tension and the timing it may have moved a tooth also the fuel pump .

Good point, but I've a feeling its worse, due to the oil pressure, and that big endy sound it originally made, almost felt like it tightened up for a bit

[Andyy]

If anyones interested, I've ended up getting my engine reconditioned. Turns out the crank & 1 con rod were beyond repair. £2000 later.

[polar]

Thats quite a shock the engine did not have that many miles on it. Did it have a service history?

[Andyy]

Hi, yes fsh, most of it at main dealer. Looking back now, even after an oil change, it would very soon turn into thin black goo, I suspect the sump had plenty of slime in it. The machine shop pretty much confirmed what I had suspected, probably picked up some crap, ran it through the pump & hey presto, bye bye engine.
Everyone I speak to in the trade, tells me what a piece of shite this engine is, crazy really, when you consider that it is being used in one form or other by so many car manufacturers.
Plenty of oil changes for me from now on. Unless I sell the thing

[polar]

It does sound like the dreaded sludge in the sump! The thing is you dont hear of that many sludging up, if you do its usually down to incorrect oil or servicing. I know quite a few people with near 200k on these engines and none of them go overboard with servicing.

You could do things like i do the old fashioned way and change your oil every 6k then you should have no more expensive problems.

[Andyy]

Have been checking the book, def had all its servicing at a main dealers.
Fingers crossed, I'll be changing at 3000 mile intervals, just hope the turbo & its feed hold up. It's had a new shaft & bearings, 700 miles on it now, so just changed the oil, 1000 miles in france next week should sort it out.