Astra Valves?!

I am looking to buy a used car....'this one :-

00W, Vauxhall Astra 1.6 Club, 5 door Hatch, green, Air Conditioning,
Immobiliser, Power Steering, Remote Control Central Locking, Electric
Windows.

Now then....

It comes in two 'types'....'an 8 valve....'and a 16 valve.

The thing is....'which is best, and why?

Thanks.
G.

 

1.6 8V - 85PS 101.8 lb ft 0-60 12.0s 50.4mpg 171g CO2
1.6 16V - 100PS 110.6 lb ft 0-60 10.5s 51.4mpg 168g CO2

16V wins every time.... more power, more torque, faster, better mpg,
cleaner emissions.

Need I go on?

Andrew

 

It only wins until it comes to working on it. More expense.

 

Who says it is best?

Yes, I prefer performance of 16v but 80% of the Astras we sell are 1.6 8v!

Don't forget that the performance of the 8v is adequate for most people, the
car is a lot cheaper in the first place, insurance is cheaper, servicing and
repairs are cheaper.

Need I go on?

Do not be deterred by 8v. Drive one and if you are happy go for it.

--

Alan


New & used Vauxhall cars & vans, servicing, repairs & parts
www.steeles.co.uk

Vauxhall CD players & handbooks
http://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/vauxhallradiosales

 

I have an 8-valve - because I simply did not want to pay the extra for the
16-valve (I think you need to buy a higher trim level).

Yes, it's less powerful etc, than the 16 valve - but I don't thik I notice
the difference.

I swopped from a 1.8 Cavalier - which was 200cc bigger, and 80 kg lighter
than the club-level trim on my Astra estate. But the astra is lower-geared,
firmer, and has amuch lighter flywhell by the feel of it - that means it's
quite nippy enough around town, nippier than the cavalier all round. Lower
top speed, but quicker in all other respects. Similar fuel consumption. bags
of room (estate remember). Tows at legal speeds with a trailer with lots to
spare, pulls a caravan OK (althought the bigger engine has the edge here.)
the multipoint injection system means that there's plenty of pulling power
available practically all the time. @ 70, has enough grunt to go up long
motorway grinds with no effort, fully laden..

Lower servicing costs, and I would guess cheaper if any problems arise later
on in life than the 16v (I hope so anyway).

NB this 8-valave engine has been going for years - unless you are unlucky,
they are robust and well proven.

PS yup, boring family man speaking - just you wait until I don't need the
lugging capacity any more .....

 

I have a 99T 2.0 16V SRI that has done 40,000.


Here is a picture of the 16 valves...........

http://community.webshots.com/s/image1/4/98/79/96049879PHGquR_ph.jpg

.......... after the water pump broke, sheared the cam belt, and the valves
and pistons decided to meet.............

£1500 down the pan.

 

Oh nice! Lovely sculpture. You should have applied for a Lottry grant.
You're sure to have got £25K
Dave

 

Unhappily this is a design fault common to many engines and manufacturers,
not just this particular engine.

Cause is the b8888y stupid way of driving the water pump - or any other item
come to that - via the cambelt. If the component fails, then the results
(which used to be confined to the component plus it's drive belt), are
catastrophic.

Also, if you think about the good old days of fanbelts (which drove the
water pump and dynamo or alternator as well) and the apparent extremely
hard-wearing characteristices of the alternator drive belt - you begin to
understand why cambelts need changing so often (wear caused by the water
pump load ....)

I simply cannot understand what level of brainpower is behind this one, but
we don't seem to be able to get away from it.
..

 

Alan typed:

I was going to reply with similar comments to yours.
Wonder if you could give an idea of the cost,
for a cam belt replacement
and one for the water pump.
For both 8v and 16v engines

 

Best thing to do for that one is go to ypur local VX dealer and ask for the
prices of servicing on both variants, and also the cost of replacing
cambelts etc.

Then pop to your local AA garage and ask them the cost of replacing cambelts
etc.
Then make a decision...