Happy Sunday one and all,
I've had my 03 TF for about a year and a half now and have enjoyed around 15k miles in it (now 101k).
I've used how to's on the forum for general maintenance, and for anything I haven't had the tools or time for I've called on a local mechanic.
Most recent work was for a stud on the exhaust manifold that was gone and needed replaced.
The engine has always ticked. The mechanic said that it was hydraulic lifters and an additive can be used on next service to remedy.
The other week I was plodding up a dual carriageway in the slow lane at 50mph (due to engine still being cold) when I heard a pop and a pretty agressive knocking/chuffing behind me followed by a yellow eml light flashing at me from the dash.
I prayed it would get me off the a-road as there was a lot of traffic and nowhere to go. Luckily where I work was only a couple hundred yards from the incident.
I had it brought to a garage my company use up the road and they said there's an oil leak, plus the manifold & flexi need replacing. They told me that it's an engine out job and I should put it on facebook marketplace for £200 and be gone with it.
For whatever reason, I didn't entirey trust i what they said so I decided to get the engine cover off and investigate myself. What I found was the contents of the attached video.
On start I couldn't seem to see or feel any exhaust coming from the manifold. I had a look under the car and the flexi didn't appear damaged or freyed (photo also attached). But the loud chicking/chuffing sound seemed to be located within the engie rather than coming from any of the exhaust components. There was also oil all over the engine on both sides.
I'm still a fairly young lad at 31 not even 2 years into my motoring journey (got my license late). I do love working on cars but I don't have the experience, tools or money to diagnose and work on everything.
I'd love to keep this TF going for at least another 6 months in my possesion. In my naive assumption and optimism, i would hope that making that a reality would entail a new camshaft cover gasket and a coolant and oil flush followed by a full service.
What I'm really looking for is advice so that I can get to grips with whether I can do the work on it myself to keep it on the road at a relatively inexpensive cost or whether it's time to say goodbye.
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