Before you spend money on an engine, find out whether you actually need one. If your engine is repairable without replacement, we will tell you — even though it is the smaller job.
Why diagnose first
Not every serious symptom means a new engine. We regularly see vehicles quoted for full replacement when the real fault is:
- An EGR cooler leaking coolant — often misdiagnosed as a head gasket.
- A turbo or its oil feed, causing the smoke and the noise.
- A timing chain and tensioner, caught before it jumped.
- Injectors or a wiring harness, on a TD5 in particular.
Equally, we will not pretend a knocking bottom end is a cheap fix. The point of diagnosis is that you make the decision with the facts.
What we do
- Listen to the vehicle and to you. When it started, what changed, what it sounds like cold and hot.
- Fault-code read and live data. Codes point at a system, not always at the cause.
- Physical checks. Compression and pressure testing, oil condition and contamination, coolant checks, turbo shaft play.
- An honest verdict, in writing. Repair, recondition, or replace — with the reasoning, not just a number.
Before you drive it here
If your engine is knocking, has lost oil pressure, or has gone into limp mode: stop driving it. Running a knocking engine is precisely what turns a repairable unit into scrap — and it can remove the rebuild option entirely. Call us and we will advise.
Diagnostic fee
Common questions
How long does diagnosis take?
Most assessments are done the same day. Anything requiring a strip-down to confirm takes longer, and we will agree that with you first.
Will you just try to sell me an engine?
No. We supply engines, so it would be easy to — but our reputation is built on people telling each other we talked them out of one when a repair would do.
Can you diagnose remotely from a description?
We can often narrow it down over the phone and tell you whether to stop driving. A firm verdict needs the vehicle.
What diagnostics cost
| Service | What it is | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| Initial diagnostic assessment | Fault-code scan, road test, visual and compression/leak checks — enough to say “yes, it’s the engine, and here’s the likely job.” | £75 flat Fully deducted from your invoice if the work goes ahead |
| Engine strip-down inspection | Only when a firm price genuinely requires opening the engine — hours of specialist labour. | Quoted in advance at £125/hour Also deducted if the rebuild proceeds |
You never pay twice to find out what is wrong. If you go ahead with the work, the diagnostic charge comes off the bill. If you decide not to, you have paid £75 for a straight answer and a written report — and you owe us nothing else. VAT is included in every price to either figure.
We will not open an engine on a hunch. If a fault-code scan and a road test are enough to price the job, that is where we stop.