So, How Broken IS my Z20LET Zafira GSI??

This week i thought id just look into what actually was wrong with the GSI! Some discoveries were made, let me know what you think happened? Chicken or egg situation!
Thanks for Autoshack for the hospitality!
Check them out at WWW.AUTO-SHACK.CO.UK
and Nevlock Performance for the Crank Sensor
ebay.us/Qkp7Ai
Thanks for watching, Have Fun, Super Ron!

[@idimidodjimi6760]

Funny , I never had those "common" issues with my Z20LET.

[@Anthony-pf7xo]

Nor me Corsa z20let is running sweet

[@Dannymoore98]

Great video been struggling with my z20let zafira gsi with I had a lift would make life easier then doing it on the side of the road but thank you for the video great content 🎉

[@SuperRon]

Thanks for watching 😁

[@KenFilmsCars]

These z20s always suprise me, I have a 54 the same in arden and my engine runs lovely all be it needing stem seals so it smokes but my compression came out 155, 50, 155, 155 so I know 2s unwell but as I say she runs great! Took it off the road in November to treat it to a refreshed top end before I compression tested it, now have a engine to throw in to get it back on the road and want to rebuild the original engine over time and throw it back in. I have a arden vxr zafira as well for daily duty so wanna get my gsi right up to perfect condition although mine is and will be more modified over time.

[@mullerandre95]

I think plugs were switched around in the engine at some state, and given that the fuel filter was in the wrong way around tells me someone was trying to tinker on it and screwed up. My ex had a Zafira that had a O2 sensor acting up and it turned out to be the ECU that went wonky. I personally think that the Z engines aren't good at all. I had an Astra F with a C20XE and long ratio gearbox that was good for 270km/h. Super reliable and much more economical than the Z20XE we got in South Africa.

[@SuperRon]

I did think that too that the two bad plugs went with the 2 bad cylinders, but the spark plug holes were filled up with oil right up over the plug so I dont think they'd been out.

[@danielwilde6985]

Who ever owned it didn't service it regularly an possibly trashed it alot

[@SuperRon]

It does seem that way, the fuel filter was deffo partially blocked! Air filter didnt look too fresh either!

[@nmartin9901]

Nice to see one being saved I got 2 my self red and blue

[@SuperRon]

Thanks for watching 😁

[@georgehuser4711]

My god every time i see this cam cover i have terrible flashbacks on fixing literally everything on mine ecotec and still wishing it wont throw a rod. God i wish that those engines were reliable

[@SuperRon]

They dont have the best track record 🤣

[@erichkappmeier7950]

Looking forward to the next video!!!!!!!!

[@anderssantana4683]

i know im asking the wrong place but does any of you know a tool to log back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb lost the login password. I would love any tricks you can offer me!

[@coltenben3470]

@Anders Santana instablaster :)

[@ALs_Autos]

I have a lot of experience with these engines they are actually pretty good but ppl dont look after them.. clearly the case with this one with old plugs probs driven with the misfire for ages.. the aux cooling pumps seize up as well its fitted down in the cooling hoses bolted to the gearbox

[@SuperRon]

Thanks for watching, yes these do seem to suffer from neglect unfortunately

[@ALs_Autos]

@@SuperRon be keeping an eye on the progress :)

[@pattyb1981]

Super Ron ✅👍🏻

[@SuperRon]

Team Autoshack 🤜

[@TheJimbobjimmy]

My old 1998 vectra GSi used to set its own date/time. Wow that bore!! Well bad that is! So it wasn’t the missing battery after all 😂

[@SuperRon]

Vauxhall in there with the space age technology 😎

[@craigtrigg4288]

got the same zafira gsi as this one mine has a very smoky engine leaked oil all over the engine black oil in exhaust box after a recent engine change

[@SuperRon]

These cars are here to test us 🤦‍♂️ thanks for watching 😁

[@connorcox3456]

I have to disagree, these are great engines if people actually look after them. Regular servicing and maintenance these can go on forever. Especially is standard form.

[@SuperRon]

That is true, these cars do seem to attract owners that don't look after them unfortunately.

[@rinkkalex]

Love your videos but don't agree with you on the ZLET's. Mine was running at 300HP on stock internals for 2 years (very hard years may I add) and another 180,000KM's of abuse from 6 owners before me, tore it apart and it was all fine inside no significant wear to speak of, it's just all about doing proper meintanance. Now making 400HP on forged internals and I'm hoping I won't get struck by the mythical ZLET temperament.

[@SuperRon]

Thanks for watching 😁 when I look around for z20let's I see 100s with leaking valve stem seals, low compression, pitted pistons, blown turbos. Maybe this is all down to poor maintenance, and hopefully I'll have better luck doing it the right way. I'll be sure to keep an open mind though 👍

[@rinkkalex]

@@SuperRon The valve stem seals are a real issue, mine had them done by a previous owner and I did them too as preventative maintenance when I forged the engine. The pitted pistons are caused by bad plugs, coils or gas (detonation) and the low compression most likely by bad meintanance, I did a compression test before I tore it apart and it had 12 BAR on all 4 cylinders, which is what the service manual says it should have. Blown turbos are caused by blocked oil feed lines caused by more bad meintanance and so on. Another issue you really need to check on your zaf is the exhaust manifold, they love cracking around the waste gate and at the bit where they meet with the cold side. When I had mine tuned it was making 1.5 BAR and by the end it barely could keep 0.7, that turbo is still running on a Chevrolet Evanda XEV to LET conversion.

[@SuperRon]

Thanks for the tips! I plan on doing a few more bits in an upcoming video before the total tear down, so stay tuned 👍

[@rinkkalex]

@@SuperRon Can't wait for the new video! Greetings from Romania

[@noxious89123]

@@SuperRon It's because they're relatively cheap cars for the performance, and people cheap out on maintenance. The OE turbo for the Z20LET is a bit weak, but if replaced with the turbo from a Z20LEH they should stay solid for a long time. Stem seals, yeah that's a definite issue, can't really defend that one. Got 103k on mine and it's been solid, but it's started ticking this evening :(

[@stefangraham5349]

Check #2 plug again...... looks like the insulator is missing..... that'd destroy the bore...... (should have watched til the end)

[@SuperRon]

😂 yes I didn't notice it at first, its amazing how much more you pick up watching a screen. It does seem likely that's what caused all the carnage

[@stefangraham5349]

@@SuperRon considering it has compression, I'd run the car for a while then do another compression test and bore inspection. For a race car that damage looks terrible but it'd run for years in daily driver mode.

[@erichkappmeier7950]

I have the same car, just OPEL OPC branding but the same z20let engine... had the same crank position fault... Fixed it... but now I want to do some big performance upgrades :) new hybrid turbo, new intercooler, new induction kit, new bigger fuel injectors, new exhaust system, and then map it! Any suggestions from your side maybe?

[@SuperRon]

Sounds like a great plan, alot of people tune these bus's 😁 thanks for watching.

[@vxlgsi]

Running lean and overheated

[@fila1445]

But i wonder why? Faulty 02 sensor ?

[@cr25009r]

What’s the deal with the fan light Beeing on the dash mines on and car won’t even start now

[@SuperRon]

Mine was because the electric water pump was sieezed. Wouldn't effect starting though.

[@cr25009r]

@@SuperRon where about is that

[@SuperRon]

@@cr25009r the pump was on top of the gearbox, the module controls the radiator fans, aircon, water pump, if any of those have faults it will put on that light

[@cr25009r]

@@SuperRon thanks I think changing the heater control module fixed that issue and iv done some electrical tests and seems the cam sensor is wanked so hopefully the will solve the running issue thanks again

[@darrenmicklewright2008]

Try the maf sensor, unplug it and if it starts you know the maf is dead ,a common problem on z20 engines. If the ends have brocken off in the head the engine could be f####d

[@SuperRon]

I have done another episode after this if you haven't seen it yet. Cylinder 2&3 are toast, but the big missfire was from a knackered coil pack! It actually runs well now all things considered! (But I will be changing the engine still)

[@noxious89123]

@@SuperRon Make sure you use genuine parts for coil pack and MAF on these, anything else is invariably shit and causes more problems. Another reason why they get a bad rep for reliability; people being too cheap to fix them with quality parts.

[@SuperRon]

@noxious89123 yes great advise, I always use genuine bosch etc, cheap sensors can cause even more problems

[@thejeterlp]

You don't really have good compression. Only on 1 and 4 and that's why the engine is rattling so much. It looks like it ran very lean and wasn't serviced at all. Engine definitely needs reboring to first or second oversize.

[@barrywills9143]

Check out Aaron unknown on KZbin he's good with z20let