Metal in Oil: Astra Engine Issues, Warning Signs!

Hey there! I had a very similar issue with my 2006 Vauxhall Vectra last year (I have some experience working on cars as a hobby). The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I went through, especially that valve ticking noise and power loss. Turned out to be a faulty neck shaft solenoid valve. Took it to Mike's Auto in Bristol (been going there for years), and they diagnosed it pretty quickly. Total repair including parts and labor came to about €250. They had to replace the solenoid valve and check the electrical connections. Car's been running smooth ever since. Before I help further, have you scanned for error codes? Does the noise get worse when the engine is warm? Is your Astra petrol or diesel? Keep us posted and we'll try to help more!

Hey! Thanks for the input. Currently at 173791 KM and had my last service done about 2 months ago. Yeah, I've got the error codes scanned, P0011 and P0014 showed up. The noise definitely gets worse when the engine warms up, especially after about 15-20 mins of driving. Mine's a petrol engine. That's interesting about the neck shaft solenoid valve, might be worth checking out. Did your mechanic mention anything about metal particles in the oil? That's what's really got me worried. £250 sounds way better than what I was imagining it might cost! Let me know if you've got any other thoughts based on those codes. Really appreciate the help!

Hey again! Yeah, those error codes (P0011 and P0014) are definitely related to camshaft timing issues, exactly what I dealt with on my Vectra. When you mentioned the metal particles, it actually reminded me of something I forgot to mention in my first reply. My mechanic did find some metal shavings in my oil too, and it turned out they were coming from the worn camshaft actuator. The timing was off because of the faulty solenoid, which caused extra wear on the camshaft components. In my case, I was lucky we caught it relatively early. I'd strongly suggest getting it checked ASAP though, I waited about two weeks before taking mine in (big mistake!), and the metal particles started increasing. Mike actually showed me how the worn parts were creating those metal shavings. The €250 I mentioned was just for the solenoid replacement, but because I waited, I ended up paying about €600 total to fix everything, including the worn components. Given your mileage (mine was around 165,000 km when this happened), and those exact same symptoms, I'm pretty confident you're dealing with the same issue. Definitely don't wait like I did, these timing problems can get expensive really quick if left unchecked! Want me to share Mike's full diagnosis report? Might help you when you talk to your mechanic.

Thanks so much for all this detailed info, it's been super helpful! I definitely won't make the same mistake of waiting around. Those metal particles have me properly worried now, and I totally get what you're saying about catching it early. I've actually just booked it in for tomorrow morning at my local garage. I'll show them your comments about the solenoid and camshaft actuator wear, should give them a good starting point. And yes, I'd really appreciate seeing that diagnosis report if you don't mind sharing it. Anything that helps me avoid paying more than necessary would be brilliant! Really glad I asked here, you've probably saved me from some seriously expensive repairs by catching this early. I'll update you once I hear what my mechanic says. Thanks again for taking the time to help out!