Main naturally aspirated engines 1.6 A16XER 115 hp and 1.8 A18XER 140 hp they are extremely phlegmatic in nature (thanks to the environmentally friendly firmware), and the thermostat is leaking and set to too high an operating temperature (if you are going to drive for a long time - replace it with a colder one), plus after 100 thousand phase shifters may start knocking. The rest is an excellent piston, designed for 250+ thousand mileage before overhaul and a predictable timing belt drive.
- There are no hydraulic compensators on the A16XER and A18XER motors, do not forget about the need to adjust the thermal gap every 80-90 thousand km.
- Another generic sore A16XER and A18XER - oil cooler (heat exchanger) leaks. It is treated by replacing the gasket, but the most unpleasant thing is that you usually also need to flush the cooling system and change the engine oil.
- A14NET turbo engines turned out to be surprisingly good. There is a timing chain drive, which takes care of at least 120, and in good situations even under 200 thousand (and yet phase measurement is required when buying), again, a good piston with a resource of under 200 and a relatively inexpensive and strong turbine. At a great age, they will be a little more expensive than aspirated, but not critical. Valves, by the way, do not need to be regulated here - there are hydraulic lifters. The main thing is not to increase the power with the firmware - and everything will be fine.
- The problem of 1.4-liter engines before restyling is a breakdown of the crankcase ventilation mushroom valve in the intake manifold (it is open at low speeds, at high speeds it lets gases into the turbine). The breakdown is unpleasant, since the valve is not sold separately, it changes as an assembly with the manifold, but you can redo the system so that gases will always be supplied to the turbine, which will slightly increase its pollution with deposits.
- In general, the 1.6 A16LET (180 hp) also turned out to be successful. They are very different from 1.4 in design, have a belt drive. The injection is distributed, the turbine is reliable and inexpensive, the piston is strong. Generally recommended.
- Motors 1.6 SIDI (A16XHT, 170 hp) in the first years of production were distinguished by a number of significant problems: the electrodes of the candles fell off and the pistons cracked. The cars went through revocable campaigns, the firmware changed, but the problem was radically solved by 2015, when Opel was about to leave Russia. When buying, it is recommended to measure the compression in the cylinders, and it is even better to replace the piston one, since there are good tuning options that are relatively inexpensive. There were no problems with the high-pressure fuel pump, early stretching of the timing chain and turbine wear up to 100 thousand in this engine.
- Leaks from under the valve cover due to the not very high quality of the seals - a family malfunction of Opel motors, often found on. A good reason to drop a little off the price.
- Pumps (and on all engines) also do not differ in survivability - on average, the service life is about 70-80 thousand, sometimes more.
- Diesels 1.3 A13DTE - old strong engines jointly developed by GM / Fiat. 2.0 A20DTH - from the same German-Italian opera, but fresher. 1.7 A17DTC / DTR - also quite old, already the fruit of the union between GM and Isuzu. The problems are "general diesel": the risk of screwing up the fuel system with bad diesel fuel, the need to clean the EGR valve, change the turbine on a run after 150 thousand and remove / change the particulate filter.

Compared to its predecessor, the Opel Astra J Hatchback has become larger in size: length - 4419 mm (+170 mm), width - 1814 / 2013 mm (+61 mm), height - 1510 mm (+50 mm). Wheelbase - 2,685 mm (+71 mm). The track of the front and rear wheels (+56 mm and +70 mm) has increased in the car, which had a positive effect on the handling and stability of the car. Ground clearance - 160 mm. Curb weight - 1 373 kg. Load capacity - 497 kg. The volume of the luggage compartment is 370 / 795 liters. When fully loaded "to the ceiling" this figure is 1,235 liters.

In the Russian market, the 5-door hatch Opel Astra J was offered with four petrol power units. These are naturally aspirated engines of 1.4 and 1.6 liters (100 and 115 hp) and turbocharged engines 1.4 Turbo and 1.6 Turbo (140 and 180 hp). In other markets, the car was available with diesel units ranging from 1.3 to 2.0 liters (95-160 hp). The engines were combined with a 5- or 6-speed "mechanics" and a 6-speed "automatic". Acceleration time from 0 to 100 km / h (depending on the engine) - from 14.2 to 8.5 seconds. The maximum speed is from 178 km/h to 221 km/h. The average fuel consumption is 5.5-6.8 liters for every 100 kilometers.

The 5-door Opel Astra J is built on a Delta II front-wheel drive platform with semi-independent rear and independent front suspension. The front suspension of the car is MacPherson strut. The rear suspension is a combination of a torsion beam with a Watt mechanism. The car was equipped with an adaptive FlexRide chassis, which, working in tandem with the CDC (Dynamic Suspension Control) system, is able to adjust the stiffness of the suspension in real time depending on road conditions. The FlexRide system has three preset modes "Standard", "Sport" and "Comfort", the activation of which changes the algorithm of the suspension, power steering and accelerator pedal.

Opel Astra J was produced in Essentia, Active and Cosmo trim levels. The basic set of options includes exterior mirrors with electrical adjustment and heating, an adjustable steering column, a radio with a CD player, front and side airbags. All proposed versions of the Opel Astra Jay hatchback were equipped with ABS + ESP and standard anti-theft alarms. As an option, customers could order dual-zone climate control, adaptive headlights and an infotainment complex with a 7-inch monitor. In addition, the car was optionally equipped with a blind spot monitoring system, traffic sign recognition and a parking assistant.

The Opel Astra Jay hatch was equipped with passive and active safety systems, including body parts with programmed deformation, a rigid roll cage, front, side and window airbags, active head restraints and an emergency pedal release system.

Owners of the fourth-generation 5-door Opel Astra J note a worthy combination of price and quality. The car is distinguished by high-quality assembly and attractive appearance, acceptable accelerating dynamics and handling. The soundproofing in the area of ​​the wheel arches causes criticism: even on roads with high-quality coating, the interior of the car is “poured” with strong noise. Claims are caused by brake mechanisms: the calipers rattle so loudly that they cause discomfort to passengers. When operating the machine, there are problems with the electronics.

1) LKP - bad. It's useless to argue. I don’t know why, maybe these are the features of the Russian assembly and painting, but the slightest touch of the body leaves a scratch on the varnish, small pebbles flying from the road leave chips on the hood. And I'm not talking about those stones that, if they hit like that, they hit, no, these are ordinary small stones, which are full on the road. So if you are considering a purchase, take white, do not stare at the beauty of dark metallics. And the chips will be less visible and the cobwebs on the varnish are less noticeable in white. I would take the white one myself if I had a chance to change. 2) Wide A-pillars. There is nothing to describe, really wide, close the review. Front triangular windows help, but weakly. Not critical, you can get used to it. 3) Salon crickets. It's just an attack. I read reviews, for some people the interior began to creak and rattle after the first 500 km of run. I started somewhere around 2500. There is a lot of information on the Internet on specialized forums on this issue, you can find the entire list of crickets and ways to eliminate them, they are not as complicated as they seem. Runs or not? Me not really. Only the feeling haunts you that you bought not the cheapest foreign car, but it rattles like a VAZ 2109 on bumps, as if you were deceived a little. 4) The engine, or rather its power. 115 horsepower. In the TCP, by the way, they write 116, keep in mind when calculating the transport tax, the difference is negligible, but still. I scold myself for not saving money and not taking a 140 turbo. The engine does not pull, the car does not go. What does it mean not to go, you ask? From low revs, the dynamics are poor, the engine has to be constantly twisted to achieve acceptable acceleration, dips between gear changes do not allow to continue accelerating sharply and stuff like that. Of course, it all depends on the driving style. On duty, I drive 40-50 km daily on the highway and I like to drive fast, rarely when I drive slower than 150 km / h. To keep the speed in the region of 160-170, you have to squeeze the poor 115 horses like a lemon. In justification, I’ll say that the passport 190 (more precisely 189) the car drives, with a long straight section it will go 200, maybe 205-210 under good conditions, I haven’t tried it. But acceleration at such speeds is already slow, 189 ..... 190 .... 191 ..... and so on. The engine roars, noise-vibration isolation is trying, little noise from the engine gets into the cabin, only from the arches, all the pebbles from the road and the rustling of tires are heard there. In general, to sum up, if you don’t have enough money for a 140 turbo, and you like active movement in space - don’t take 115 hp, be sure to save up and take 140 hp, and ideally 180 in general, went for a test drive, plane. If 150-160 km / h is enough for you on the highway, and you drive calmly in the city, 115 hp will be just right for you. P.S.: In competition with other cars of classes B + & C in terms of speed characteristics, I’ll say that Solaris and Rio (123 hp Automatic) drive on a par, owners of VAZ 2108-15 try, but fall off at 160-180 (who drowns like that), and I drive further, albeit not without effort. Priors, Kalinas, Grants, even if with 106 horses they don’t catch up along the highway, in the city they can fight from a traffic light. The entire C class with turbo engines goes around calmly, if aspirated, then you can compete. 5) Soundproofing arches. As mentioned above, the arches are poorly insulated, there is a rumble and the sound of stones is heard. You can get used to it, it's not critical. If it infuriates you a lot, you can add insulation yourself, there are recipes on the Internet.

Modern automobile manufacturers are making incredible efforts to improve powertrains in order to improve their performance. One of the advanced methods of innovative modernization is the turbocharged engine.

Let's look at what technical features a similar engine is characterized by using the Opel Astra J 1.4 mechanism as an example. Also, a brief description of the internal structure of the power unit is offered to the attention of inquisitive motorists.

Opel Astra J 1.4 Turbo engine, design features and main performance indicators

The complete set of vehicles in the domestic automobile market sometimes differs from the original products of foreign manufacturers. The Russian version of the Opel Astra is equipped with mainly atmospheric units running on gasoline. Much less common are diesel engines or engines supplemented by a turbine. It is the latter type of motors that will be considered in the upcoming article.

The A14 power plant has been equipped with GM vehicles since 2010. Such a unit is equipped with new versions of the Opel Mokka, intended for domestic consumers. You can also meet such a device among the mechanisms of the Chevrolet Cruze. Opel Corsa runs on a turbocharged engine. What attracts such a motor to motorists, let's try to figure it out.

Design features

The manufacturers of the Opel 1.4 power unit have made a real breakthrough in civil engine building. The use of a low-pressure turbine boost improves the fuel efficiency of a small-displacement engine. This means that, despite the reduced fuel consumption, its power increases.

The timing drive uses a chain mechanism with hydraulic tensioners. Both camshafts available in the design of the power plant are equipped with a phase change system.

Useful work is performed by a four-cylinder 16-valve unit for four cycles. The electronic system is responsible for fuel injection. For cylinders in the engine compartment, a longitudinal arrangement is provided. Two camshafts are located at the top of the mechanism.

The engine is cooled by forcibly circulating liquid in a closed-type system. The supply of lubricant to the moving parts and parts of the motor is carried out by a combined method. Simultaneously with the injection of oil under pressure, it is sprayed.

The cylinder block of the Opel engine in question is made of high-strength cast iron. Undoubtedly, the use of such material increases the wear resistance of the functional unit.

The extreme simplicity of the design explains the equipment of many brands of cars from the Opel family with similar motors. In addition to Astra, such power units are installed on the Opel Mokka, Corsa and other models of the popular series.

It should be noted that in this section, the turbocharging mechanism was mentioned in passing. Such a rather complex system requires separate consideration.

Description of the turbocharging mechanism

The A14NET engine uses a special device to supply air to the system. The basis of the design is a turbocharger. Let's explore its internal structure in more detail:

• turbine impellers are driven by the pressure of the exhaust gases;
• the turbine is connected to the compressor by means of a special shaft;
• the compressor supplies pre-compressed air from the environment to the cylinders of the power plant.

Due to the absence of a rigid connection between the compressor rotor and the crankshaft of the Opel Astra J 1.4 turbo engine, their rotational speeds can vary significantly.

The turbocharging process can be described as follows:

1. through the air supply hose, air through the filtration system enters the turbocharger from the air intake;
2. the rotation of the compressor blades compresses the air, causing its temperature to rise;
3. cooling takes place in the radiator (intercooler). Air enters there through the inlet sleeve. The need to reduce the charge air temperature is justified by two reasons. First of all, cool air prevents detonation. In addition, the increased density of cool air contributes to a better saturation of the internal space of the power unit with oxygen;
4. from the intercooler, cooled air enters the throttle assembly through the supply hose;
5. after performing useful work mixed with a certain amount of fuel, the air turns into exhaust gases and is supplied to the exhaust manifold;
6. exhaust gases enter the exhaust system, bypassing the turbine wheel of the turbocharger, giving it a rotational motion with its energy.

Separately, we note that elevated temperatures and excessive dynamic loads during the operation of a turbocharger require a thorough approach to repair or replace it.

Therefore, you should not risk the serviceability of the engine, it is better to leave it to the professionals of specialized workshops.

Operational features of the Opel 1.4 turbo power unit

The A14 engines are equipped with cars of the current generation J. Also, the Opel Astra 1.4 engine, additionally equipped with a turbocharger, can be found among the mechanisms of cars of the previous version H.

Let us consider in more detail the main operational characteristics of the unit, set out by the manufacturer in the technical documentation:

• the cross section of each of the four cylinders is 72.5 mm;
• the fuel mixture is supplied to the combustion chamber by an injector;
• the internal volume of the engine is characterized by an indicator of 1.364 l;
• useful work is performed by the piston when passing 82.6 mm;
• when the crankshaft rotates at a speed of 4900 rpm, the power unit is able to compete in power with 143 horses;
• the recommended fuel is gasoline with an octane rating of at least 95;
• environmental safety of the engine is confirmed by compliance with Euro-5 standards;
• the efficiency of the motor is justified by the reduced fuel consumption. With a leisurely measured ride within the city, it consumes only 8.1 liters of gasoline required to overcome 100 km.

Conclusion

Despite the undeniable advantages represented by the extreme efficiency and high environmental safety of the Opel Astra J 1.4 A14NET power unit, there are certain disadvantages inherent in a turbo engine. First of all, the presence of additional equipment somewhat complicates the repair activities, making it difficult to access the functional units.

And besides, atmospheric gasoline engines have a much longer resource than the unofficially declared by the manufacturer 350 thousand km for turbocharged engines.

Also, certain features of the lubrication of the turbocharger shaft bearings require the adoption of certain safety measures when stopping the car. It is not recommended to immediately turn off the engine, allowing it to idle for some time.

This will protect the bearings from damage caused by continued rotation of the turbocharger shaft after the machine has come to a complete stop. Such destruction is explained by a single lubrication system that simultaneously feeds the engine and the turbocharger shaft. Stopping the engine cuts off the oil supply to the bearings, causing damage to them.

Astra J gearboxes were not very lucky. Moreover, there are no complaints about the rest of the transmission elements, everything goes long and hard. Fortunately, there is only front-wheel drive and there are no additional cardan shafts and gearboxes.

The traditional Opel "trouble" in the form of a manual transmission of the F 17 series is also present on the Astra J. A five-speed gearbox with atmospheric engines of 1.4 and 1.6 liters is exactly it. And the saddest thing is that with a 1.8-liter engine, it was also usually installed on its own. This is a frankly problematic unit with a weak differential and very often failing output shaft bearings have been stubbornly put on Opel cars for about twenty years. Moreover, even with 1.6 liter engines, it often failed, and even with 1.8 liters and on heavy cars like Vectra C. But the mass of Astra J is the same 1,500 kg, it is a very heavy car, despite its size and belonging to the golf class.

By the way, the same box is paired with 1.3-liter diesel engines, which are already quite problematic.

In short, a car with such a manual transmission resembles a lottery. The chances are not so bad, most of the cars successfully drive for ten years or more without experiencing any special problems. Especially if they monitor the oil level in the manual transmission and occasionally change it: the box is prone to leaks. But those who like to pull trailers, those who are rude with the clutch, like to break the speed limit on the highway, drive over bumps without slowing down, and generally do not really care about the well-being of the transmission, the chances are much less. "Used" boxes are in great short supply, they are in great demand for older cars.

Replacing with another manual transmission is a dubious way out. Stronger F 16 / F 18 boxes do not fit under the hood of the Astra, and the more expensive six-speed M32 is also not ideal, and it also does not have a version with suitable gear ratios: it will be frankly “long” for driving around the city.

When buying, it is recommended that you check the noise of the manual transmission on the lift, for which you need to spin the wheels with the engine and turn it off. If the bearings are already failing, a characteristic noise will be heard. And be sure to check the oil for metal dust. If you have any suspicions about the manual transmission, it is worth bargaining. A new box costs about 200 thousand, which looks almost unrealistic for a car priced at 400-500 thousand rubles. A used box in good condition will cost from 20 thousand, and repairs - from ten to infinity: spare parts are very expensive, and many put "used" ones in the process of restoration.

With turbocharged engines of 1.4-1.6 liters and almost all diesel engines, a stronger six-speed M32WR was installed. Unfortunately, similar problems haunt her. True, the failure rate is generally lower than that of the F 17. The box feels especially good with 1.4 turbo engines or the first 1.6 turbo, which has a small torque.

With 1.6 SIDI, especially with the 200-horsepower version of the GTC, everything is much more complicated. More than 280 Nm of torque, the box holds much worse and is damaged more often. With a 1.7 liter diesel, the M 32 is also quite vulnerable.

When buying, the same check is required as for the F 17. The gearbox is a little better repairable, but in the same way, used units are in good condition - in some shortage and are not cheap. However, earlier this box was put on cars with turbocharged two-liter engines, and there it failed much faster. So the owners of Astra J are not so bad.

Only owners of cars with 2.0-liter gasoline and diesel engines were very lucky. They rely on an "adult" box of the F 40 series, for which 350-400 Nm of these motors are children's toys. Unless a dual-mass flywheel will force owners to fork out for something other than a new clutch.

In the photo: Opel Astra GTC (J) "2011–present

If you think that here, like at, automatic transmission is more reliable than manual transmission, then I'm afraid that I will have to upset you. For this generation of cars, GM has become generous with a new machine of its own design. More precisely, joint with Ford. On Ford cars, these boxes performed well, but on GM they squeeze everything that can be squeezed out of them. Especially in the boxes of the first releases. However, let's go in order.

Atmospheric 1.6-liter engines are equipped with an automatic transmission GM 6T30 series. With 1.4 turbo engines, a box of the 6T 40 series was installed, but 1.6 SIDI put an even stronger version of 6T45. These automatic transmissions of the modular series technically repeat each other, but the younger ones have a noticeably lightened mechanical part of the box.

A characteristic feature of GM machines is the very aggressive operation of the valve body. If the driver likes to "sink", he literally allows you to tear the box apart. And most of all, cars with a 6T30 box were unlucky, it is simply not suitable for this. The 6T40 with a 1.4 liter turbo engine gets along noticeably better, and the 6T45 with 1.6 SIDI works just fine. It's nice, but sometimes with a 1.4 turbo engine you can also find 6T45, moreover, "from the factory", and on cars with atmospheric engines - 6T40. But these are extremely rare options, you should not seriously expect to find such a car. Moreover, the problem of these automatic transmissions is connected not only with the power of the motors ...

First of all, we note that the box at the time of the release of Astra J was quite fresh and was constantly being improved throughout the entire period of its release. So there are many modifications and options for the execution of internal nodes.

Later automatic transmissions have both optimized “brain” firmware, which ensure better preservation of the mechanical part, and eliminated design defects.

All gearbox options have a very intense thermal regime, which naturally leads to problems in the electrical part and accelerated wear of all friction clutches, including the “main” one - the gas turbine engine blocking lining.

Well, how without obvious errors in the mechanical part? There is also a typical mechanical problem due to the design. When buying and during operation, it is recommended to check the oil in the automatic transmission for level and color. The level is often measured incorrectly, which can also lead to bad consequences. In short, the oil should just drip, and not pour from the control hole. Many unsuccessful translations of the instruction manual miss this point.

And, of course, the box really lacks cooling and an external filter. The regular heat exchanger in the radiator on a number of machines is supplemented by a small remote radiator under the number 52432861, but its area is also not enough for a heavy load. And yet, with normal operation, the situation improves markedly with it. But in the mountains, or if you like to ride dynamically, you need a radiator twice as large in area.

Of course, the oil needs to be changed every 30-40 thousand. And it is very desirable to embed the external filter of the box into the highway: like many other automatic transmissions, this one has solenoids that are very sensitive to contamination.

The main mechanical problem of 6T40 / 6T45 for early releases (until about 2011) is the breakdown of the 4-5-6 drum retaining ring. After the ring breaks, the drum is damaged almost irreversibly and needs to be replaced. The part itself is not too expensive, about 11-15 thousand rubles, but there can be a lot of incidental damage. After this breakdown, the car usually gets up immediately.

Subsequently, the drum was changed to a reinforced one, and the problem disappeared. Note that the new part 213550BB-EM requires a new piston and a new caliper.

However, this drum is long-suffering on all boxes of the family, including the 6T30, where a part of a slightly smaller diameter is used. The problem is still in the “wavy spring” used - a volumetric ring for pressing the package. It bursts under load, and this problem cannot be solved, you can only fix it in time and not load the box to the maximum at which the spring breaks most often.

If you ignore the jerks that appear, then the drum 213550 is damaged, and the fragments can “kill” the sun gear of the planetary gear, and the entire “planet” number 213580 will go for a replacement. And this is already a big expense. If you stop by the service in time, then everything will be fine either by replacing the long-suffering 4-5-6 drum, or even installing a repair spacer on it and, of course, a new spring.

Planetary transmission Output Planet boxes 6T40 release before 2011 is also a weak point. Later, this assembly was unified with a similar part from 6T45, number 213584, and earlier, frequent use of the maximum engine power could lead to the destruction of satellite gears.

Another feature of the box is the relatively intense wear of the sleeves due to the adopted hydraulic scheme. Pressure and load pulsations lead to their wear and tear, and therefore, even with a good mechanical and hydraulic part, the pressure in the box steadily drops. This completely natural process is usually noticeably accelerated in case of problems with contamination of the valve body and oil. Even with normal operation of the box, for a run of 250-300 thousand, the bushings must be replaced preventively. The bushings are changed if there are any problems with the operation of the box and oil pollution.

The VFS solenoids used in this box are also very sensitive to contamination and oil temperature. The good news is that they are relatively inexpensive and can even be washed with a good chance of success. The bad news is that for most car owners who have not changed the oil, almost all of them will require replacement, as well as bushings.

The pre-2011 black solenoids are less reliable and less tolerant of high temperatures, while the green/yellow 213420K kit is a bit more reliable and often solves jerking problems for a while. But if the oil pressure is insufficient, the gas turbine lining has not been replaced, the bushings are old, and the sealing rings on the drums are worn out, then the repair will not last long.

Another typical problem with these boxes that have worked under high load is the contamination of the Hall sensors with magnetic wear products of the box. Moreover, the turbine speed sensor can be used as a “mechanics” wear sensor: the state of the unit can be seen on it by the amount of debris.

Of the remaining problems, the most unpleasant is the abrasive wear of the channels of the valve body plate. There is a Sonnax kit for repairs, but its correct installation requires extraordinary skill and therefore often does not help.

As you understand, these boxes are not in vain considered problematic. There are few chances for a long and happy life. You can slightly improve the situation by changing the oil often, using an external filter for automatic transmissions, installing a good radiator and not overloading the unit. Unfortunately, most owners violate these requirements one way or another, and even modernized boxes after 2011 have a finite resource and very high chances for extraordinary repairs.

Not everyone knows, but another box is aggregated with a two-liter diesel engine. This is the noticeably more reliable Aisin TF 81SC. Its undoubted advantages include a reliable mechanical part that can withstand 450 Nm nominally, and abnormally all 600.

There are also disadvantages: the box has a valve body that is very sensitive to pollution and frankly capricious, in which the plate itself suffers greatly from wear, and very expensive spare parts. But due to the relatively rare use on the Opel Astra, it is better to read the detailed description where this automatic transmission is widely used. You can not be afraid of overheating with a diesel engine on an Opel, and in this version, the automatic transmission is definitely the leader in reliability among all Astra J transmission options.

Motors

Talking about Opel powertrains for the twentieth time is a little boring - I hope you have studied the relevant materials on and. In fact, atmospheric engines have not changed at all, and diesel engines are almost the same.

Engines A14XER, A16XER, A 18XER here are the same and with the same features. These are relatively reliable and simple motors, which, nevertheless, have a number of unpleasant weaknesses.

Current heat exchangers, capricious phase regulator valves and current phase shifters, unsuccessful thermostats, a dirty intake manifold and exhaust cracks have not gone away. The chains on 1.4 liter engines and belts on 1.6 and 1.8 do not please with the resource either.

But cars with these motors are not troublesome, these minor troubles are solved quite reliably and inexpensively. And during the warranty period, there are usually no problems at all, up to a hundred or one and a half hundred thousand mileage you don’t have to worry too much.

If you still use non-branded Dexos II oil, which is very prone to "oil plague" and in general does not differ in special quality, but something decent, then you can count on a quite decent resource of the piston group and the absence of an "oil burner" up to a run of 200- 300 thousand kilometers.

In the photo: Opel Astra (J) "2009–12

If the engine eats up oil, nothing bad will happen either. A complete loss of oil pressure or global breakdowns are unlikely: the design is not only conservative, but also has a good margin of safety.

Radiator

original price

7 093 rubles

Of the additional problems on the Astra J, only a tight layout, flaws in the seals of the cooling system and its design in general, including too closely spaced radiators and a constantly flowing expansion tank, were added. If you want to see more criticism on these motors, see the materials about and, on older machines, the number of problems is noticeably greater. On Astra J, these motors suffer only from heat exchanger leaks, and even in old age or after serious operational violations - cover leaks, oil appetite, and similar consequences.

Much more interesting new turbo engines. I note right away that in terms of the mechanical part, A 14NET, A 14NEL and A 16LET almost completely repeat their ancestors of the same working volume in the face of A 14XER and A 16XER. Unless the chain resource on a 1.4-liter engine is still smaller than that of an atmospheric engine, and you need to monitor it more carefully. But this problem is not great either: usually for the first time everything is limited to replacing the chain itself and occasionally the tensioner. A complete set with stars and a phase shifter changes much less often, usually with runs over 200 thousand.

In the photo: Under the hood of the Opel Astra OPC (J) "2011–present.

A lower operating temperature (there is a 90-degree thermostat here) allows us to hope for a longer resource of plastic and rubber elements of the cooling system. True, for some reason there are a lot of complaints about the pump and its housing just for the A 14NET motor, often it is only enough for 60-80 thousand mileage. It not only starts to make noise, but also loses its tightness.

original price

6 531 rubles

Sometimes there are also failures of the boost control system. Most often, the boost control valve fails, here they managed with the usual vacuum actuator, without any of your fashionable electronic actuators.

The turbine resource is usually at least 150 thousand kilometers. There is a simple KKK03 here, the cartridges for which are inexpensive and have long been mastered in repairs for Volkswagen cars.

The most serious, but, fortunately, rare problem of such motors is burnout and broken pistons. They are possible when the intake temperature rises to 60 degrees and above, the use of low-quality fuel or piston coking. Therefore, the cleanliness of radiators and the condition of the piston must be monitored very carefully.

In the photo: Under the hood of the Opel Astra BiTurbo (J) "2012–15

But the 180-horsepower A 16LET is an example of a less successful conversion of a naturally aspirated engine to a turbocharged one. A clear lack of performance of the cooling system - more precisely, the circulation of fluid in the block - leads to an increased load on the fourth cylinder and, as a result, to an increased chance of piston burnout and damage to the block.

The pistons themselves are rather weak, detonation often causes baffle breaks or even cracks. The crankshaft and lubrication system also work to the limit, and the SAE 30 oil for this motor is frankly thin, although there are cases of oil scraper rings due to oil drain problems on a more viscous one.

In general, this motor will ask you to fill in high-quality synthetics, and not just anything, and ester is better and with minimal dropout of additives and very thorough maintenance. Regular oil does not suit him well, consider this. By the way, only high-quality 95 gasoline is recommended, and preferably 98-100, and you need to monitor the temperature regime in both.

When buying a car, be sure to check the condition of the piston group and do not be too lazy to do an endoscopy of the fourth cylinder: the initial stage of problems is marked there by small seizures of the piston and corresponding marks on the cylinder.

And in the future, the chances of problems with the piston group remain quite high. High oil temperatures result in more frequent heat exchanger leaks. Taking into account the fact that not only a catalyst, but also a turbine stands above it, the repair price increases slightly. The motor itself, unfortunately, has a small margin for forcing. To achieve decent power and torque of more than 300 Nm, it is necessary to change the oil pump and reinforce the cylinder block with a plate at the bottom. Yet the original design was designed for half the load, and ignoring these restrictions leads to sad consequences. Usually, the lubrication of a part of the crankshaft journals is violated due to curvature, and then where the curve will take it.

In the photo: Opel Astra Sedan (J) "2012–present

The turbine here is the usual KKK03, as on a 1.4-liter engine. Installing KKK04 is not recommended due to the limitations described above. But in general, don't be scared. The motor is very inexpensive in design, well understood and known. And even though its 180 forces are in fact no more cheerful than 122-140 forces from a 1.4 engine from another manufacturer of downsized motors, a car with such an engine drives briskly. And with careful operation, it is quite possible to count on 200 thousand trouble-free mileage.

In the photo: Under the hood of the Opel Astra (J) "2012–15

Timing kit 1.6 / 1.8 16v

original price

8 329 rubles

Here are the A16XHT motors, they are also 1.6 SIDI, - this is a completely different calico. Despite the lower power (there are “only” 170 forces in the initial version), the cylinder block, crankshaft and power system are clearly designed for a noticeably greater load. In practice, this means that without much intervention in the hardware, you can get more than 300 Nm of torque from it, and the standard version has a good margin of reliability. Even balance shafts are added, and the motor is completely devoid of vibrations.

Direct injection gives it a reduced sensitivity to the octane number of the fuel, the engine runs at "just 95" and does not find fault.

And now a fly in the ointment. Poor piston material is very sensitive to detonation: pistons crack, and it's good if you do without damaging the cylinder block. Detonation is still often managed to be obtained when fuel equipment breaks down, dirty radiators and an intercooler: the turbine really blows here, and direct injection is very sensitive to fuel contamination and the quality and condition of filters and, as a result, to nozzle contamination. Moreover, a change in the shape of the injection jet can lead to increased wear of the cylinder and piston rings.

You can ruin an expensive high-pressure fuel pump with unsuccessful gasoline, and the coarse filter on the pump in the gas tank often clogs here and cuts off the fuel supply.

The standard firmware of cars until 2013 is unsuccessful, it does not take into account possible malfunctions in the operation of fuel equipment and the fact that we have especially smart drivers pouring “clean 92nd” gasoline. And therefore, pistons “fly” with it regularly, so it is recommended to upgrade to the latest software version.

The carbon formation on the pistons and valves of the motor is simply terrible, it requires regular bracing once every 30 thousand km. Well, or installing a water-methanol injection system, which helps very well.

In the photo: Opel Astra (J) "2012–15

The chain has a very small resource, often stretching to a mileage of 60 thousand to such an extent that it begins to knock on the motor cover. It's good that at least it doesn't fly off.

In general, the motor is still very "raw", although it has potential. With forged pistons and good tuning, German companies do not hesitate to take up to 300 hp from it, but I'm afraid this fact will not help in any way for "the guys from our yard", and in the standard version this engine remains a risky option with high potential.

Summary

Astra J is a very good car. Especially if you are lucky and you did not choose the initially problematic option. You know, here a step to the right, a step to the left - and now ... Typically, this is only after a run of a hundred and a half thousand kilometers, but the age of the car is already quite sufficient for such a run to be considered normal.

In general, everything is fine, but atmospheric engines rely on very unsuccessful manual transmissions and hardly more reliable machines, which, although they were finalized after 2011, did not completely eliminate the shortcomings.

In the photo: Opel Astra GTC (J) "2011–present

Powerful supercharged 1.6 liter engines are generally a minefield. Of course, you can install an automatic transmission 6T40 with atmospheric 1.8, modify the supercharged 1.6 by installing a new forged piston ... But for this reason, the model does not have as many fans as it could be. Choose a car wisely, check for weaknesses, and it will please you with a low cost of operation.

Would you buy a used Opel Astra J?