Engine rebuild
Discussion
The following is a repost of my post on the Gallardo/Huracan sub-forum. But what applies to a V10 Lambo, applies just as well to any multi-cylinder “exotic”. So I’ll throw the question out to a wider audience here too, if I may?
I’m sure that many of you are aware that I use my 2005 Gallardo as daily transport. Since I purchased it in the early summer of 2013 I’ve taken it from 42,000 miles to 105,000 miles and growing!
And now I feel that it’s probably due an engine rebuild. It’s still as strong as anything; in the words of the (VERY experienced) main dealer technician who test drove it after its last service, it “pulls like a fking train!” But ever increasingly, it LOOKS like it’s pulling like a “fking train”. A diesel one! Oil consumption has reached frankly comical levels.
So who shall I have rebuild the engine? And who should I avoid? And in both cases, “Why?”
Please don’t recommend a business just because they’re your mates! This is too expensive an undertaking for me to choose the wrong people. But if you’ve genuine reason and experience on which to offer me advice, then please do!
PistonHeads posting rules say that you can praise a business to the rafters, but you can’t slag them off on here. Please, if you have genuine reason to suggest that I AVOID a particular business, PM me direct. Just click on my user name, and when my profile pops up, click on “email me”. Anything you say will be STRICTLY between you and me.
Thanking you all in advance.......
I’m sure that many of you are aware that I use my 2005 Gallardo as daily transport. Since I purchased it in the early summer of 2013 I’ve taken it from 42,000 miles to 105,000 miles and growing!
And now I feel that it’s probably due an engine rebuild. It’s still as strong as anything; in the words of the (VERY experienced) main dealer technician who test drove it after its last service, it “pulls like a fking train!” But ever increasingly, it LOOKS like it’s pulling like a “fking train”. A diesel one! Oil consumption has reached frankly comical levels.
So who shall I have rebuild the engine? And who should I avoid? And in both cases, “Why?”
Please don’t recommend a business just because they’re your mates! This is too expensive an undertaking for me to choose the wrong people. But if you’ve genuine reason and experience on which to offer me advice, then please do!
PistonHeads posting rules say that you can praise a business to the rafters, but you can’t slag them off on here. Please, if you have genuine reason to suggest that I AVOID a particular business, PM me direct. Just click on my user name, and when my profile pops up, click on “email me”. Anything you say will be STRICTLY between you and me.
Thanking you all in advance.......
Ricky at RE Performance in Swindon would be my choice. http://reperformance.co.uk/ He has a wealth of experience with this engine and although I haven't had cause to have a rebuild with him yet, I have witnessed a good number of them in progress whilst having work done myself.
Thank you all so much for the replies so far! Thank you for taking the time to write. I’ve also had a couple of PMs so far. I’m at work and busy, so I’ll reply to them later this afternoon.
The two names immediately above (other thread!) are the ones I was most aware of and I’ll be talking to them very soon. REPerformance I’d never heard of, but Swindon is closer to me in Hampshire, so I’ll definitely talk to them too.
Please keep the recommendations and PMs coming.
TIA
Simon
The two names immediately above (other thread!) are the ones I was most aware of and I’ll be talking to them very soon. REPerformance I’d never heard of, but Swindon is closer to me in Hampshire, so I’ll definitely talk to them too.
Please keep the recommendations and PMs coming.
TIA
Simon
Trev450 said:
Ricky at RE Performance in Swindon would be my choice. http://reperformance.co.uk/ He has a wealth of experience with this engine and although I haven't had cause to have a rebuild with him yet, I have witnessed a good number of them in progress whilst having work done myself.
For me using a garage to look after a high ed car is 100% about trust, that they will do what is needed & advise correctly and get the job done perfectly but for the minimum outlay requiredI can vouch for Ricky & RE Performance. Very trustworthy guy, attention to detail, calls you back promptly etc. Really really good business to use & would use him all the time if I was local
Another place that I trust if you're in the SE is SMDG Performance in Dorking, they operate out of a barn on a farm but inside it's a different story with F40's, F12, 250s being worked on / restored etc.
The owner Steve is a very straight guy and races, & knows these cars inside out & is a very honest & trustworthy guy
Once again, my thanks to those who took the time to reply, either on PH or by PM, to both this post and the almost identical one that I started on the Gallardo sub-forum. As things are moving forward, and as developments might be of interest to ALL supercar owners, I’ve decided to call time on the other thread, and keep you all updated with THIS one.....
I’ve probably been downplaying the oil consumption of my (now) 106,000 mile, 5.0 litre Gallardo engine. It’s probably about 5 litres per 1000 miles and about a litre per 100 miles if I’m “pushing on”! It still feels as strong as an ox, and it’s as fast as f
k, but I’ve been worried for a while that a big failure can’t be far off. That’s taken a lot of the fun out of thrashing it.
I couldn’t really ignore all of the recommendations for Ricky, could I? Particularly as Swindon is 35 miles away across fast cross country A-roads. So I called him two or three weeks ago and then popped straight over for a chat.
What a lovely bloke. And what obvious, deep and detailed knowledge of these engines. And whilst he may be a bit of an expert on the Audi/Lambo V10s, you can’t help but notice the modern Ferraris and McLarens that he has also been entrusted with. Not many outfits can have a block from the (Lambo only) 5 litre engine in the office/tea room/crèche! And the two 5.2 litre engines in the well appointed engine build room were further evidence that I was in the right place. One is being rebuilt as a straight rebuild. The other has been lined and bored and will be the heart of a 1500 bhp, twin-turbo conversion. There’s a completed example of the latter in the back of the powder blue R8 out in the workshop.
We discussed MY car, and although we both agree that it’ll probably result in an engine rebuild, Ricky was insistent that he wouldn’t contemplate suggesting that until he’d conducted what he termed “due diligence” on it. So it was booked into his workshop at the earliest available instance for a “health check” on the motor. Compression testing, borescoping of the bores and down the inlet tracts; a thorough assessment of just how worn the reciprocating parts might be without actually removing the lump and stripping it.
There is a vanishingly small possibility that my excessive oil consumption might just be due to blocked crankcase breathers and the resulting pumping of the oil past the rings. Yeah, right! We both know that that’s a pipe dream. Post the due diligence inspection, I’m pretty certain that Ricky will have to find a Gallardo-shaped space in his workshop to accommodate my car for the duration of a rebuild. What that rebuild might actually entail will only become clear once the engine has been removed and stripped. It’s my intention to continue to run the car as daily, year-round transport, so the TT conversion is out. Besides, I couldn’t afford it anyway!!
Meanwhile, for the first time in over twenty years I’ve bought a “normal” car, to see me good for the duration of the rebuild. Briefly this morning, I had a three-car household. Briefly, because 20 minutes after getting home in my “new” focus, I left again to deliver the patient to RE Performance. And a focus? Don’t laugh. I like these. They’re great, fun cars. Cheap as chips to buy, run and maintain. And what was quite gobsmacking styling at the time, now looks increasingly clean and simple when compared to some of the fussiness out there (Civic Type R, anybody?)
I’ve probably been downplaying the oil consumption of my (now) 106,000 mile, 5.0 litre Gallardo engine. It’s probably about 5 litres per 1000 miles and about a litre per 100 miles if I’m “pushing on”! It still feels as strong as an ox, and it’s as fast as f
k, but I’ve been worried for a while that a big failure can’t be far off. That’s taken a lot of the fun out of thrashing it. I couldn’t really ignore all of the recommendations for Ricky, could I? Particularly as Swindon is 35 miles away across fast cross country A-roads. So I called him two or three weeks ago and then popped straight over for a chat.
What a lovely bloke. And what obvious, deep and detailed knowledge of these engines. And whilst he may be a bit of an expert on the Audi/Lambo V10s, you can’t help but notice the modern Ferraris and McLarens that he has also been entrusted with. Not many outfits can have a block from the (Lambo only) 5 litre engine in the office/tea room/crèche! And the two 5.2 litre engines in the well appointed engine build room were further evidence that I was in the right place. One is being rebuilt as a straight rebuild. The other has been lined and bored and will be the heart of a 1500 bhp, twin-turbo conversion. There’s a completed example of the latter in the back of the powder blue R8 out in the workshop.
We discussed MY car, and although we both agree that it’ll probably result in an engine rebuild, Ricky was insistent that he wouldn’t contemplate suggesting that until he’d conducted what he termed “due diligence” on it. So it was booked into his workshop at the earliest available instance for a “health check” on the motor. Compression testing, borescoping of the bores and down the inlet tracts; a thorough assessment of just how worn the reciprocating parts might be without actually removing the lump and stripping it.
There is a vanishingly small possibility that my excessive oil consumption might just be due to blocked crankcase breathers and the resulting pumping of the oil past the rings. Yeah, right! We both know that that’s a pipe dream. Post the due diligence inspection, I’m pretty certain that Ricky will have to find a Gallardo-shaped space in his workshop to accommodate my car for the duration of a rebuild. What that rebuild might actually entail will only become clear once the engine has been removed and stripped. It’s my intention to continue to run the car as daily, year-round transport, so the TT conversion is out. Besides, I couldn’t afford it anyway!!
Meanwhile, for the first time in over twenty years I’ve bought a “normal” car, to see me good for the duration of the rebuild. Briefly this morning, I had a three-car household. Briefly, because 20 minutes after getting home in my “new” focus, I left again to deliver the patient to RE Performance. And a focus? Don’t laugh. I like these. They’re great, fun cars. Cheap as chips to buy, run and maintain. And what was quite gobsmacking styling at the time, now looks increasingly clean and simple when compared to some of the fussiness out there (Civic Type R, anybody?)
Edited by 4321go on Monday 3rd December 18:41
Very pleased to hear that you have made progress and that you will be placing the work in Rick's capable hands. As you mentioned, it only takes a quick look around his premises to know that you are dealing with a very knowledgeable and trustworthy guy. Please keep us informed as to how things progress.
4321go said:
Meanwhile, for the first time in over twenty years I’ve bought a “normal” car, to see me good for the duration of the rebuild. Briefly this morning, I had a three-car household. Briefly, because 20 minutes after getting home in my “new” focus, I left again to deliver the patient to RE Performance. And a focus? Don’t laugh. I like these. They’re great, fun cars. Cheap as chips to buy, run and maintain. And what was quite gobsmacking styling at the time, now looks increasingly clean and simple when compared to some of the fussiness out there (Civic Type R, anybody?)
What engine in the focus, any decent options, manual?Edited by 4321go on Monday 3rd December 18:41
jakesmith said:
What engine in the focus, any decent options, manual?
1.8, manual in Zetec trim. 72k with good, tight suspension. Full stamped up until 4 years ago and then.......... nothing! Four years and 20k since the cambelt was done, so I’ll throw plugs and fluids at it ASAP. And once the mismatched, big-brand and Cheng-slime tyres wear, I’ll put half-decent rubber on it. I MIGHT keep it, post rebuild, as a tip run wagon would be useful.......
4321go said:
I’ve probably been downplaying the oil consumption of my (now) 106,000 mile, 5.0 litre Gallardo engine. It’s probably about 5 litres per 1000 miles and about a litre per 100 miles if I’m “pushing on”!
Downplaying......might be an understatement You sure your sump plug is still in 
Top marks for using it properly!!
Jim
4321go said:
1.8, manual in Zetec trim. 72k with good, tight suspension. Full stamped up until 4 years ago and then.......... nothing! Four years and 20k since the cambelt was done, so I’ll throw plugs and fluids at it ASAP. And once the mismatched, big-brand and Cheng-slime tyres wear, I’ll put half-decent rubber on it. I MIGHT keep it, post rebuild, as a tip run wagon would be useful.......
jakesmith said:
Brace going for the 1.8, quite juicy I’ve heard. Are you sure you want to put the miles on, once the mark one Focuses go over 80,000 they lose a lot of value
Please tell me that this is a tongue in cheek comment! I cannot believe that the yawn inspiring topic of depreciation so prevelant all over these forums could permeate its way down to an old bus the OP has purchased to smoke around in whilst his Lambo gets fettled. I mean really?!Errrrrr? Nope, I’m pretty sure that I interpreted Mr. Smith’s line of enquiry correctly as gentle banter and a lampooning of just such attitudes. This is, after all, a thread about an intergalactic Lambo!
But let’s not get sidetracked. Questions and advice welcome in equal measure......
But let’s not get sidetracked. Questions and advice welcome in equal measure......
Ricky does seem to know his way round these engines and also mapping/ ecu issues which is helpful as it needs to be 100% right after if you are spunking large amounts on it. That's a beautiful blue colour also.
Would be interesting to see the rebuild costs after if you can share etc, let's hope you get away with rings/honing etc rather than liners/pistons etc.?
Would be interesting to see the rebuild costs after if you can share etc, let's hope you get away with rings/honing etc rather than liners/pistons etc.?
Sadly, the bores are plated. Bore wear means one of two things: a new block, in which case the pistons, if undamaged, can be re-ringed and reused: or re-lining the original block, which is cheaper but then requires new pistons. We’ll weigh up the options if and when it comes to it.
I won’t tease you about the prices; you’ll know them as and when I do and I’ll lay out the thoughts about my decisions......
I won’t tease you about the prices; you’ll know them as and when I do and I’ll lay out the thoughts about my decisions......
4321go said:
1.8, manual in Zetec trim. 72k with good, tight suspension. Full stamped up until 4 years ago and then.......... nothing! Four years and 20k since the cambelt was done, so I’ll throw plugs and fluids at it ASAP. And once the mismatched, big-brand and Cheng-slime tyres wear, I’ll put half-decent rubber on it. I MIGHT keep it, post rebuild, as a tip run wagon would be useful.......
The Lambo looks magnificent, you're not wrong about comical oil consumption... Watching with interest to see quite how bad a rebuild can be.
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