Rebuilds & repair
Engine work, diagnosed before it is priced
From head gaskets, timing belts and turbos through to a full strip-down rebuild. We find out what actually failed, tell you what each option costs, and put it in writing before a spanner goes near the car.
Parts brands we fit
- Bosch
- Mahle
- Elring
- Febi Bilstein
- NGK
- Gates
- Valeo
- Sachs
- BGA
- FAI Pro
- Castrol
- Brembo
Symptoms
What we usually get called about
If any of this sounds like your car, stop driving it and call us. Every mile after a bearing starts knocking makes the bill bigger.
Knocking or rattling
A deep knock under load usually means bearings. Caught early it is a repair; ignored it is a new engine.
Burning oil or smoking
Blue smoke and a dropping oil level point at rings, bores or valve stem seals. All of it is fixable.
Overheating or losing coolant
Head gasket, warped head or a cracked block. The sooner it stops being driven, the smaller the job.
No compression or will not turn
Timing failure, a dropped valve or a seized bottom end. We strip it and tell you exactly what let go.
Repairs
Engine jobs short of a rebuild
- Head gaskets, warped heads and pressure testing
- Timing belts, chains, tensioners and guides
- Turbochargers, injectors and glow plugs
- Oil leaks, sump gaskets and rear main seals
- Water pumps, thermostats and cooling faults
- Diagnostics for engine management and warning lights
Rebuilds
What a full rebuild includes
- Full strip, clean and inspection with everything measured
- Cylinder head work — valves, guides and seats as required
- Block work — bore, hone, crack test and machining as needed
- New bearings, seals, gaskets and timing components
- Oil pump and water pump replaced where appropriate
- Reassembly to torque spec with clearances checked and recorded
- Quality parts throughout — OE or OE-equivalent, never the cheapest option
- Run up and tested, then covered for 3 months, parts and labour
Daily drivers, performance and forged builds, classics, vans and light commercials. Not sure whether yours is worth rebuilding? Send the registration and mileage and we will tell you honestly.
1–3 weeks
Typical rebuild turnaround
Quality parts
OE or OE-equivalent
3 months
Parts & labour warranty
Process
How the job runs
- 01
Inspection
Diagnosis or a tear-down inspection so we know what actually failed, not what we assume failed.
- 02
Written quote
Options and prices — a repair, a full rebuild, or a replacement unit. You decide before we order anything.
- 03
Build and test
Machining, assembly to spec, and a run up on the bench or in the car before it goes anywhere.
- 04
Fit and hand back
Refitted, road tested, and handed over with the run-in advice for the first few hundred miles.
Collection
It will not start? Leave it where it is.
Broken down, overheated, dead on the drive or stuck at work — you do not need to get the car to us. We collect it and do the diagnosis at the workshop with proper tools instead of at the roadside.
- Tell us the postcode and whether it rolls and steers
- We bring it to the workshop on Melton Business Park
- You get a call with what failed and what each option costs
Melton Mowbray and the surrounding villages and towns, including Oakham, Grantham, Loughborough and Leicester. Further out than that? Call anyway — we can usually still help.
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Get a quote
Tell us about the engine
The more you can tell us about the noise, the smoke and the mileage, the closer our price range will be. We come back with options, not a single take-it-or-leave-it number.
FAQs
Common questions
Do I need a full rebuild, or just a repair?
Most cars do not need a full rebuild. Head gaskets, timing belts and chains, turbos, injectors and oil leaks are repairs in their own right. We diagnose first and only quote a rebuild when the bottom end or the bores are past saving.
How long does a rebuild take?
Most rebuilds take one to three weeks, depending on parts availability and whether the block needs machining. Repairs are usually days rather than weeks. You get a realistic timescale with your quote, and a call if anything changes.
Do you offer a warranty?
Yes — 3 months, parts and labour, on the work we carry out. The terms come in writing with the job so you know exactly what is covered before anything starts.
What parts do you use?
Quality parts — OE or OE-equivalent as standard, and performance parts where a build calls for them. We do not fit the cheapest thing on the shelf to make a quote look good, and we tell you exactly what is going in and why.
Would a reconditioned engine be cheaper?
Sometimes. If a reconditioned or low-mileage used unit is the better option for your car, we will say so. Where it is a close call we quote both so you can compare like for like.
The car will not start — can you collect it?
Yes. Tell us the postcode and whether it rolls and steers, and we will bring it to the workshop so the diagnosis is done with proper tools instead of at the roadside.