Sure enough a few weeks ago I could hear the faint beginnings of the tell tale death rattle - car was now on 56,500k so not too bad. So without a moments hesitation I sent a message straight to Benny on Z22SE, no point beating about the bush aye! If I was gonna get it done, I was gonna get it done properly by someone that could change the chain on a VX, in the dark, with one arm tied behind their back (Well....maybe not...but you get the idea
) and you just need to read some of the many, many threads praising Benny's work to see it was a no brainer.I got a quick response and within a few PM's I was penciled in for a trip to Wolverhampton on the 12th - Nifty! So I took it easy for next 3 weeks, winced and prayed a little every time I pushed the start button (it's my daily drive) and waited for the 12th to arrive...
...and it did.
I'd topped up the screen wash, cleaned the windows, checked the tyres and checked the oil the night before. Woke up about 7, punched in the postcode on the Tom Tom and started the 2 hr trip up the M40. No sooner had I gone past High Wycombe did I get a nice little red oil light pop up on my dash! Grrrrrrrrrrr it was full the night before!! So I pulled over asap and checked the dip stick....dry! :shock: did a visual under the car and in the bay and all was ok, so I whacked in the 250ml that I had left in a bottle in the boot and made it up gingerly up to the next services with the light switching on and off as the oil sloshed about.
A litre of oil later and one in the boot 'just in case' I was back on my way.
It was later deemed that maybe 5w 40 was a bit thin and it was all being burnt.
I finally arrived to find Benny waiting for the garage owner to open up - soon as the car was in and cooled down enough, Benny set straight to work!
As bits were being pulled off it was interesting to see hear his thoughts on my engine, from what he could see it still had an old style chain, but it DID have the bigger squirter. I was just glad to have it all changed for new bits!
A couple of things that emerged during the change; my aux drive belt tensioner looked like this:
Benny diagnosed water damage...well to be more precise, water had got in and then frozen. So after a bit of umming and arrring and a some kindly made phone calls, a new part was found.............across the road! hahaha! Benny said "See that building over there.....it's there" So off I trotted. 5mins and £50.50 later I had a new tensioner - phew! just as well too cos when Benny tapped the old one on the floor to push the bolt through, it fell apart!
Old bits:
We weren't able to change my oil filter either, it's been done up waaaaaay too tight and it wasn't worth the risk of breaking it. So I need to get some sandwich plate seals and go at here.
After a quick break for a tasty sarnie it was a case of putting it all back together, filling her up with oil, turning her over and then firing her up. She fired into life straight away and job was a good'un! Benny also diagnosed a cream crackered exhaust gasket which he said was a common fault.
So with a handshake and grin I was on my home, I could feel that the car was a lot smoother and "free'er".
Here is a quick pic that I took when I got home (we fitted the powder coated rocker cover I had)
So overall I'm well chuffed and join the long list of people that would immediately recommend Benny's services - actually, I retract my earlier comment at the beggining, I think he COULD actually change a chain in the dark with one arm :clap: Thanks again Benny!
vocky did mine last years and on 65000 miles it was time to do it and the same my belt tensioner was 
he got me one for £30.00 
literally 50 steps away across the road. It even turned out to be an OEM part!
took me two hours to remove the first big nut on the pulley.
Even with my totally fcuked engine that looked more like a diesel it didn't get through oil at that rate on the road. 
)
mine as well ,vocky as plenty spare hidden in his **** 
