Car over 10 year and parts.... LOL! IAC motor VX-VY

[Ausmartin1]

My ever faithful V6 after 13-1/2 years finally had it's first hissy fit.

Idle air control motor packed up, first it was intermittent high cold or hot idle leak - but there was none.
I managed to free it up and keep going, but then it really packed it in 2K high idle, check engine light came on in it's life
Limp home mode - trans shifting weird / aside the fact the idle had dropped to 1200.
Lucky I was able to keep rolling and only had 1 stop (she bucked a bit from 1-2).
Now that's what I call a good car .... Only complained when it was really bad, still managed to get it home with a stuck IAC.
Try that in some modern euro cars where the check engine light is on half the time for absolutely stupid condition parameters.

The IAC's - Holden stopped selling them 2011.
Bloody service part they should keep in stock for all the old girls still on the road - as they stuff up mechanically I've been told.

Repco in Lilydale had correct x1 $150 with RACV discount ~$113.25.
Came with star screws the wrong diameter, rest correct like OEM - grey type pintel valve

The VT version one - VDO one $75.00 - not suitable smaller pintel valve diameter by about 2mm
on line Ebay $26-45 - not suitable for mine - but ok for VT etc.
Buick on line parts US $10.00 - again the smaller VT type

Car manufactures know the law is 10 years, but hey some of us drive less then 10K a year, so that mean the car will hopefully be on the road till 20 to achieve the same scrap point in wear and tear on critical parts as an average one.

At least there is an aftermarket industry that see's a need an can supply service wear parts even when OEM's can't.
Yes most car manufactures are the same in this respect, but you would think if there was a dollar to be made in consumable they would provide parts?
How come I can buy the basic parts oil filter, air filter trans filter and not other consumables?
Eg. Throttle position sensor etc.

Could end up being like Japan -get to 10 years here and scrap it, because can't get a $30.00 part which fails as part of wear and tear.
So just think .... no matter what car you buy after 10 years "it could" be worthless :-)

Planned obsolesce keeps the whole world economy going, but not for Australian automotive manufacturing in the future.

[Toddler78]

I understand what you are saying but, bloody hell Id hate to see the size of the warehouse these manufaturers would need to house every available part for every varient of car over 20 years. Thats exactly why the aftermarket market exists. You would also probably find many people would visit a wreakers to get said parts nice and cheap

[Micks]

Yes, unfortunately the 02 Ecotec had a new intake. Which meant many things won't interchange from early models.

[Ausmartin1]

Mick, thats right about the 02 models - remember it being in the sales present releases for the VXII.
But you think I can find it on the holden service cd ?

Toddler78 yes I understand they can't carry everything but custom sensors would be good. But I guess they throw up their arm to third party suppliers and wreckers - that I never bother with faulty common parts as most of the parts life is already used up with all the hassle.
looks like Chinese after market is the way to go... expecially when half the new parts are from their any way along with Gm Mexico supplied.
Just some times with aftermarket is a gamble getting the right part with quality.

[Micks]

Just checked my manual & sure enough your right it just references the series 1!

4054

[jc_sv8]

For $113.25 you could probably get a whole V6 from the wreckers!
Get a series 2 and you're good to go...

[feistl]

When holden clear stock of older parts they sell it onto various companies who then list it on ebay etc. So in theory any stock remaining is still available past 10 years, just not from holden directly.

Not sure where you are in Vic, but if your in metro area id suggest going past a wrecker like jollys and collecting a couple of replacements. Probably cost ya a couple of bucks at most... Obviously they are at risk of failing being 10 years old as well, but if you grab several you can just change em as they fail. I know this isnt a great solution, but its cheap (And the IAC valve is cheap).

Thats the problem with keeping old cars going, expect to have these issues.

Also, i dont think its a law of 10 years... I remember in late 2013 i was speaking to the holden bloke who said they were getting rid of a LOT of series I VE stuff (Eg 2006). So they are only keeping parts for 7 years (not 10).

Best of luck

[Dickie Knee]

I have been looking into this at work myself. I have not been able to find in the law 10 years. All I can find is "reasonable time".

If a part is available after-market cheaper and everybody is buying that part and no yours why should you bother keeping it in stock.

[Ausmartin1]

Thanks guys... speaking to more people - now believe norm is 5-7 years for trim parts and running part 10years, must be a voluntary thing.

Probably that is what is happening if no one goes to a dealer for parts , I found ( when parts where still available) if you had a good dealership that cut you a good deal on OEM parts it was some time cheaper or just as cheap as the reproduction parts - as the replicators have on occasion gotten greedy looking at OEM list prices.

Some brands the parts change a fair bit and working out what will fit is a hassle - but at least they are available and if there is enough demand, guess some one clever enough will get them built at a price :-)

[Dickie Knee]

I feel your pain. I watched all of the WH statesman / Caprice parts that didn't fit commodore go from over priced due to smaller production runs, to no longer available due to lack of demand. It all comes down to demand. If it sells they will keep making it. If you sell too many your product is soon seen as crap as it keeps breaking. So it is a fine line.

[seldo]

I recall with some frustration many years back when I had an interest in Volvos that Volvo Australia took many hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of old Volvo 122s parts and dumped them at sea off Sydney Heads somewhere. :(

[Dickie Knee]

Seldo, In my time I have see some Parts Obsolescence write-offs that would make you cry. :bawl:

[ltdslip]

I recall with some frustration many years back when I had an interest in Volvos that Volvo Australia took many hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of old Volvo 122s parts and dumped them at sea off Sydney Heads somewhere. :(

Time to dustoff the scuba gear... -

[jc_sv8]

Unfortunately in these days of disposable cars it's only going to get worse.
Can you imagine a Hyundai or Kia being on the road for more than 3 years?
Yes I know they are out there but for the price, drive it into the ground until the free service window closes then park it on the side of the road and go get another one...
They are certainly not going to be in the desirable or collectable club any time soon, or ever!

[Ausmartin1]

Ah that was the same fate of VW air cooled spares... which - many Volvos were assembled by VW Victoria.

VW in Clayton Victoria was at one the time HIGHEST Australian content vehicle manufacture ever - an all time record.
Yes the vehicles had a higher Australian content than HOLDEN or FORD or CHRYSLER.
VW sent Australian Complete Knock Down kits to NZ for assembly.
At one point there were VW Cars & Datsun/Nissans and Volvo's on the car lines and an a separate "weird" sideways line for Kombi's

When VW could see the writing on the wall with new tariff protection they sold it to Nissan.
All left over parts stock - pallets and pallets of it were sent to Sydney, new headquarters in Sydney and subsequently DUMPED in the OCEAN.
VW can stick it's Green credentials up it's backside. Imagine how many die hard VW enthusiast would have loving taken those rare parts for use / storage.

If you drive past the VW plant in Clayton on centre road opposite what is left of Bosch.
You can still see the pillar clock from VW along with a BIG round White over painted sign which once displayed VW, then Datsun/Nissan.
The once large factories that housed VW including the latest Metal presses at the time is now a collection of small factories including HSV !

One interesting fact of Australian Engineering was the upper Air rear engine air vents on later Kombi's - they managed to finally convince the German head honcho clowns that
Ozzie red outback dust was killing their air-cooled engines. Hence the vents on the sides were moved (re-engineered) to the top rear to mitigate dust intrusion to the engine.
Thank Australian Car engineers for that.

I really believe car companies shouldn't just dump stock - unless it a recall issue or safety issue, but should on sell when they loose interest and have some money for their social clubs at least.