If your car’s engine starts to show signs of malfunction, it may need segmentation. This is a process in which the engine is disassembled, inspected, cleaned and repaired, if necessary.
Depending on the situation, segmenting a faulty engine can be a more economical option than a complete replacement, as you will spend less than if you completely replaced the engine.
A rebuilt engine will not need repairs for quite a long time, which extends the life of your car. How much depends on the number of components replaced. Another benefit is that segmentation allows the recycling of engine parts, which has a positive impact on the environment.
But, without a doubt, the biggest advantage of engine recovery is the connectivity and compatibility with the existing on-board computer (ECU) and with the electrical system. The on-board computer is programmed to communicate with the original engine installed on the car. In many cases, when a new engine is installed, the ECU has problems connecting and communicating with the new engine. In most cases, changing the engine requires either a resofting or a replacement of the on-board computer.
If you have the choice between repair and replacement, it is advisable to choose the existing engine repair with OEM standard spare parts to reduce the potential risk of incompatibility.
When do you need engine segmentation?
There are two main reasons why you may choose segmentation at the expense of other options. One would be if there are signs of wear on the bearings. The moving parts of the engine are mounted on bearings, which allows them to move freely while being lubricated with engine oil.
The bearings are designed to last over 1500 kilometers, but at some point they start to wear out. Wear can be accelerated when the vehicle is not well maintained and running at low oil levels. Worn bearings start making loud noises and eventually the engine fails.
Another cause of a faulty engine may be the piston rings. They seal the expansion housings that are created when fuel burns in the engine. As they wear out, they can no longer seal the cylinders properly.
When this happens, the oil in the crankshaft housing drains past the worn gaskets and is burned along with the oil mixture in the cylinder. This is why older engines have a very large amount of smoke in the exhaust pipe.
Another reason you can get segmented is excessive oil consumption, white smoke from the exhaust pipe, small pieces of metal in the engine oil or unusual sounds coming from the engine.
What does engine segmentation mean?
When an engine is segmented, it is removed from the machine and disassembled to the last part. Once cleaned and inspected, all defective components are replaced with new or reconditioned ones. All new gaskets, cylinder head gaskets and lubricants must meet OEM standards.
The most frequently replaced components are gaskets, bearings, timing belt / chain, oil pump or valve springs. If necessary, larger components, such as the crankshaft, camshaft or pistons, can also be replaced.
If the engine is severely damaged, the engine block must be drilled to align the crankshaft bores. The cylinders could also be drilled to replace new pistons. This is a more difficult process, but will allow the engine to run again. There are two situations in which we do not recommend this operation:
- When the engine block has internal defects due to a broken crankshaft or connecting rod
- The outside of the engine block is broken. This phenomenon occurs when a piece inside pierces the block.
How much does engine segmentation cost?
Segmentation of an engine involves in some cases labor for disassembling the engine, which can cost between 200 and 500 euro and bench repair - 200-1500 euros . Regarding the spare parts, the car segments can cost between 50 and 90 euros , while the cylinder head gasket: 20-100 euros .
In general, prices differ greatly depending on the type of engine and the manufacturer, with some models incurring higher costs due to the complexity of the technology and the number of components that need to be disassembled and reassembled.
