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The Opel automobile concern has existed for more than a century. Cars produced under this brand are popular all over the world. For the production of small-capacity diesel-powered vehicles, the company organized the production of 17D engines in Europe.

History of creation

The engine of Isuzu was taken as a basis, which, together with General Motors, began to install them on new Opel cars. In addition to the turbodiesel, an atmospheric version of the engine was also developed.

Opel 17D

At first, the 17D was imported from Japan, but with the growing popularity of Opel products, it was decided to open production in Europe. So in 1996, in the city of Tychy, which is located in Poland, General Motors began to build a plant for the production of components for their cars. The first 1,7 liter diesel engine was released in 1998. Some of the parts were purchased from factories in Europe, and the main block was cast in Japan. In Poland, only the assembly of all components took place.

In the same 1998, the 17D was upgraded. Now the injection is carried out directly into the cylinder. The head has 16 valves without hydraulic lifters and two camshafts. The mechanical high pressure fuel pump has been replaced with an electronic version.

Since 2003, internal combustion engines for Opel Astra G cars have been finalized.

The Common Rail fuel system was introduced. A variable geometry turbine and temperature and oil level sensors were added for the 101 hp version.

Specifications and markings

There are several versions of the Opel 17D engine. The first two digits in the name indicate the volume - 1,7 liters.

Opel 17DR under the hood

The Latin letter D tells us that diesel fuel is used for its operation. The following letters mean the following:

R - increased power;
T - turbocharged.

VIN with the necessary information is located on the far wall under the hood of the car.

The table shows the technical specifications for each type of engine.

17D	17DR	17DT
Volume cm3	1699	1699	1686
Power, hp	57	60	82
Torque, rpm	2600	2600	3000
Consumption per 100 km, l	6	6	4.8
Type	Inline	Inline	Inline
4 cylinder	4 cylinder	4 cylinder
Cylinder diameter, mm	82.5	82.5	79
Number of valves	2	2	4
Compression ratio	23	23	18.4
The piston stroke, mm	79.5	79.5	86

It is difficult to know the approximate resource of the engine. It all depends on the operating conditions of the car and the oil change. Before the overhaul, it may well serve without complaints 200 - 300 thousand kilometers.

Recommended oil

Diesel engines are more susceptible to the quality of lubricants. It is recommended to change the oil at least 2 times a year or after passing 7-8 thousand kilometers. You should use oil from time-tested manufacturers who have proven themselves in the market. Depending on the operating conditions, the oil viscosity can be 5w30, 5w40, 0w30, 0w40.

Oil 0w 40

Reliability and maintainability

The most common problem with Opel 17D engines is the fuel pump, which is controlled by the Denso unit. The developers, for unknown reasons, placed it on the engine, and not on the pump. The unit case and wiring are subject to vibrations, temperature changes and moisture ingress due to poor protection. A failure of the unit leads to the fact that the engine simply does not start or runs intermittently. You can solve this problem by giving the unit for soldering to an electronics specialist.

Another problem that occurs on the 17D is the leakage of the injection pump advance valve. You can notice this by the wiring coming from the block, it will be saturated with fuel. The solution to the problem is to replace the valve with a new one.

Engine 17DT

The design of the 17DT means that the fuel injection nozzles are placed in special glasses. These cups have rubber o-rings. Of course, they have a limited lifespan. The rings dry out and oil begins to drip into the antifreeze. You can determine that it is time to change the rings by the changed color of the antifreeze in the tank. Also, oil enters the antifreeze when the integrity of the gasket is broken in the oil filter.

It is also worth checking the copper washers installed on the nozzles. Over time, they can lead to fuel leaks into the oil. But in general, 17D type engines for Opel are unpretentious and reliable. The situations described above occur extremely rarely and are easily eliminated.

Purchase of spare parts and a new engine

Today, finding a new contracted 17D engine and spare parts for it is not difficult for Opel. On the Internet, there are a huge number of websites of companies that supply components for this brand of car directly from the factory.

Delivery time depends on the region and country of the manufacturer. The average waiting time for the unit is 30-45 days. The remoteness of the seller and the buyer also affects the cost, which should be clarified in advance

VECTRA A

But with individual spare parts, the delivery time is significantly less. For example, piston rings and bushings are often in stock or delivered within a few days. The seals and the piston group are brought original, so their waiting time increases to 45 days.

Owner feedback

Most owners of Opel cars with 17D, 17DR or 17DT engines speak positively about it. They note low fuel consumption and reliability. Repairs are inexpensive and most often involve replacing gaskets and rings. According to the assurances of the owners, timely maintenance and careful attitude allow the engine to work for more than 400 thousand km. including major repairs.