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Opel 1.7 CDTi (CDTi diesels, 1.6 and 1.7)

1.7 L · inline-4 · turbocharged · diesel · 1999–2015

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Also known as: a17dtr, z17dth, 1.7 cdti, 1.7 dti, isuzu 4ee2, y17dt, a17dts, z17dtl, z17dtj, b16dth, b16dtn, b16dtu

Opel's 1.7-litre diesel — and an Isuzu design rather than an Opel one, built under the long-standing GM-Isuzu relationship as the 4EE2 and its successors. Fitted to the Astra, Corsa, Meriva and Zafira through two decades.

That origin is genuinely useful: Isuzu material on the 4EE2 applies, and the engine's reputation for mechanical toughness comes from a manufacturer that builds commercial diesels. What lets these engines down is rarely the bottom end.

The recurring faults are the turbocharger's variable-geometry mechanism sticking with carbon, EGR valve blockage, and — on the later CDTi versions — a particulate filter unable to regenerate on the short journeys these cars do. Injector wear producing a rough cold idle completes the list. On the Astra H in particular, glow-plug and glow-module failures are frequent enough that a cold-start complaint should test both before anything else.

Cars fitted with this engine

8 generations, across 2 makes. From the authored catalogue — an absent car means the catalogue has not reached it, not that the engine was never fitted.

Information, not instruction

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Have anything you intend to act on checked by a trained person against the manufacturer's own procedure for your vehicle. Nothing here replaces that procedure.

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