Vauxhall - the worst pile of crap ever

martinw

I think the last good car Vauxhall made was the 1.6-1.8 MkIII Cavalier. After that they seem to have a built-in head gasket failure at 60k!

When my 2.0 Ecotec Cav went at 60k, I fixed it myself, and I couldn't believe how small the lands were between the cylinders and coolant passageways....obviously an overbore on the 1.8 and clearly going to fail at some point, with a modicum of corrosion. Poor design.

Paul_C

I've got a 2003 Corsa and it's been mostly trouble free in the four years I've had it.

The only aspect of it that's really puzzled me is that it has suffered minor breaks off the ends of three out of four of the coil springs, at around £120 a time.

The missus doesn't like the colour, but that's her problem

Deadman

Phil_aka_Pip said:

guitarcookie1 said:

Mayonnaise could just be too many short journeys, try giving it a good run to burn off the moisture.

It had a good run last weekend. And on a few other weekends before that.

My Vectra had mayo both on the dipstick and inside the filler cap for the 7 years I owned it. It's a well known fact that some of the ecotecs just have it but it's absolutely nothing to worry about. Every time I changed the oil the mayo was never in the sump. It's just condensation build up at the points of ventilation and a 'good run' won't burn it off. I used to wipe it away once a month. The Z22SE unit(that I had) is renowned for it. Just drive yours, I doubt very much you've got a blown HG.

Handsome_Chris

I can't believe that we're this far into this thread and no one has made a comment about "blowing a seal"!

mike_l

Handsome_Chris said:

I can't believe that we're this far into this thread and no one has made a comment about "blowing a seal"!

That's cos it's a bit of ice cream on your lip
>-

Handsome_Chris

I love Sunday mornings on this forum.

Col_Decker

Bear in mind that the oil light is for oil pressure not oil level, so you might have plenty in the sump but it might not be getting to where it needs to go.

Paul_C

I had a faulty oil pressure sensor once, so it appeared there was a major problem but there wasn't - the spanner I had to buy to replace the sensor cost more than the sensor itself.

rockmonster

I have an Astra van it's been very reliable. The last one I had the head gasket went just after I sold it to a mate!

Phil_aka_Pip

The mayonnaise is only on the inside of the oil filler cap. There is none on the dipstick. The oil level is on the low end of the dipstick. The expansion tank is a white plastic thing with pink watery stuff up to its half way mark. There is no evidence of engine oil in the pink stuff.

I have no evidence yet that the engine is losing compression - it fires up and pulls every time. However the short length of time it took the last engine to go from pulling well at motorway speeds to being totally knackered suggests to me that just because there doesn't appear to be a problem now it doesn't mean I couldn't get a spectacular engine failure halfway to work tomorrow morning. I think I'll take out some breakdown insurance.

Deadman

The fact that your water is clean and at the correct level is confirmation that's there's nothing wrong (but you obviously already know that). I'd bet my left nad that your engine is good. Just keep that oil topped up and go for it. The mayo is an annoyance but that's it.

mike_l

Deadman said:

The fact that your water is clean and at the correct level is confirmation that's there's nothing wrong (but you obviously already know that). I'd bet my left nad that your engine is good. Just keep that oil topped up and go for it. The mayo is an annoyance but that's it.

I had a headgasket go, the water level was good, and there was no oil contamination in it.

BTW Phil, if you run the engine with the header cap off, does the water bubble at all?

Phil_aka_Pip

I could try that @mike_l ... do I do it with the engine cold, and what does the answer tell me?

I take it that in your case the engine lost compression?

Deadman

I'll leave it to the mechanics. Mike and the mechanics.

mike_l said:

Deadman said:

The fact that your water is clean and at the correct level is confirmation that's there's nothing wrong (but you obviously already know that). I'd bet my left nad that your engine is good. Just keep that oil topped up and go for it. The mayo is an annoyance but that's it.

I had a headgasket go, the water level was good, and there was no oil contamination in it.

BTW Phil, if you run the engine with the header cap off, does the water bubble at all?

I'll leave it to the mechanics. Mike_l and the mechanics.

ICBM

Deadman said:

I'll leave it to the mechanics. Mike and the mechanics.

Unwise, you'll fall asleep at the wheel.

Roaster

Head gaskets can go several ways, water in the oil, oil in the water or cylinder compression entering the water jacket around the engine.As stated the emulsion in the filler cap could be just that,and just a harmless build up and possibly not being helped by a blocked engine breather tube or something along those lines. If water were getting in the oil the emulsion would be in the oil. Make sure the oil is topped up to the top mark on the dipstick and no more.The oil consumption would be concerning for me for a "new" engine. Could be a short on the oil pressure switch wire which is shorting when you turn a corner, possible, but unlikely.Any blue smoke if you rev it? > possibly burning excess oil > Any white smoke (Excessive) when you rev it? > water being burnt in the cylinders. Any engine "pinking" or "rattling" (Also known as pre detonation) when you accelerate?

Roaster

Also, what engine , petrol? Diesel?

Phil_aka_Pip

Petrol. no apparent noises, other than the top end went slightly rattly a day or two before the oil light incident.

Roaster

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Petrol. no apparent noises, other than the top end went slightly rattly a day or two before the oil light incident.

Hmm it would if it were short of oil, dont worry too much about the emulsion unless its gets worse and keep a close an regular check on the fluid levels

27 years in the motor trade before i saw the light! (Redundant lol)

mike_l

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I could try that @mike_l ... do I do it with the engine cold, and what does the answer tell me?

I take it that in your case the engine lost compression?

Doesn't really matter, you're looking for bubbling (it'll be clear) as that'll be engine gasses being blown through the cooling system.

 

My Engine lost no compression, and didn't run any different, as the gasket had blown between cylinder 1 +2. There was a little mayonnaise (Emulsion) on the rad cap, and the bubbling in the cooling system.