[mattpreece87]

Hey,

I used to be a member at Corsa C back in the old when I was into modifications and I know how much you guys know about cars so i'm hoping you can help me.

So currently, my problems are the temp gauge keeps going up and down but this only started when I opened the coolant box earlier to see how much was in it. Closed it again, turned the engine on and the gauge now wont stay still.

Secondly, the cooling fan is sometimes always on, from the second I start the car to the second a turn it off. When I turn it off it takes around 5-10 seconds for it to stop. However, I could go to the car now, turn the engine on and the fan wont move. I'll try again in the morning and the fan starts. There doesn't seem to be a regular pattern or something that sets it off.

Thirdly, which is the worrying one, there seems to be quite a bit of "mayo" on the underside of the oil cap BUT I only drive the car about 10 miles per a day and I have read that this mayo could be caused by constant short journeys.

Just some added info that might help you. About a month ago, the car was struggling to start so I took it to the garage. They did a diagnostics test and found these problems -

P0340 - Camshaft Position a circuit malfunction
P0115 - Engine collant temp sensor circuit malfunction
Anti freeze level was low - topped up with FOC

No other faults were found. They replaced the coil pack and spark plugs.

I've got an MOT on May 1st. Hoping its not a serious problem and it can hold out until then.

Any help, advice, little things I could do the try and fix the problem would be much apprecaited.

 

[ibysmalls]

What car is it lol?

What I would do is replace the Oil and oil filter, replace the coolant. I do 7 miles to work no mayo. My other corsa however has a head gasket problem (1.0) and mayo is back on the cap after 5 mins of driving!

If this does turn out to be a head gasket issue, depending on your car, can be quite costly.

CTS issue needs to be looked into if still present.

 

[mattpreece87]

Hey!

Haha, I was actually going to put "by the way, its a 52 plate corsa c" and then I realised its a Corsa C forum!

Thanks for the info. I think i'll clean the mayo off and check it every day.

I've also looked at symptoms of a blown head gasket and I dont think it is that.

Just another question. When you open the coolant box, is all the liquid supposed to go down the pipe or i it supposed to stay in the box just like the screenwash does?

Thanks

 

[Vegas]

It's not a corsa c forum.
It's mainly for all models of corsa's but we have quite a selection of others cars, now that members have changed their cars

 

[mattpreece87]

Ok, sorry Vegas! You might want to get on to the owners to change the name then maybe. I'm sure it would get a lot more members then.

Anyway, i've just been out to do a few checks. Oil is clean, not frothy and theres plenty of its three quarters full. Wiped all the mayo off. Only concern is there was no coolant in the plastic box even though the garage where i took it last month said they filled it up. Is this normal and ok?

Matt

 

[ibysmalls]

Ok, sorry Vegas! You might want to get on to the owners to change the name then maybe. I'm sure it would get a lot more members then.

Anyway, i've just been out to do a few checks. Oil is clean, not frothy and theres plenty of its three quarters full. Wiped all the mayo off. Only concern is there was no coolant in the plastic box even though the garage where i took it last month said they filled it up. Is this normal and ok?

Matt

Name from allcorsa to what?

What colour is the Oil? Light brown, dark brown, golden, thin, thick etc?

No coolant in the header tank, means that its leaking somewhere and my 1st guess would be your headgasket.

 

[Vegas]

It's called ALLCORSA.

For all corsa's..

 

[mattpreece87]

Name from allcorsa to what?

What colour is the Oil? Light brown, dark brown, golden, thin, thick etc?

No coolant in the header tank, means that its leaking somewhere and my 1st guess would be your headgasket.

I have no idea for a new name.

The oil is the normal colour and thickness etc. I did look at the coolant when the engine was cold. I actually checked this morning after a short drive and there was coolant then but i took the cap off and it disappered down the tube. I might take another drive and check once the engine is hot..but obviously leave the cap on.

 

[Walksall]

If this is an 'over cooling' problem, rather than a temperature gauge one, that in itself could account for the 'mayo'. At the end of the day, it consists of a mixture of oil and water (which may simply be condensation from a cold engine.)
On its own, the 'mayo' is not necessarily a sign that the HG has failed - Look out also for any combination of: Loss of coolant, oil in the coolant, coolant in the oil and/or WHEN YOU HAVE HAD A LONG RUN, water from the exhaust tail pipe (ignore this whilst the engine is cold - it will only be condensation.)

Regards.

 

[mattpreece87]

If this is an 'over cooling' problem, rather than a temperature gauge one, that in itself could account for the 'mayo'. At the end of the day, it consists of a mixture of oil and water (which may simply be condensation from a cold engine.)
On its own, the 'mayo' is not necessarily a sign that the HG has failed - Look out also for any combination of: Loss of coolant, oil in the coolant, coolant in the oil and/or WHEN YOU HAVE HAD A LONG RUN, water from the exhaust tail pipe (ignore this whilst the engine is cold - it will only be condensation.)

Regards.

Thanks for that info. I did have a leak last year which made the drivers side foot well soaking wet but got that fixed and its fine now. Like I said in my original post, I drive 10 miles a day, 4 days a week. Theres hardly no long journeys. I'm gonna take it for 20 mile and see what the cars like afterwards.

 

[mattpreece87]

So i've just been out for a drive, long enough for the engine to heat up and then stay hot and moving for about 20 mins. During the drive, the temp gauge was going from nothing upto 90 and then back down to 60, upto 90 again etc. Towards the end of the drive, it crept further towards 100 and then it hit 100, went back down to 60 and then back to 100. It did this twice. When the car stopped at lights, the gauge just stayed on whatever it was on even if it was moving back down to 60. I'd set off and it would carry on to 60. Done some checks when i got home and theres a very thin layer of mayo (some seems quite clear and not the yellowy colour) covering about half of the oil cap. No water coming from the exhaust.

 

[taurus]

Either it's a dud gauge or sender - or you've got low coolant and there's air in the system which will cause the gauge to fluctuate and the cooling fan to run when the gauge says cool.

When asked what car it is I think people want to know what engine! Not just what model. For example the chain driven engines have a habit of busting the timing cover gasket behind the water pump and that gives some very similar symptoms to HG failure - loss of coolant & mayo in the oil.

So which engine do you have?

If you're losing coolant and there is no sign of a leak then from the things you describe you want to be careful driving it. Don't risk overheating it or you could do serious damage.

 

[mattpreece87]

Either it's a dud gauge or sender - or you've got low coolant and there's air in the system which will cause the gauge to fluctuate and the cooling fan to run when the gauge says cool.

When asked what car it is I think people want to know what engine! Not just what model. For example the chain driven engines have a habit of busting the timing cover gasket behind the water pump and that gives some very similar symptoms to HG failure - loss of coolant & mayo in the oil.

So which engine do you have?

If you're losing coolant and there is no sign of a leak then from the things you describe you want to be careful driving it. Don't risk overheating it or you could do serious damage.

Thanks for the reply.

Its just a 1.0l life. I'm not sure about the specific engine details though.

I dont think there is a leak unless its just started today because I saw coolant in the container this morning but it disappeared when i opened it. Do you think I should top it up with water?

I never overheat it really. I do 10 miles per a day in the city, with lots of lights and 20mph and 30mph speed limits.

 

[Walksall]

NO! You shouldn't top it up with water, by doing that, you will dilute the coolant mix.
You should, when the engine is COLD, top it up to the line on the tank with the correct mixture of coolant and water.
If there is any chance that it has already been topped up with plain water,the best/easiest thing would be to empty the system and have a fresh start, that way you know what is in there and that it is up to strength.
Regards.