[shaggy2010]

Corsa Comfort 1.2 Ecotech Oil Consumption/Fault

Hello, I have recently bought my first car and all checks came back OK regarding wheels, suspension and lights etc. No noises from engine.

However - Within a week my Oil Pressure Switch blown and was leaking oil, I have since replaced the part for around £6. When I first got car it barely had any oil in, I had poured enough oil to get 3/5 on the dipstick. Since the leak I can expect the oil level to be lower but my questions are about possible fault with the oil or leak or is it due to milage.

I am doing 80 miles a day half motorway half single lane 60-70MPH driving from Middlesbrough to York. There is obviusly a bit of city/town driving at each end.

I was around the 3/5 mark and within 4 days It was down to 2/5- I have topped it up with a little oil twice since the leak but it took waiting overnight before I could see the level on the dipstick (Is this normal to take so long for the oil to drain back down?).

Since replacing the pressure switch I have been a little concerned despite it totally fixing the Oil Light and leak. Is it worth me doing an oil change soon? is my consumption so far normal? should I check breather pipes in case?

It drives well, but I'm losing oil (I think). and feel that soon I should do a full oil change and check so I feel confident there are no issues.

Any advise on this would be nice!

Regards

 

[taurus]

It sounds like the checks weren't very thorough. Oil switches fail regularly, but they usually weep for a while before giving way so something should have been spotted. Also it shouldn't have been low on oil if it had been checked properly.

So for safety's sake I'd do a proper major service asap - either do it yourself or get a good independent to do it for you.

Re. the oil consumption - many of the engines do use some oil so that's not necessarily a bad thing. But monitor consumption. Use good quality semi-synthetic 10W/40 in it - and good quality or genuine GM oil filters. The cheap filters can break up and bits then block the oil flow.

Old oil will tend to drop on the dipstick on longer journeys. The reason being that oil collects combustion byproducts such as fuel residue and water vapours. Those are held in the oil which 'fills' the oil out, so the level looks higher. On a long run they evaporate off when the engine is hot so the level can drop. Once it's been serviced with good oil then you'll get a better idea what the real consumption is.

From new the specification was up to 1 litre per 1000 miles. Few used that much (my Z22SE has done 125k and uses 0.5l per 5000 miles) but they vary. Many mechanics prefer to top up regularly anyway since it means fresh oil is always being put into the engine. It just depends how much is too much.

Change the oil & filter every 5k.

 

[shaggy2010]

I will do an oil and filter change as soon as. The checks I did were just my own from what I've been told. MOT valid until July and apart from the OPS had no issues.

I'll monitor oil consumption for now each day to see if they is any drop. Im hoping now its had a few topups since the leak it will level out.

Oil is coming up mostly black despite fresh been put in, Time for a change and filter then?

EDIT: I did use semi-snyth 10W/40 oil from Morisons for about £8 a 1L.

Is it worth my checking the breathers in case a blockage caused it to pop in the first place if I plan to do a oil and filter change?


- Oldish car but its my first, want to keep it in very good order as needed for commute to work and I like to look after my things.

 

[taurus]

Sounds like it's well due a service then. The new oil will go black because it has fresh detergents in it which are cleaning the engine. That's why it's better to change oil every 5k - it's not the failure to lubricate that is the problem, it's that the detergents are used up by then so the oil stops cleaning the engine and deposits start to build up.

Don't use a flush in a dirty engine, it can loosen too much at once and then something gets blocked.

I'd give it an oil and filter change, you'll probably find the oil will go black very quickly - which is good as it shows it's cleaning the engine gently.

With the mileage you're doing maybe do another oil & filter change in say 3k - then every 5k.

Also check when the coolant was last changed - should be the red stuff and at least every 5 years. After that it will lose its anti-corrosion inhibitors.

They are good little engines and I've seen them soldier on when people have totally abused them. But they won't tolerate being overheated, and poor oil change regime eventually kills the timing chain.

If you do take the cam cover off to clean the breather system check the tightness of the journal bolts. Yours should be OK but I always check them on that engine whenever the cover is off.

 

[shaggy2010]

Thanks for the tip. Im not a mech in anyway so only know what i've picked up in the last week.

I'll check the breathers and get an oil change/filter change done without the flush- Sounds about what I wanted to go and do anyway. The clean oil is going black so it must be slowly cleaning my enginge - thats a bonus. But yeah to be sure a nice new filter and getting all the old crap out and putting fresh in should do it good.

Like I said, its running fine but I want to look after it properly.

Few other minor things to do are, reverse bulb (Did already) and Tape Player isnt flush into the dash, sticks out by 1CM. Will have to work that out for my next task after the important stuff is done.


I'll be taking it in after I've done oil and such for a full service as soon as, dont want to have my eyes out though!

Mileage im doing a month is about 1920 therefore I'll certainly taking it in for a service soon and making sure every few month I'll sort out my oil. Is it best to use my own better branded oil when I buy it rarther than rely on the garage putting in any crap in?

 

[shaggy2010]

Ah do have another question actually.

My car does not drift in anyway when not holding steering nor does it do anything erratic during manoeuvres therefore I believe steering / wheels are fine.
However my steering wheel is about 5-10% off centre. That’s the only symptom but I would like to correct it, the immobiliser locks the steering dead centre when parked so I believe it’s just the steering wheel itself that needs adjusting.
Or is there more to it? Cars never been bumped, again no drift or pull in any direction when straight and no pull when going around corners out of the ordinary.

 

[shaggy2010]

Didn't want to start another thread, but it appears my coolant level has dipped a fair bit and is no longer at the halfway point. Could this be normal usage as I do 80 a day mile-age or maybe some was lost during a recent old leak and fresh oil put in?

 

[shaggy2010]

As above, I had topped the coolant up and they has been no changes and no issues. So beleive that is OK.

I am consuming oil however.

Despite leak fix, my level of 3 has dipped to 2 in 2 weeks. Ive topped it up a little and its still hanging around the level 2 on the dipstick.

I'm going to do an oil change soon in order to measure how much I put in and work out my useage. But off hand does it sound OK that my engine is using oil a bit?

Things to mention are, the fresh oil has been cleaning my engine a bit, had near 0 when I bought it. I do 80 miles a day week-day and around 20 on weekend. Car was made in 2001. Its an ecotec, so likely to consume oil I was told, is this right?

Any advise would be nice, want to make sure my engine is healthy with its oil.
Thanks

 

[taurus]

With the mileage you are doing that rate of oil consumption is perfectly normal. Most of them use some oil and the Vauxhall specification is up to 1 litre per 1000 miles. If you're dropping one notch on the dipstick doing over 800 miles in the 2 weeks then it's well within usual limits.

When I was a wee lad and began helping out at our local workshop after school the mechanics used to say that it's better to use a small amount of oil as it means you're always adding some fresh oil with fresh detergents. (Mind you it was all 20W/50 mineral oil in those days....)

 

[shaggy2010]

Thats great news, thanks man.

I'm wanting to drain all my old oil and put fresh in with a new filter in order to keep it happy. I want to look after it. Would you still recommend doing this either way? I'm going to take it in for a service soon which should give it a good checkover but would like to fix some issues myself.

1) Steering wheel about 10% off centre - Tracking - Garage can do.
2) Handbrake adjustment - 7 Clicks to get anything, still easy to roll - Again garage as dont want to mess with the brake and do a half-arsed job since its common on Corsa C.
3) Oil Change - Worth doing myself for good maint?
4) Fuel Filter - Worth doing myself for good maint?
5) Empty and refill coolant as mine has been topped up over the years by the looks of the car receipts and I had to top it up with water and its likely the water/antifreeze ratio is off. Worth doing myself for good maint?

If its cheaper to do some of this myself I will, unless some of these tasks are included in the "service" at around £130 quid plus £20 tracking fix they said I'm to decide to get the minor tweaks done by garage or do as much as myself only on the ground of saving £. I'm kind of fishing for information as never had a car and been to a garage for that matter. Time is the main issue as I need car for work.

Thanks again though! Restored a bit of confidence in the car since the pressure switch blown I've been keeping close eye on it and so much to learn!

 

[ibysmalls]

1) Garage can only do as special equipment needed for precise tracking/alignment
2) I'm not familar with C but fora b its a simple adjustment under the rear beam where it kindof "T" off to the two drums
3)Oil change is easy but messy. lol. I dropped my ratched in the bowl too so had to go right in to pick it back up
4) IMHO, buy or borrow a haynes manual. Theyre very good! Very very good lol.

5)should be 50% antifreeze and 50% water, well that's the way I always do it and I keep a spare gallon of ready mixed anti freeze for whenever I need to top it up to keep ratios good

Good luck.

 

[shaggy2010]

Thanks for the tip. I get no drift but wheel isnt centered which annoys me over long daily commutes.

I'll ring up garage about a service but advise I want all my filters doing and cooland/oil draining and redone and see what they quote. plus tracking.

I'll get the haynes and have a look at doing it myself (handbrake) but I was reading that its not always a good idea as it can effect the drums in the back?

If a service is a "service" I'm kind of thinking they could do the oil/fuel/air filters as part of that unless they just top it up usually in a half arsed manner.

Whats the norm I wonder?

Going to price up/read up on doing all the tasks but the tracking myself I think and get in touch for a quote tonight. Thanks!

 

[shaggy2010]

Ive had to ut 750ML in yesterday to bring it back up to Notch 3/5

Way I see it thats 1L per month around 1600 with slightly less oil and slighly more mileage. It did fall from notch 3 to 5 pretty quick though.

Its getting a oil and filter change at end of month. And Its only had topups of 1L so probs rolling with another 2L of old oil in there somewhere.

Still sound normal?