We bought our son a 1.0 Corsa 53 Model, 70,000 miles. Since we bought it 4 weeks ago we have had it fully serviced, a new timing chain had to be fitted and a new crankshaft sensor, but still the car, when it gets warm makes a high pitched whine and then at traffic lights the engine slows and it continues to make a low pitched whine, to the extent that the instrument lights start to dim and the car almost stalls. What could now be going wrong?, the private mechanic appears to know the engine and says he has fixed many of them, but so far he doesn't seem to be able to solve this one, is there anyone who can advise us, before we give it to Vauxhalls and have to spend a lot more money, which as pensioners we don't really have.
New timing chain noise plus engine slows
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The problem with noises is that we can't hear them. And in this case I'd guess the source of that whining noise is pretty important to track down.
If your mechanic can't identify it with the car to inspect then all we can offer here is going to be some pretty random guesses.
However, for what it's worth. The idle on those is electronically controlled. I'd suspect that rather than there being a problem with the idle control system the drop in warm idle rpm is down to the source of the noise. Hence the need to track it down.
See if you can identify which side of the engine it is coming from. The timing chain is on the driver's side, inside a cover bolted to the side of the engine. Get a big screwdriver and stick the tip to that cover and put the handle to your ear. Be careful not to get anything caught in the moving belt.
The screwdriver will transmit noise from the engine to your ear so you can track down the source of the noise.
Check also if it's coming from something like the alternator, down the back of the engine on the driver's side, or the waterpump - mounted on the timing cover.
Some of the timing kits need spacer washers due to the design of the original parts and replacement parts being different. If the wrong bits have got in there that might cause some metal to metal contact as things warm up. Check the oil to make sure there are no signs of metal particles in there.
If your mechanic can't identify it with the car to inspect then all we can offer here is going to be some pretty random guesses.
However, for what it's worth. The idle on those is electronically controlled. I'd suspect that rather than there being a problem with the idle control system the drop in warm idle rpm is down to the source of the noise. Hence the need to track it down.
See if you can identify which side of the engine it is coming from. The timing chain is on the driver's side, inside a cover bolted to the side of the engine. Get a big screwdriver and stick the tip to that cover and put the handle to your ear. Be careful not to get anything caught in the moving belt.
The screwdriver will transmit noise from the engine to your ear so you can track down the source of the noise.
Check also if it's coming from something like the alternator, down the back of the engine on the driver's side, or the waterpump - mounted on the timing cover.
Some of the timing kits need spacer washers due to the design of the original parts and replacement parts being different. If the wrong bits have got in there that might cause some metal to metal contact as things warm up. Check the oil to make sure there are no signs of metal particles in there.
Thanks
The mechanic now thinks the slowing down of the engine is due to the fuel injection system, so they are going to take the car into their garage next week and check that all out, adjusting where necessary. I tend to agree with you that it is more important to find out where the whine noise is coming from. The mechanic says (we are not engineers so we don't know) that a new timing chain needs up to 4 weeks to settle in, if it is at fault then under warranty they will fit another new one, but we are most unhappy, it is now almost a month since we bought the car, is it really safe driving at around, the mechanic says YES, but I have been driving for yonks and have never driven a car which is making such noises,what do you think. Will take your advice and try to locate exactly where in the engine the whine is occuring. Do you happen to know if all Corsas new timing chains make a noise?.
Thanks for your time and trouble, it is most appreciated.
The mechanic now thinks the slowing down of the engine is due to the fuel injection system, so they are going to take the car into their garage next week and check that all out, adjusting where necessary. I tend to agree with you that it is more important to find out where the whine noise is coming from. The mechanic says (we are not engineers so we don't know) that a new timing chain needs up to 4 weeks to settle in, if it is at fault then under warranty they will fit another new one, but we are most unhappy, it is now almost a month since we bought the car, is it really safe driving at around, the mechanic says YES, but I have been driving for yonks and have never driven a car which is making such noises,what do you think. Will take your advice and try to locate exactly where in the engine the whine is occuring. Do you happen to know if all Corsas new timing chains make a noise?.
Thanks for your time and trouble, it is most appreciated.
No new chain should make any kind of noise at all. Certainly the ones I've fitted run quietly.
If the garage that did the work is the place you bought it from I'd be inclined to reject the car - or at least seek advice from either Citizens Advice or Trading Standards. What they are telling you is rubbish.
If the garage that did the work is the place you bought it from I'd be inclined to reject the car - or at least seek advice from either Citizens Advice or Trading Standards. What they are telling you is rubbish.
That thing about the timing chain needing time to settle is complete rubbish. They are trying to get themselves out of throuble if they are saying that because they propably know its something they have done wrong. You have a right to keep taking it back until it is fixed properly. Also, are there any lights such as a picture of a car with a spanner through it on ther dashboard which are on?
Corsa noises
After the timing chain was fitted there was a light on, it turned out to be the Crankshaft sensor +£22, so far we have spent, ontop of the car price, nearly £300 on a new timing chain plus all the gaskets and the sensor, now our son has a car which he is told he can drive, but we are concerned with the whining noise and the drop in revs, that the engine might seize and he might have an accident. He lives in London and we live in Sussex. We bought him the Corsa thinking it would help him out, but we seem to have ony bought him more problems.
Thanks guys for all your answers they are appreciated.
After the timing chain was fitted there was a light on, it turned out to be the Crankshaft sensor +£22, so far we have spent, ontop of the car price, nearly £300 on a new timing chain plus all the gaskets and the sensor, now our son has a car which he is told he can drive, but we are concerned with the whining noise and the drop in revs, that the engine might seize and he might have an accident. He lives in London and we live in Sussex. We bought him the Corsa thinking it would help him out, but we seem to have ony bought him more problems.
Thanks guys for all your answers they are appreciated.
Still whining noise
This problem is quite difficult to handle and get resolved, as we live in Sussex and our son, with the Corsa, lives in South London, futher his mechanic lives next door and has been handling this job privately.
So last night our son talked with the mechanic, who still claims, supported by other guys at his garage, that the new chain and the automatic hydraulic tensioner are causing the whining noise, which in turn is causing the engine to tighten, which then slows the engine down.
Is it damaging?, who knows.
The mechanic says if it continues he will obtain and fit a new one, from a differennt supplier, FREE of charge.
So is it safe to drive?, will it slacken in a few weeks?, we will shortly find out.
Any futher views or comments from you guys who know what you are talking about?
This problem is quite difficult to handle and get resolved, as we live in Sussex and our son, with the Corsa, lives in South London, futher his mechanic lives next door and has been handling this job privately.
So last night our son talked with the mechanic, who still claims, supported by other guys at his garage, that the new chain and the automatic hydraulic tensioner are causing the whining noise, which in turn is causing the engine to tighten, which then slows the engine down.
Is it damaging?, who knows.
The mechanic says if it continues he will obtain and fit a new one, from a differennt supplier, FREE of charge.
So is it safe to drive?, will it slacken in a few weeks?, we will shortly find out.
Any futher views or comments from you guys who know what you are talking about?
New timing chain
The mechanic called our son last night to say they would fit "a more expensive timinng chain free of charge". I think this shows you were right all along, they must have fitted the cheapest from EBAY, we are now going to insist they fit a genuine GM Replacement Chain, Amamazon have them at quite reasonable prices.
Lets hope this is the end solution and the engine has not been damaged.
The mechanic called our son last night to say they would fit "a more expensive timinng chain free of charge". I think this shows you were right all along, they must have fitted the cheapest from EBAY, we are now going to insist they fit a genuine GM Replacement Chain, Amamazon have them at quite reasonable prices.
Lets hope this is the end solution and the engine has not been damaged.
Autovax don't appear to have a kit?
Took your advice and checked on Autovax, (2003 Coarsa) they return a message saying the kit is not available, but found on Amazon.co.uk a genuine (so the advert says) GM Spare Parts Timing Chain Kit, so recommending to the mechanic to get one.
Took your advice and checked on Autovax, (2003 Coarsa) they return a message saying the kit is not available, but found on Amazon.co.uk a genuine (so the advert says) GM Spare Parts Timing Chain Kit, so recommending to the mechanic to get one.
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