Problem with your car?

[di30]

Re: Problem with your car?

When you sell a car it's always a good selling point if you can state (and show receipts for the parts ) that the cam belt has been recently changed.

Why modern cars rely on rubber bands to make the engine work, I have no idea. The old timing chain or gears was a much better idea.

If a cam belt fails it often means a totally trashed cylinder head and often as not catastrophic damage to the pistons.

I'm glad it's only the water pump, it must have been condensation from the exhaust that you saw.

I think you best course of action is to get an MOT on it then sell it on before you get another large bill.

By the sounds of the mileage your son is doing a car with a slightly larger engine may be an idea. Although insurance and fuel cost will be higher, at the moment low mileage larger engined cars tend to be cheaper. The larger engine will cope more easily with the strains of a 6 hour drive.

I have just picked up a mint 2003 with 56K on the clock complete with Sat Nav and every extra for 1K reason it's a 2.3 ltr

Even so If I don't race it I will get close to 40 mpg on a run.

Regards, Handy

Excellent advice, thank you Handy yet again, 1st class!

Well we do hope its just that of the water pump.

However, when hubby came home from work, he rang inlaw to thank him and then hubby raised the issue of oil loss, where it seems to be that Jamie had to fill on regular, more often than it should be.

We did fill with new oil yesterday, and inlaw said he will check into it on Saturday.
So wondering if the water pump problem can also be a cause of losing oil very quickly?

Sorry for all the questions lol thank you.

Luckily for now Jamie is not travelling like he was, but still has to travel a lot, but really don't think all that distance in that car helped it.

I too think it will be a good idea to MOT it, once we get these jobs sorted, then get rid.

[cymruambyth]

Re: Problem with your car?

I'm glad to hear that you problem was solved so cheaply, out gran voyager cost £1200 to have both head gasketts replaced a couple of years ago.

[Handyman]

Re: Problem with your car?

When you sell a car it's always a good selling point if you can state (and show receipts for the parts ) that the cam belt has been recently changed.

Why modern cars rely on rubber bands to make the engine work, I have no idea. The old timing chain or gears was a much better idea.

If a cam belt fails it often means a totally trashed cylinder head and often as not catastrophic damage to the pistons.

I'm glad it's only the water pump, it must have been condensation from the exhaust that you saw.

I think you best course of action is to get an MOT on it then sell it on before you get another large bill.

By the sounds of the mileage your son is doing a car with a slightly larger engine may be an idea. Although insurance and fuel cost will be higher, at the moment low mileage larger engined cars tend to be cheaper. The larger engine will cope more easily with the strains of a 6 hour drive.

I have just picked up a mint 2003 with 56K on the clock complete with Sat Nav and every extra for 1K reason it's a 2.3 ltr

Even so If I don't race it I will get close to 40 mpg on a run.

Regards, Handy

[di30]

Re: Problem with your car?

It's not going in a garage now, it's all planned to get done for Saturday afternoon in our own little garage lol, hubby will be working maybe until mid day that day, he will get on with it when he's home, then inlaw will turn up to take over.

So happy about that, will save some money too.

[di30]

Re: Problem with your car?

I was going to suggest just that. At least then it is done and out the way for a good few thousand miles (not sure what the recommendation is for a corsa - about 30K I think)

Thank you Oscar.

[oscar]

Re: Problem with your car?

, at the same time the cambelt can be changed

I was going to suggest just that. At least then it is done and out the way for a good few thousand miles (not sure what the recommendation is for a corsa - about 30K I think)

[di30]

Re: Problem with your car?

Another update.

My bro in law turned up with his compressor, and it appears to be the water pump, as he was pumping the system thingie, water sprayed everywhere , a free shower i suppose lol.

Soooo by getting this part, it's a job we can do ourselves lol, my bro in law as said in earlier post is a mechanic (fords), and offered to help, but Jamie is not very patient and said he doesn't know how much longer he can wait!
I told him everyone are working funny hours, and even if he get's it in a garage they may not be able to do it the same day.

My inlaw said he will have time to fix this on the weekend, at the same time the cambelt can be changed me thinks, with the MOT coming up in due course as well.

Thank you all

[CleverClogs (RIP)]

Re: Problem with your car?

I was once quoted over £180 for parts and fitting that only cost me £70 and took 1/2 an hour to fit.

Replied here ----> link

[di30]

Re: Problem with your car?

Water from the exhaust on start up with modern cars fitted with a catalytic converter (you don't need to worry about what it does ) is normal a bit like condensation. If it continues when the engine is good and hot is a pointer to a blown head gasket. This means that on the exhaust stroke of the engine radiator, coolant is getting drawn into the cylinder and blown as steam out of the exhaust. Another check is to rev the engine at a @ 5000 rpm with the radiator cap removed (Don't take the cap off with the engine to temperature as you could get scalded)and look for gas bubbles in the water tank. Another give away is pressure in the radiator header tank when the engine is cold. Before start up feel the water pipes, they should be soft and squeeze in easily. When you remove the cap if there is a hiss of escaping gas this is another indicator.

When running the engine with the oil filler cap off you will get little specks of oil blown out. If there seems to be a spray of oil or exhaust gases in the valve cover then it may be a leak between the cylinder or an oil way.

I could go on but without seeing the car myself all I can offer are suggestions.

Regardless it seems like a spanner job.

Regards, Handy

Cheers Handy

You are handy indeed, and excellent advice, thank you.

Will try again a little later, hubby gone to work now, or just wait for inlaw to have a go now, just hope he remembers to bring his compressor kit as well.

I think the engine was running for a good 15 mins when water was still splurting out.
However, hubby said he did note there was like deposits blowing from the exhaust some days back, he noticed as Jamie drove off.

Thank you again.

[Handyman]

Re: Problem with your car?

So what's it when the garage boss makes that sucking noise and starts to shake his head slowly?

Been there, done that. Quick fit are the worst as most of their fitters work self employed. What they make over their rent is theirs so the more they can do you for

I was once quoted over £180 for parts and fitting that only cost me £70 and took 1/2 an hour to fit.

I decided it was worth taking the car off the road a couple of days until I got the bits at the right price, rather than have a Dick Turpin done on me.

Regards, Handy

[CleverClogs (RIP)]

Re: Problem with your car?

I could go on but without seeing the car myself all I can offer are suggestions.

So what's it when the garage boss makes that sucking noise and starts to shake his head slowly?

[Handyman]

Re: Problem with your car?

Water from the exhaust on start up with modern cars fitted with a catalytic converter (you don't need to worry about what it does ) is normal a bit like condensation. If it continues when the engine is good and hot is a pointer to a blown head gasket. This means that on the exhaust stroke of the engine radiator, coolant is getting drawn into the cylinder and blown as steam out of the exhaust. Another check is to rev the engine at a @ 5000 rpm with the radiator cap removed (Don't take the cap off with the engine to temperature as you could get scalded)and look for gas bubbles in the water tank. Another give away is pressure in the radiator header tank when the engine is cold. Before start up feel the water pipes, they should be soft and squeeze in easily. When you remove the cap if there is a hiss of escaping gas this is another indicator.

When running the engine with the oil filler cap off you will get little specks of oil blown out. If there seems to be a spray of oil or exhaust gases in the valve cover then it may be a leak between the cylinder or an oil way.

I could go on but without seeing the car myself all I can offer are suggestions.

Regardless it seems like a spanner job.

Regards, Handy

[di30]

Re: Problem with your car?

Okay, got it started but only by getting a new battery on it, tried all the above suggestions first (thank you) .
But it wasnt having it, so it is drivable to take to the local garage in the morning.
Firstly though, my bro in law, did say if he can after he finishes work, he will try to bring a compressor with him, fingers crossed.

We managed a discount on the battery, because I have mates working for the business that sell them.

Hubby put on the new battery, it fired up straight away, left the car running for a little time, and we did note water coming out of the exhaust (this is where the water is disappearing then)?
So I take it this is going back to the Gasket??

Also little specks of oil coming from housing.

So with the oil and water disappearing quick, now I do wonder??

[CleverClogs (RIP)]

Re: Problem with your car?

the body is immaculate, shame about the other.

... As the bishop said to the actress.

[CleverClogs (RIP)]

Re: Problem with your car?

Could be you are not getting enough out of the alternator to recharge the battery? but ATS should have done this as well as checked for loose connections on the Battery, Starter and Alternator. On the Corsa this would take me all of 3 minutes.

Slipping belt?