[Corsa B 1993-2000] checking engine mileage

[zuluman]

I have a chance of buying a 2000 corsa B. The body has 137000 miles on it.

It looks like the engine was changed at some point as there is an identification scrawled on it akin to 'Corsa 1.0' - so it looks like it it was sitting on a rack somewhere.

Is it possible to determine the mileage using opcom?

Also I have been told that the car is overheating. Indeed, no water was present in the header tank

I know the heads on these can warp as a result - but does it take much running when hot to warp them?

Is there any visual inspection to see if the head is warped (I think not myself)

[Blackie]

What engine is currently in it?

Not likely to be able to see without taking the head off and using a straight edge I'm afraid.

[zuluman]

its an x10xe

[Blackie]

checking engine mileage

Ah so it's still a 1.0 then. Plenty of the engines about, could stick in another of the cars body is good enough to warrant the cost

[zuluman]

in terms of body, the car must have been kept in a garage (unusual here) most of its life as there is little rust under the bonnet lip nd the area around the rear wiper shows no bubbles (common rust areas)<br><br>the area around the holes in the spare wheel depression are rusty but I think the depression is not sealed underneath from my recollection<br><br>Does it actually take long to warp the head IF it were driven without coolant? any idea?

[Taurus]

Those heads will warp very quickly if they're overheated, so I'd assume that to be the case. You may get lucky, but I wouldn't bank on it.

The ECU will record mileage, but it will be for the ECU not necessarily for the engine.

[zuluman]

Well i would guess that the ecu belongs to the engine in question - can I read that in oPCOm as I do not see where?

I had another look at the car today I filled it with water yesterday and today the water was still in it.I ran it today with an eye on the temp gauge, which sat around 90.

I observed the header tank every few minutes. All ok no bubbling

After about 15 minutes, I unscrewed the cap and the water overflowed.

The gauge had gone up to ca 95/96 - then I shut off the engine.

The pipe from stat to rad was hot. The return pipe was cool for a long time and only got a little warm (not as hot as the pipe from stat to rad)

I also observed that a new radiator had been fitted a couple of months ago after someone had drove into the front of the car.

I was told that soon after this the car got hot and 'just conked out'

This may have nothing to do wit hit of course.

I was thinking maybe the stat or the water pump or the temp switch on the rad is bunched??

There is no whine from the pump.

Head gasket?? It does not bubble in the header tank initially but the upper small pipe feeds in a bit of hot water constantly

What do ye think??

[Taurus]

Depends how much it is - at that age/mileage - no history, bump to the front etc - you're looking at scrap value really. If you get it for that and it's a runner then job's a good'un. But I wouldn't go spending any more on it. If there's a chance it's been cooked you'll spend more than it's worth to put it right.

[zuluman]

80 to 100 euro - I was going to use it for spares if I dont get it running

given that it does not bubble when running but rather 'boils up' after a while do yo think it may NOT be the head?

[Taurus]

Can't tell for sure from the description, it doesn't sound like it's overheating dramatically. Did you check the pressure on the pipe to the radiator when it was cold? It ought to remain soft until the system is at full temperature.

For the money it's worth having even if just for spares. I'd buy it, check the fluids, run it for an hour or so, let it cool and re-check fluids. If it's a runner it's a bargain.

[zuluman]

It will be good for spares. The brake discs are like new and a new back box was put on it some time in the last 2.5 years.



Maybe I have been looking at this wrong.

So again: when I inspected the car, the header tank was empty.

I filled it with water and left it for ca 24 hrs

When I went back, the water was still in it (ok it may only leak when hot - for example from the timing chain cover gasket behind water pump)

I was told that it was overheating. When I asked how did the owner know this, she said the car just 'conked out'

I ran it for 15 minutes - no bubbles in tank, temp guage at 90

At about 15 mins, I undid the cap of the header tank and the water overflowed (guage then went to 95)

BUT is this overflowing normal? - would it happen anyway in a car with no problems as the water is heated and expands. Maybe I looked at this and assumed a HG problem? Am I misinterpreting



Anyway, the hoses were soft as far as I can recall. I felt both the hose from the stat housing to the rad and then the bottom hose (rad to stat housing)

Only other thing is a bit of mayo on the oil cap, some white smoke but these are inconclusive

There was a smell of fuel from the header tank - but not sure. I have no sniffer test device

[Taurus]

The thing is that you can get similar symptoms with something like an airlock, or a partially seized thermostat, or a weak water pump (though unlikely on these tbh) - so it's not conclusive. How you undo the pressure cap makes a difference as well. A hot engine will boil over if the cap is removed suddenly, but after 15 minutes on idle I wouldn't expect it to overflow if you undid it slowly. What is conclusive is that it's losing coolant and that has to be going somewhere.

If no obvious signs of external leaks, check with a torch in the dark makes it easier to spot small leaks that only escape as steam, then it's either the HG or the other favourite on these - the water pump seal on the timing cover gasket.

Make sure the coolant has antifreeze in it so it's coloured, then check the colour of the water dripping from the exhaust. If you catch the drips from the tailpipe in a clear or white bowl you'll soon see if it's clear (which is OK) or coloured (which shows coolant in the exhaust.)

[zuluman]

Thanks. The tip for determining and locating steam leaks is particularly helpful.

I also thought it could be a stuck stat. It is something quick (ish) to look at when I drain the coolant and prepare for the exhaust drip test

As an additional test and although I do not have a leakdown tester, I could put each Cyl at TDC and insert the airline. I could then see if there are bubbles in the header tank.

As to the airlock, I jacked the car on the nearside to assist air to float out of the block. I learned from my other experience with the engine that had the blocked oil galleries that the head gasket blocks off some of the water jacket openings.

Furthermore, there are only small holes in some parts of the HG to allow the air to escape. I could imagine that due to corrosion by not changing coolant or a mix of coolant and oil (thanks to maybe the failure of the TCC gasket behind the water pump) that these holes could be blocked.

Anyway, I think I will buy it for spares and for experimenting.

If it runs, it will be a bonus .

It also has 6 months left of the equivalent of the UK MOT road worthiness test.

I also managed to speak to the previous owner who was originally a trained mechanic. He did not have it long but serviced it at every 10K. The car got mainly motorway runs as his daughter used it to go to college.

Whilst it is suspicious that these problems occurred soon after the radiator was damaged (something drove into it at low speed), I fail to find any evidence - as yet - between the two

We will see

[Taurus]

If the overheating began straight after the new rad was fitted it was probably an airlock - they are horribly prone to airlocks as there's little provision to bleed them. The snag is that due to the engine design and materials they don't tolerate overheating, so sometimes a minor issue which leads to overheating then results in a much more major issue.

[zuluman]

well I bought it today for 100

After I got it home, I noticed a little milkiness in the dipstick.

I looked at the dipstick a number of times in the daylight when I inspected the car some days ago but did not see it.

That is the way it goes I suppose.

Will have a better look tomorrow