[Corsa C 2000-2006] Break down / gunk under oil cap

[Aaron]

Last night I had a clip snap that's a few weeks old on a brand new fuel filter and the fuel leak caused me to lose power.

After a nightmare and a recovery I am now home. I know I need an oil change as its really dark and one of the Tappets is tappy. I had gunk in the cap when I checked today and it was mostly brown. Could this be fuel been stuck in the engine due to failed starts and the loss of power as the car stunk of fuel at the time. I didn't have this for the two days before this happened.

[Taurus]

Gunk in the oil is usually an emulsion of water and oil, rather than fuel. Petrol in oil tends just to make it change colour and go runny.

Clean it out and see how it goes. It's usually just condensation. But worth keeping a close eye on oil and coolant levels just to be on the safe side.

[Aaron]

Thanks man, hope its OK - Logic was that with only 51k miles and it sounds fine albeit a tappet its a safe buy. Time will tell.

I'll drive it around tomorrow and see if gunk returns and do same again when I go back to work, didn't have any after first day driving to York and back.

[Aaron]

Couldn't get the oil sump plug off and bit concerned if coolant is going into oil so going in tomorrow for a service (oil and checks since want it looking over) and pressure test. Really want to make sure it's not a bad purchase before I go ahead looking into replacing items such as springs and tracking and getting it tip top. Safe to say I don't trust it atm.

[Aaron]

My Coolant is also going down and it's in garage for pressure test and int service /oil change. That said I flexed the breather at top of coolant tank and it hisses. So I'm hoping that's where my Coolant loss is going and the mayo is down to really dirty oil.

Just the odd stutter during acc and some wheel squeak from I suspect is corroded spring to sort but time will tell if the engine is fine or not.

Be a while before I can spend any money on it as selling old car money was hurt by the recovery bill and then this.

[Aaron]

Garage ran, pressure test came back OK, service has been done.

They advise that I change my offside front tyre as it has damage to the tyre wall and it a risk of a blow out, so probably going to get that done today also.

Least I know my coolant loss is not in the engine, its the breather which I can sort.

[Aaron]

Tyre changed, cleaned throttle body cleaned, oil changed and sounds much more healthy now! Slight blow on my exhaust that can be sorted with a bit of sealant I was told and I also found where hiss was coming from right on the edge of tube on coolant tank its been taped and a jubilee clip used. May cut the end off and redo it.