Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: terry paget on 03 November 2018, 15:55:18
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Bought this car today, MOT failure, engine light on, and cannot find the OBD2 socket.
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Must be within reach of the driver by regulation... so if not under the steering column try the centre console area, On the later Zaf it was somewhere in the lower centre console IIRC so probably the same for an Astra
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There’s a plastic cover underneath the handbrake lever. Pull it up and your prize will be revealed 👍
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There’s a plastic cover underneath the handbrake lever. Pull it up and your prize will be revealed 👍
Two seven year old McDonalds chips, half a polo, plenty of fluff and hair and a toenail
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😂😂😂😂😂
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There’s a plastic cover underneath the handbrake lever. Pull it up and your prize will be revealed 👍
This
Try not to brake the clips though, it kind off pulls up one side then slides off the other.
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Must be within reach of the driver by regulation...
Really? On my BMW it's under the bonnet. :-\
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There’s a plastic cover underneath the handbrake lever. Pull it up and your prize will be revealed 👍
Thank you. That was well hidden!
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No worries......o2 sensor?
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Must be within reach of the driver by regulation...
Really? On my BMW it's under the bonnet. :-\
Is it OBD I or OBD II though?
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Must be within reach of the driver by regulation...
Really? On my BMW it's under the bonnet. :-\
Is it OBD I or OBD II though?
Good question! Given that it has rudely been described as Victorian by our aristocratic member from Lincolnshire, it might be OBDI. :-\
It has a big round plug and I have to use an adapter to use my code reader. :)
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Must be within reach of the driver by regulation...
Really? On my BMW it's under the bonnet. :-\
Is it OBD I or OBD II though?
Good question! Given that it has rudely been described as Victorian by our aristocratic member from Lincolnshire, it might be OBDI. :-\
It has a big round plug and I have to use an adapter to use my code reader. :)
Not seen a round plug OBD2. Must be 1
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Must be within reach of the driver by regulation...
Really? On my BMW it's under the bonnet. :-\
Is it OBD I or OBD II though?
Good question! Given that it has rudely been described as Victorian by our aristocratic member from Lincolnshire, it might be OBDI. :-\
It has a big round plug and I have to use an adapter to use my code reader. :)
OBD sockets(whether 1,2 or EOBD) are trapezium shaped, and must be accesible from the driver's seat.
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OBD sockets(whether 1,2 or EOBD) are trapezium shaped, and must be accesible from the driver's seat.
If Sir Tigger has an E39, the early model definitely had a round (OBD) Diagnostic Port in the engine bay but later E39's have the traditional rectangular socket behind a panel on the dash by the drivers right knee (UK spec). My mate had both models so I know that's the case. :y
I believe that some models ended up with both connectors present. If the dash connector is there, it will be behind another flap with OBD marked on it.
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Must be within reach of the driver by regulation...
Really? On my BMW it's under the bonnet. :-\
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-board_diagnostics
Basically 2001 on in europe ;)
My '51 525s was under the column as described above, as is the Trolley... The trolley's stalemate has a socket under the bonnet but only late models(' 98/99) have one under the dash, and then it's pot luck ;)
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Bought this car today, MOT failure, engine light on, and cannot find the OBD2 socket.
Please read the manual... Oh wait, you can't because it is wedged in the glovebox. ::)
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You can do the pedal trick too ;)
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Re the Beemer, as have been mentioned, its only post 2001 for petrols and post 2003 for diesels that European sold cars had to be EOBD (Euro form of OBDII, virtually identical, but sometimes enough to confuddle crap code readers).
EOBD includes socket spec, protocol specs, and socket location (within 1m of the steering wheel, in the cabin).
Obviously, the manufacturers were aware of this spec coming into force, so most put the socket in place earlier, when a new model/refresh was launched. Some, such as Rover, did not enable EOBD on the actual ECU until the date it came in though.
Pre EOBD fuel injected/engine management cars usually had some kind of diagnostics capability, but the socket could be whatever and wherever the manufacturer chose.
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Must be within reach of the driver by regulation...
Really? On my BMW it's under the bonnet. :-\
Is it OBD I or OBD II though?
Good question! Given that it has rudely been described as Victorian by our aristocratic member from Lincolnshire, it might be OBDI. :-\
It has a big round plug and I have to use an adapter to use my code reader. :)
Your Beemer probably has both types of diagnostic socket,the one under dash is the modern type but probably only good for engine diagnostics,the big round one under bonnet for all the other systems :y
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No worries......o2 sensor?
I suspect so. My cheapo reader said 'Lean mixture bank one'. The car has 2 lambda sensors, so could be either. I cancelled the code and it has not reappeared yet, but I cannot go far until I get an MOT certificate.
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No worries......o2 sensor?
I suspect so. My cheapo reader said 'Lean mixture bank one'. The car has 2 lambda sensors, so could be either. I cancelled the code and it has not reappeared yet, but I cannot go far until I get an MOT certificate.
check you have no blows /leaks on the exhaust :y
did it fail on lambda ?
what other jobs ?
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If it failed on lambda it would more than likely be a decent sized exhaust leak
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No worries......o2 sensor?
I suspect so. My cheapo reader said 'Lean mixture bank one'. The car has 2 lambda sensors, so could be either. I cancelled the code and it has not reappeared yet, but I cannot go far until I get an MOT certificate.
Once again, that does not necessarily mean that the lambda sensor is the fault. Whats more likely is that the sensor is reporting a fault further up the system. Changing the sensor will not fix the fault.
Reading the codes is just the start of the diagnostic procedure.
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No worries......o2 sensor?
I suspect so. My cheapo reader said 'Lean mixture bank one'. The car has 2 lambda sensors, so could be either. I cancelled the code and it has not reappeared yet, but I cannot go far until I get an MOT certificate.
check you have no blows /leaks on the exhaust :y
did it fail on lambda ?
what other jobs ?
It clearly passed on emissions, it failed MOT on engine light on, which I did not not think was a failing matter. It also failed on horn not working, LH side light not working, and both rear discs seriously worn. The horn now works, I have changed the sidelight bulb, the rear discs don't look bad to me but I have ordered new on e-bay, and the engine light is off at the moment. This car is the spare, so I can, in my own time, change the oil and filter, cambelt and water pump. It's novel to work on a car with no rust, and immaculate externally! My son Jonny is very pleased with his Astra, I shall change his cam belt when I have sorted this car.
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It would be money well spent to get a code reader interface that gives live data and vauxhall specific codes , I think you know the one we're NOT talking about ;)
is this 2004 a late G or early H ?
I do like the simplicity of astra to work on
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Brake discs have got to be stupidly bad to fail. There is a tester I know (not my garage) that pretty much fails discs on every mot. I don’t think he understands the term ‘minimum standard’
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Brake discs have got to be stupidly bad to fail. There is a tester I know (not my garage) that pretty much fails discs on every mot. I don’t think he understands the term ‘minimum standard’
I agree, but will a different tester pass the car if he is aware it has failed before on brake discs? I have seen the MOT testers guide , and 'pass and advise' is all these discs warrant.
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Here's the disc.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/6kki60az773je08/MOTfailedDISC.jpg?dl=1)
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You are absolutely right mate. If u go back to the same place they’ll want to see the discs done. Just do them and be done. :y
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It would be money well spent to get a code reader interface that gives live data and vauxhall specific codes , I think you know the one we're NOT talking about ;)
is this 2004 a late G or early H ?
I do like the simplicity of astra to work on
G or H, I don't know. Engine code is Z16XEP. You tell me.
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No worries......o2 sensor?
I suspect so. My cheapo reader said 'Lean mixture bank one'. The car has 2 lambda sensors, so could be either. I cancelled the code and it has not reappeared yet, but I cannot go far until I get an MOT certificate.
Once again, that does not necessarily mean that the lambda sensor is the fault. Whats more likely is that the sensor is reporting a fault further up the system. Changing the sensor will not fix the fault.
Reading the codes is just the start of the diagnostic procedure.
:y
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Late G as all H have 5 stud hubs ;)
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Here's the disc.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/6kki60az773je08/MOTfailedDISC.jpg?dl=1)
probably the original GM discs ,
about the same condition that the Zafira discs where, with 9 months MOT
I chose to replace them with new because i stripped and cleaned the brakes
the pads where pretty much seized to the calipers
massive improvement of brake and handbrake once refurbished :y
is this 2004 a late G or early H ?
I do like the simplicity of astra to work on
G or H, I don't know. Engine code is Z16XEP. You tell me.
Z16XEP is the Twinport engine fitted to late G and early H ;)
Late G as all H have 5 stud hubs ;)
depends on spec and engine ,1.6 came with 4 or 5 stud :y
H is this shape H 1.6 clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Astra-1-6-Club-5-door-hatch/401624914765?hash=item5d82b5db4d:g:EKEAAOSw69lboWYt)
G is this shape G aport 1.6 clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Opel-Astra-1-6i-16v-Twinport-2004-Sport/223191801718?hash=item33f7449f76:g:qosAAOSwmNlbxcz5)
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Locating OBD sockets is easy nowadays
http://www.hickleys.com/external/socketlocation_service.php
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You are absolutely right mate. If u go back to the same place they’ll want to see the discs done. Just do them and be done. :y
The car was tested in Warminster, miles away. New discs are ordered, so I will fit them.
On the other point, is an engine light on an automatic fail? I have read of cars passing MOT with engine lights on year after year.
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On the other point, is an engine light on an automatic fail? I have read of cars passing MOT with engine lights on year after year.
section 8 Nuisance
Engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp
defect (h) Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction. FAIL category MAJOR
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2004 will be Astra H and OBD2.
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2004 will be Astra H and OBD2.
can be Astra G or H as per 2004 example links above :y
or even 2005 registered astra G mk4
hence why I asked if it was a G or H ;D
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2004 will be Astra H and OBD2.
can be Astra G or H as per 2004 example links above :y
or even 2005 registered astra G mk4
hence why I asked if it was a G or H ;D
It's an H.
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G or H, I don't know. Engine code is Z16XEP. You tell me.
If you don't know how are we going to know ::)
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2004 will be Astra H and OBD2.
can be Astra G or H as per 2004 example links above :y
or even 2005 registered astra G mk4
hence why I asked if it was a G or H ;D
Not when the OBD port is below the hand brake, it's got to be a H. The G was above the fuse box.
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An astra G looks very different to an astra H. A quick google would have told you straight away.
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An astra G looks very different to an astra H. A quick google would have told you straight away.
Hang on, I might be gettin confused, ignore me :-[
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On the other point, is an engine light on an automatic fail? I have read of cars passing MOT with engine lights on year after year.
section 8 Nuisance
Engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp
defect (h) Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction. FAIL category MAJOR
This 👍
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2004 will be Astra H and OBD2.
can be Astra G or H as per 2004 example links above :y
or even 2005 registered astra G mk4
hence why I asked if it was a G or H ;D
Not when the OBD port is below the hand brake, it's got to be a H. The G was above the fuse box.
astra F upto 98 obd port in fuses under wheel ish)
astra G 98 yo 2005 obd port under a cover in handbrake area
(worthy of note :x16SZR is not obd2 /no pedal test but you can flash paper clip test )
astra H 2004 port is near handbrake in console
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Additionally worth know is that Astra-H is CANBUS, Astra-G is traditional ECUs.
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..... The G was above the fuse box.
Not on the Astra G diseasals I had ;)
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An astra G looks very different to an astra H. A quick google would have told you straight away.
Hang on, I might be gettin confused, ignore me :-[
I have .... ;D ;D :-*
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G or H, I don't know. Engine code is Z16XEP. You tell me.
If you don't know how are we going to know ::)
It was the grille wot gave it away
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/ohszy9s64dmra7v/grille.jpg?dl=1)
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G or H, I don't know. Engine code is Z16XEP. You tell me.
If you don't know how are we going to know ::)
It was the grille wot gave it away ...
;) ;)
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On the journey home I noticed a clonking noise at the front of the Astra, similar to the noise on my Omegas when the drop link end bushes are gone. I cannot see any drop links on the Astra. Any idea what could be the cause?
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Yes. Drop links 😂😂😂😂
Corsas and Astra’s terrible for them 👍
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... I cannot see any drop links on the Astra. ....
Same place as an Omega ... at either end of the anti-roll/torsion bar ;)
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Once again, Haynes, removing the drop link on a new car, simply states 'unscrew the nut and disconnect the anti-roll bar link rod from the strut.' After 12 years out in the mud and rain I expect mine are rusted near solid. Any tips?
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Spanners. hammer, blow torch, WD40, hacksaw, brute force and ignorance. Not necessarily in that order Terry, but no different to any old car really. ;)
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Once again, Haynes, removing the drop link on a new car, simply states 'unscrew the nut and disconnect the anti-roll bar link rod from the strut.' After 12 years out in the mud and rain I expect mine are rusted near solid. Any tips?
4.5" Angle grinder. You must have one, as you've got an electric welder.
You spent more time typing the post quoted above than you will removing both droplinks. Don't make this complicated!!
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What Nick said.
You may have luck with the Allen key / holding the nut if u soak it in wd and wire brush the threads. However if it gives u any hint of fighting then see Nicks post. Just do it carefully so you don’t cut the roll bar and/or strut link mount flange thingy. 👍👍👍
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IIRC astra drop links have 16mm :-\ flats on the back to stop the ball turning
I have a thin spanner that i use for them
I have used an angle grinder in the past ;D
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Thank you gentlemen, lots of good advice there. I will report back how I get on.
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IIRC astra drop links have 16mm :-\ flats on the back to stop the ball turning
I have a thin spanner that i use for them
So do I, which I use first. But if that's at all difficult, I go straight to the grinder as it saves a load of faffing about.
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I have changed many drop links on Omegas, always by brushng off the mud and external rust, spraying with WD40, and with a socket spanner on the nut and a 16mm spanner on the flat, undoing the nut. But it has been hard work, especially on the upper one. I have never used heat, but that's an option. The angle grinder sounds most sense, as long as I can get access.
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Haven't you removed them yet ::)
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They’re no different mate 👍 if anything they’ll be easier if they’re the crappy plastic ones. Rip the plastic arm/link off. Mole grips on the newly exposed ball joint. Buzz the nut off.
Or. If they give any trouble use angle grinder straight down the centre of the nut. Tension is then lost and again get ya mole grips on the ball joint and off it comes. 👍👍👍
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Haven't you removed them yet ::)
No. I only located them yesterday, and ordered new. When they arrive I shall change them. There are other jobs to get on with.
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Interesting to note that while I heard front end clonking on the journey home, drop link bushes failed presumed, it was not picked up in the MOT test. I could never detect drop link failure in a stationary car either, but my local MOT tester can. How does he do it?
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Interesting to note that while I heard front end clonking on the journey home, drop link bushes failed presumed, it was not picked up in the MOT test. I could never detect drop link failure in a stationary car either, but my local MOT tester can. How does he do it?
You will Struggle to find play with one corner jacked but with whole front end raised its easy to spot the wear
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Yeah, whole front end on stands, easy to spot :y
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So with front end of car supported, wheels hanging down, if I grasp the drop links I should be able to detect play.
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both wheels hanging down ,Pry bar under the tyre ,raise the wheel ,hand on one joint at a time (making sure you don't squish you fingers) you should feel play, the same as if you hold a worn out track rod end . if you a have helper, then you can look for play :y
often ,the ball is worn ,sometimes the nut is not tight enough and play is in bolt hole.
strut top mount rubbers go soft(common) ,bottom ball joints wear ,broken spring,loose strut bolts,all the usual suspects
rear suspension torsion bar ,so no drop links ,common to have play in the bush of the shock, at 100k + the shocks could well be past effective anyway ,so worth checking damping operation in both directions :y
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Grab the bar next to the drop link and push/pull the hell out of it. You’ll feel the play. I’ve personally find that on the four poster (ie not jacked up) you can really feel the play. The mot tester will find the play this way 👍
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*push and pull up and down that is 👍
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Push and pull up and down in a four poster? ;D
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::)
😂😂😂
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The symptoms, diagnosis and fix are all the same as the Omega (and pretty much every car since British Leyland collapsed).
The following thought is meant in kind concern rather than a dig or a criticism, but try as I might, it will sound, at best, blunt...
I wonder if I am alone in thinking that Terry might be starting to show his age :-\
Perhaps if his kids read this, that they might pay closer attention :-\
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The symptoms, diagnosis and fix are all the same as the Omega (and pretty much every car since British Leyland collapsed).
The following thought is meant in kind concern rather than a dig or a criticism, but try as I might, it will sound, at best, blunt...
I wonder if I am alone in thinking that Terry might be starting to show his age :-\
Perhaps if his kids read this, that they might pay closer attention :-\
MMMMM :-\ :-\
I don't know how old Terry is ,
I don't know what arrangement he has with his family ,what he gets in return for sorting their cars ,which they are obviously too busy and not knowledgeable to sort themselves ,
I do the family cars because an MOT is a minimum standard snapshot of roadworthyness 1 day a year, and on the instances my family have taken cars to garages ,it's been very expensive in money and cost me time anyway ,sorting poor "fixes" the garage have done
recent example ,the clutch on the french car , would have taken me a day or 2 , I was busy,did not fancy the job , the cowboys made a hash of it, I spent a lot longer than 2 days sorting out the refund claim,engineer's report,emails,phonecalls etc , then I had to find a replacement vehicle ,check it all over and sort any issues out .
Terry does ask questions about how to do things , this is a forum , many people ask questions , gleam useful information ,not covered in the H̶a̶y̶n̶e̶s̶ ̶j̶o̶k̶e̶ ̶b̶o̶o̶k̶ manual .
Terry is new to astra maybe a bit daunted by the unknown , many of us have had them and know common issues etc and are happy to help with advice, in the same way that I'm new to the V6 and ask for advice
this is why "the OOF" is a great forum :)
DG and many others have pointed me in the right direction , for which , I am very grateful :)
it's up to Terry to decide how old he is / if "Terry's garage for family" should farm more work out ;D or if he's happy to potter about ,keeping him active , beats playing golf :D ;D
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He's about twice my 42 iirc, and having seen just how quickly alzheimers can take hold, I am concerned.
Obviously it's upto himself and his family as to how they arrange themselves, and I hope that I am way off the mark...
Certainly there are plenty of other people here of similar vintage whom I have had the pleasure of meeting, Shackeng to name but one, who show no signs of slowing down which is why Terry's questions stand out as he has previously been very capable :-\
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it's up to Terry to decide how old he is / if "Terry's garage for family" should farm more work out ;D or if he's happy to potter about ,keeping him active , beats playing golf :D ;D
Indeed. None of this is any of our business. We are just here to provide as much help as possible. :y
..and anything beats playing golf. ;D
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Ah yes, golf... A woefully effective way to ruin a walk to the bar/pub :D
But I fully agree with both of you, and in no way trying to be ageist or pry... ;)
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Ah yes, golf... A woefully effective way to ruin a walk to the bar/pub :D
But I fully agree with both of you, and in no way trying to be ageist or pry... ;)
Lets just see if Terry can remember if he has alzheimers or not then :D ;D
poor taste joke :-\
no offence intended :y
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My forum profile reckons I am 79, wife says that's about right.
Forgive me if I ask naive questions, I begin to worry when I cannot find the OBD2 socket on a car. Haynes was no help.
I remember watching an MOT tester, with car on a raised ramp and jacked up off its wheels, raising a front wheel with a bar while groping in the suspension; now I know what he was doing. Why did not the last MOT tester spot it I wonder?
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The bar is used to check for any play either in the hub or suspension components.
Ball joints usually pass one year with a "dust cover cracked but currently preventing ingress of dirt" followed by failure the next year because the rubber boot has failed and all the grease has washed out allowing catastrophic wear :y
Most MoT failures are a direct result of laziness or ignorance. ;)
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MOT testers sometimes miss things Terry ,we are all human.
also, a bit of play in something is ok , things wear between MOT tests
and if you can remember the MOT tester ,and what he did , sounds like you still have all your marbles :)
they do hide OBD2 ports ,stops joe public doing there own work
because someone has to pay for the vauxhall dealer x mas party ;D
Today I'm replacing a front wheel bearing on an astra g
it's all going very well ,apart from the rain ;D
don't be afraid to ask Terry , that's what forums are for ,and it's nice that DG and others question how your doing , shows people care :y
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Ah yes, golf... A woefully effective way to ruin a walk to the bar/pub :D
I used to play it as a way of trying to maintain some small level of fitness - one of many downsides to having a career as an office self-abuser.
It was effective (an fat bastard lugging a bag of bats around over his shoulder, and walking 3 times the distance of anyone else), and I saw lakes, woods and streams that I never knew existed ::)
I lost my bats in "the incident", never did replace them.
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Bought this 2004 Astra H 1.6 last Saturday, tried to remove the rear wheels, foubnd them stiuck on. Loosened rear wheel nuts drove up and down, that loosened, great. today I am trying to change rear discs, but they too are stuck on. I have tried hammering it, tried my 2 legged puller, no joy. I have not a 3 legged puller. How should I proceed? Pic follows.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/dfmlsulu4oungr3/RG54rearDISC.jpg?dl=1)
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Is handbrake seized on? Can handbrake cable be loosened?
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MOT testers sometimes miss things Terry ,we are all human.
also, a bit of play in something is ok , things wear between MOT tests
and if you can remember the MOT tester ,and what he did , sounds like you still have all your marbles :)
they do hide OBD2 ports ,stops joe public doing there own work
because someone has to pay for the vauxhall dealer x mas party ;D
Today I'm replacing a front wheel bearing on an astra g
it's all going very well ,apart from the rain ;D
don't be afraid to ask Terry , that's what forums are for ,and it's nice that DG and others question how your doing , shows people care :y
This car failed its MOT in October 2018, I bought it as failed MOT spares and repair. I think Haynes might have told me where the OBD2 port is. Thank God for this forum.
Good luck with the wheel bearing. And thanks for your support and advice.
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Is handbrake seized on? Can handbrake cable be loosened?
Handbrake is a disc handbrake.
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Ah yes, golf... A woefully effective way to ruin a walk to the bar/pub :D
I used to play it as a way of trying to maintain some small level of fitness - one of many downsides to having a career as an office self-abuser.
It was effective (an fat bastard lugging a bag of bats around over his shoulder, and walking 3 times the distance of anyone else), and I saw lakes, woods and streams that I never knew existed ::)
I lost my bats in "the incident", never did replace them.
I found pushing gliders round an airfield has a similar effect on fitness.
That and the fact that, if you get too fat, they don't let you fly them any more. ;D
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Bought this 2004 Astra H 1.6 last Saturday, tried to remove the rear wheels, foubnd them stiuck on. Loosened rear wheel nuts drove up and down, that loosened, great. today I am trying to change rear discs, but they too are stuck on. I have tried hammering it, tried my 2 legged puller, no joy. I have not a 3 legged puller. How should I proceed? Pic follows.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/dfmlsulu4oungr3/RG54rearDISC.jpg?dl=1)
Dribble a bit of brake fluid around hub and bolts area,leave overnight and see if its easier tomorrow(brake fluid will attack the rust)
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I finished the front wheel bearing thanks :)
the disc on that was pretty stuck and required several good smacks with the FBH
(around the face between bolt holes ,then on the lip between face and disc surface,then repeat )
assuming the grub screw is out that holds disc to bearing
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I finished the front wheel bearing thanks :)
the disc on that was pretty stuck and required several good smacks with the FBH
(around the face between bolt holes ,then on the lip between face and disc surface,then repeat )
assuming the grub screw is out that holds disc to bearing
Good point,although a mighty blow from Sammy will overcome that :y
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You can see in the pic that the grub screw has been removed, 10 o'clock on the disc. That too was hard to remove, I think thse brakes have not been touched since new, nor the fluid changed. The woman who sold it to me said, with pride, that it had not been serviced for a lomg while. Thanks Henryd. I will paint some brake fluid around the central hub and leave it overnight.
I have had similar problems on Omegas, even after backing off the handbrake adjuster all the way. In the morning I will try again, with 2 hammers, bashing from both sides. I am reluctant to use heat near the wheel bearing.
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You can see in the pic that the grub screw has been removed, 10 o'clock on the disc. That too was hard to remove, I think thse brakes have not been touched since new, nor the fluid changed. The woman who sold it to me said, with pride, that it had not been serviced for a lomg while. Thanks Henryd. I will paint some brake fluid around the central hub and leave it overnight.
I have had similar problems on Omegas, even after backing off the handbrake adjuster all the way. In the morning I will try again, with 2 hammers, bashing from both sides. I am reluctant to use heat near the wheel bearing.
You would need a massive oxy-acetylene torch to get enough heat through the disc and hub to affect the bearing :o Just waving a butane torch around won't do anything worthwhile, unlike a bigger hammer which will.
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discs probably are original (they where on the zafira,same set up)
GM part number and logo on the back
I strip the pads out and clean up brake calipers and lube slides (front brakes) adjust handbrake ,etc pre MOT on all ours,
I agree with Nick, don't use heat ,use violence :y
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This car comes with an amazing service history. Since 2014 it has had one owner. She appears to have changed what was necessary to keep it going and get it through MOT tests, but never changed the oil. She did change the cambelt, tensioners and water pump on purchase, and has since then changed droplinks, plugs, fuel pump, crank sensor, steering joints and tyres as required. The oil was seriously black. I ran the engine for 10 minutes to warm up the oil, then drained it for 3 hours. I changed the oil filter and put in new Trade Club 5W30 oil. Checking the level, the oil on the dip stick was still black. Oh dear.
When I changed the oil last Wednesday in my other Astra, after oil change the dip stick showed clean oil.
I wonder how long this engine will last?
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Thanks for advice. After brake fluid overnight and a bigger hammer, the brake disc came off. N/s brake is fully assembled, but I discovered I could not retract the brake piston without a special tool to screw in the piston, which I do not have. I used the big hammer instead. All is now assembled, but I cannot turn the wheel. Will it free up under engine power, or do I need the special tool?
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Thanks for advice. After brake fluid overnight and a bigger hammer, the brake disc came off. N/s brake is fully assembled, but I discovered I could not retract the brake piston without a special tool to screw in the piston, which I do not have. I used the big hammer instead. All is now assembled, but I cannot turn the wheel. Will it free up under engine power, or do I need the special tool?
Oh dear.
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Check the MOT history :y
has it failed on emissions in the past ?
how is the engine now you changed the oil ? any noisy valve lifters ? knocks etc ? smoke when the engine is up to temperature ? is this the 120k miles one ?
5w30 fully synthetic is thin and will flush sludge from all the engine IF it is there (if engine has done short journeys,not had regular oil changes,had thick oil in the past)
I've had this in the past ,a 1.6 with only 80k that a garage put flushing oil in to reduce emissions then fully synthetic 5w30 (it did not work, just made it worse ) all the sludge just stuck in the oil control rings ,jamming them in the pistons >:(
it smoked like a steam train when warm, I got the car,stripped it ,new rings ,cleaned sump etc and found the emissions fail was down to a clogged injector ::)
your car may have had thick oil in or not been changed enough(very likely from what you say) ,
hopefully a couple of oil and filter changes will resolve it .
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Thanks for advice. After brake fluid overnight and a bigger hammer, the brake disc came off. N/s brake is fully assembled, but I discovered I could not retract the brake piston without a special tool to screw in the piston, which I do not have. I used the big hammer instead. All is now assembled, but I cannot turn the wheel. Will it free up under engine power, or do I need the special tool?
you need the tool
you may have damaged the caliper by forcing it because it has a ratchet handbrake mech too (so handbrake off,reservoir cap off,rewind tool)
there are 2 slots in the piston to get purchase on to screw it in,
you could fashion a tool ,see if it will turn but they are very cheap
the little cube multi rewind tool WON'T fit these IIRC
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I know why it,s tight - the new disc is thicker than the worn disc. us
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Hit the wrong key. I see lots of tools on e-bay, but I could not imagine how I could improvise one. The cube tool at £3 is no good, you say. Others come as kits in a box. Cn you recommend one?
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I ground an old imperial spanner to fit the slots perfectly and used an adjustable spanner to grip that and turn it , but that requires turning and pushing the spanner which requires 3 shredded wheat for breakfast ;D
You need to turn it in the correct direction too ,and i can't remember which (and tools are available for both directions so as well as finding one to fit the slots it needs the correct thread)
probably youtube videos and a google search will find the best tool if you don't want to buy a universal set ,like this clicky link (https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pro-craft-brake-rewind-tool-kit-20-pieces/9796r)
I don't know what shops you have local that may sell what you need ,machine mart ? screwfix ? halfords is expensive :(
but ebay will have what you need ,but awaiting delivery is annoying ;D
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here is a video of a couple of northerners :-\ struggling with the tool ;D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgO4m9c1u6g (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgO4m9c1u6g)
but it gives you an idea of what to do
clockwise seems to be the direction
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I recently did the rear calipers on kitty and had to rewind the piston. Clockwise is fairly typical across the market and I used the small cube tool I bought from the local factors. It wasn't a perfect fit but I created a clean flat edge for it to bite on to and that did the trick. A pig to get started but once moving it took half a dozen turns to get back far enough for the new discs and pads.
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universal kit on ebay
£15 inc delivery clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VonHaus-22pc-Car-Brake-Caliper-Piston-Rewind-Repair-Kit-Wind-Back-Tool-Set/282337948559?epid=521356352&hash=item41bca7338f:g:MDgAAOSwLEtYiJbq)
says 48 hour courier delivery :-\
The "cube" definitely won't fit 5 stud ,so doubt it will fit 4 stud brakes and it requires a strong force to keep it engaged ,
also, get all the rust,dust and dirt off the piston , I squirt a little wd40 on it to lube the rubber seal as the piston turns (the seal can stick to the piston and turn,possibly ripping it) , then wash with brake cleaner once retracted :y
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I recently did the rear calipers on kitty and had to rewind the piston. Clockwise is fairly typical across the market and I used the small cube tool I bought from the local factors. It wasn't a perfect fit but I created a clean flat edge for it to bite on to and that did the trick. A pig to get started but once moving it took half a dozen turns to get back far enough for the new discs and pads.
Fords tend to be sided, hence the two winders in the set linked to :y
Forcing the pistol in with a hammer will probably require a new caliper ???
If you have a Haynes manual, why on earth did you not read it :o
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Hit the wrong key. I see lots of tools on e-bay, but I could not imagine how I could improvise one. The cube tool at £3 is no good, you say. Others come as kits in a box. Cn you recommend one?
there really is no difference between considering the very limited use you're going to put it to.
So buy the cheapest, something like THIS (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAKE-CALIPER-PISTON-REWIND-WIND-BACK-TOOL-KIT-FOR-VW-AUDI-FORD-BMW-21-PIECE-SET/332674540431?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D55148%26meid%3D533d8119c849477db082542f46c921c3%26pid%3D100505%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26%26itm%3D332674540431&_trksid=p2045573.c100505.m3226)
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universal kit on ebay
£15 inc delivery clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VonHaus-22pc-Car-Brake-Caliper-Piston-Rewind-Repair-Kit-Wind-Back-Tool-Set/282337948559?epid=521356352&hash=item41bca7338f:g:MDgAAOSwLEtYiJbq)
says 48 hour courier delivery :-\
So buy the cheapest, something like THIS (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAKE-CALIPER-PISTON-REWIND-WIND-BACK-TOOL-KIT-FOR-VW-AUDI-FORD-BMW-21-PIECE-SET/332674540431?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D55148%26meid%3D533d8119c849477db082542f46c921c3%26pid%3D100505%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26%26itm%3D332674540431&_trksid=p2045573.c100505.m3226)
slow delivery compared to the kit i linked :-\
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Thanks to all for advice. I bought a Laser piston retracting tool from a local factor and it did the job. Rear discs are now changed, so that's the car ready for MOT. However I must check the engine light stays off, and I suspect a drop link is dodgy too.
I liked the Astra high tech wear sensor, a simple spring steel tongue that will make a scraping noise against the disc when it touches it. It is on the front right corner of this pad, sitting on this little worn but MOT failing disc.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zfg6u902pot3iee/astraWEARsensor.jpg?dl=1)
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Well done :y
that style wear indicator is common on many cars
did you replace the brake fluid ? bleed all brakes :-\
part of the mot now includes brake fluid obviously contaminated :y
(so if fluid in reservoir is dirty, it's a fail )
unless your returning it to the same test station who missed it ;D
any smoke when warm ,now you changed the oil ?
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I have not changed the brake fluid yet, though I intend to. I will check whether it looks obviously contaminated.The MOT was carried out in Warminster by the previous owner. I bought the car as a spares and repair MOT failure. I did not notice any smoke on engine start, either before or after the oil change. My plan is to check for dodgy drop links, change any I find, perhaps polish the headlights, then submit for MOT test. There's no hurry though, so I might as well change the brake fluid now. I noticed the rear calipers had rubber caps on the bleed nipples, suggesting never used; I gently applied even torque to undo one of them, and it turned! I shall change the oil again soon, after 100 or so miles.
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There should always be rubber caps on the bleed nipples ???
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There should always be rubber caps on the bleed nipples ???
Quite so. But as a frequent buyer of used cars I find more often than not one or more bleed nipple cap is missing, which suggests that the brake fluid has been changed at least once.
Haynes instructs that on pushing back the caliper piston I should open the bleed nipple and clamp the brake hose, lest grit get back into the ABS unit. Not done that before, but never suffered ABS unit failure on that account. Mine fail electronically.
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......
did you replace the brake fluid ? bleed all brakes :-\
part of the mot now includes brake fluid obviously contaminated :y
(so if fluid in reservoir is dirty, it's a fail )
........
Always struck me as a bit of an odd one as unless the MOT'er bleeds a brake caliper, how does he know that the owner hasn't dunked a sheet of kitchen roll in the brake fluid reservoir to suck the old out and then topped up with fresh the day before. It must happen surely. :-\
I have an easi-bleed but it's not everybody's favourite job is it. Off out to check the colour of mine now. ;D
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It's good practice as it removes most of the dead/gungy/sludge fluid from the caliper...
Actually makes a difference to brake feel as well :y
Using the pipe from an ezibleed kit, pop one end in a jar of brake fluid and support it below the caliper, then attach tother end to the nipple. Crack it half a turn and wind/push* the piston/s in. Once piston is solid, close the nipple securely.
*As appropriate... In the case of integral handbrake mechanisms, wind.
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......
did you replace the brake fluid ? bleed all brakes :-\
part of the mot now includes brake fluid obviously contaminated :y
(so if fluid in reservoir is dirty, it's a fail )
........
Always struck me as a bit of an odd one as unless the MOT'er bleeds a brake caliper, how does he know that the owner hasn't dunked a sheet of kitchen roll in the brake fluid reservoir to suck the old out and then topped up with fresh the day before. It must happen surely. :-\
I have an easi-bleed but it's not everybody's favourite job is it. Off out to check the colour of mine now. ;D
Arguably, brake fluid is a bi annual service item ::)
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It's good practice as it removes most of the dead/gungy/sludge fluid from the caliper...
Actually makes a difference to brake feel as well :y
Agreed. :y It's also a good indication of how free the piston is in the slider as there should be very little resistance doing it this way. :y
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......
did you replace the brake fluid ? bleed all brakes :-\
part of the mot now includes brake fluid obviously contaminated :y
(so if fluid in reservoir is dirty, it's a fail )
........
Always struck me as a bit of an odd one as unless the MOT'er bleeds a brake caliper, how does he know that the owner hasn't dunked a sheet of kitchen roll in the brake fluid reservoir to suck the old out and then topped up with fresh the day before. It must happen surely. :-\
I have an easi-bleed but it's not everybody's favourite job is it. Off out to check the colour of mine now. ;D
Arguably, brake fluid is a bi annual service item ::)
Hmmm.......none of my cars has ever had a brake fluid change. I'm lucky to be alive. ::)
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I do as DG ,the jam jar with small amount of old brake fluid in but use the tube for fish tank air stones(under the fluid ,so air can not get drawn back up) ,very cheap ,but effective method :y
Not a fan of easybleed pipes and valves,the valves stick .
I NEVER clamp a flexi , just bleed the lot through .
And it will make a noticeable difference if the fluid is old (potentially 10 years old or more in Terry's case with the 2004 astra) and there was a service bulletin re brake fluid change on astra of that era.
If you have ever done the brake fluid change and seen the colour of the fluid that comes out the calipers, you'd be a convert to regular changes.
yes, some people may suck out fluid from the reservoir and put fresh in to fool the NT (MOT tester) ,If it's dirty in the reservoir, just imagine how dirty it will be in the calipers ,plus clutch line(in proper cars with a full compliment of feet controls)
GOOD LUCK with the test Terry and well done working your way through the jobs :)
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Changed the brake fluid this morning, though the reservoir is white opaque to defeat the MOT tester; fluid came out looking fairly clean too. I have an Eezibleed kit, but still found I had to remove the wheels. I changed the o/s drop link, and found the bottom joint satisfyingly shot.
Cambelt, pulleys, tensioners and water pump were changed October 2014, 35000 miles ago. I see what is surely the water pump bottom right of the engine driven by the auxiliary belt, so there is particular reason to change it with the cambelt. Must grease the tensioner pulley, though.
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IF z16xep twinport engine then yes ,water pump is aux belt driven ;)
(2nd pulley up on the left in this pic)
(http://www.enginesod.com/uploads/product/zoom_Vauxhall_engines_Fits_All__Astra__Zafira__Meriva_1.6_z16xep_petrol_TWINPORT_engines_50306.jpg)
You can have a feel of the water pump bearing when you have the aux belt off to grease the roller bearing on the tensioner , mark belt direction first :y
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This car is nearly MOT ready. However, when I bought it (last Saturday) the engine management light was on, and this was listed as an MOT failure matter. After Webby the Bear kindly told me where to find the OBD2 socket I plugged in my simple code reader, read the code (lean mixture bank 1) , cancelled it, and the light has stayed off ever since. Today I plugged in my laptop diagnostic device, and read live data. Code P0621-04 came up as a fault code, Generator Lamp "L" Control Circuit Malfunction. O2 sensor 1 was switching RICH/LEAN/RICH /LEAN satisfactorily, but O2 sensor 2 was steady on LEAN. Engine light remains off. My worry is it will come again.
What should I do?
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Bank 1 (because it only has 1 bank) Sensor 2 should always read Lean. Its Bank 1 Sensor 1 that should flick Rich/Lean at about 1s intervals.
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Today I plugged in my laptop diagnostic device, and read live data. Code P0621-04 came up as a fault code, Generator Lamp "L" Control Circuit Malfunction.
My worry is it will come again.
What should I do?
Is the fault code stored or present ?
if you clear the code ,does it come back on ?
in live data , what is battery voltage ?
with the engine running, what voltage is at the battery using a volt meter ?
does the battery light on dash light when you first turn the key (before engine crank/run) and go off ,and stay off engine running ?
as you can't test drive ,put your code reader in the car and if need be, reset EML if it comes on as you pull up for mot ;D
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I presume stored. When cleared it stays cleared.
In live data, battery voltage is 14-3-14.4 volts
Voltmeter reads 14.33
Battery light comes on initially, goes off on engine starrt and stays off.
Good tip, will do so.
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I presume stored. When cleared it stays cleared.
In live data, battery voltage is 14-3-14.4 volts
Voltmeter reads 14.33
Battery light comes on initially, goes off on engine starrt and stays off.
Good tip, will do so.
I wouldn't worry then about po621 unless it comes back then
all sounds good :y
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MOT tomorrow. I only have one fog tail light coming on, offside. Is this correct or have I a dead bulb?
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... Is this correct or ..
Probably ..... loads of cars seem to just have the offside rear fog these . Is there even somewhere to fit a bulb on the near side?
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MOT tomorrow. I only have one fog tail light coming on, offside. Is this correct or have I a dead bulb?
You only need the offside foglamp (rear) for the mot Terry so dont worry about that
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MOT tomorrow. I only have one fog tail light coming on, offside. Is this correct or have I a dead bulb?
Astra H, this is correct. There may be a bulb fitted to the other side, as the light ecu uses these if the brake light bulbs fail... Certainly the case on the Vectra C.
You only need one fog light as long as it's on the centre line or to the right of it :y
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....
as the light ecu uses these if the brake light bulbs fail... Certainly the case on the Vectra C.
.....
And my Merc :y
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This car is nearly MOT ready. However, when I bought it (last Saturday) the engine management light was on, and this was listed as an MOT failure matter. After Webby the Bear kindly told me where to find the OBD2 socket I plugged in my simple code reader, read the code (lean mixture bank 1) , cancelled it, and the light has stayed off ever since. Today I plugged in my laptop diagnostic device, and read live data. Code P0621-04 came up as a fault code, Generator Lamp "L" Control Circuit Malfunction. O2 sensor 1 was switching RICH/LEAN/RICH /LEAN satisfactorily, but O2 sensor 2 was steady on LEAN. Engine light remains off. My worry is it will come again.
What should I do?
Terry, sorry I have come to this conversation a bit late. Your Z16XEP fault will keep re-occurring. In somewhere between 60 and 100 miles P0170-2 will show. It's a common fault i have just sorted on mine. The EGR recirculation channels in the intake manifold where it butts the cylinder head become blocked preventing the gas from entering the manifold. The ECU discovers this and finds it cannot enrich the mixture to accommodate it in the warm up cycle and throws the code.
Solution, take it to bits, about 2 hrs work, clean it and put it all back together again. You might also find some muppet has blocked off the EGR channel from the valve. If so this will have the same effect. Having done this, if the fault re-occurs then the EGR is not functioning correctly.
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This car comes with an amazing service history. Since 2014 it has had one owner. She appears to have changed what was necessary to keep it going and get it through MOT tests, but never changed the oil. She did change the cambelt, tensioners and water pump on purchase, and has since then changed droplinks, plugs, fuel pump, crank sensor, steering joints and tyres as required. The oil was seriously black. I ran the engine for 10 minutes to warm up the oil, then drained it for 3 hours. I changed the oil filter and put in new Trade Club 5W30 oil. Checking the level, the oil on the dip stick was still black. Oh dear.
When I changed the oil last Wednesday in my other Astra, after oil change the dip stick showed clean oil.
I wonder how long this engine will last?
Not long I fear. Took car for MOT this morning, it struggled on emissions, then began to rattle. Tester stiopped the engine, asked me what he should do. I said skip emissons, do the rest of the test. He drove the car onto the rollers for the brake test, the engine stopped and would not restart. It appeared to have seized. We agreed it should be allowed to cool down. I rang my son for a lift home.
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If the engine had seized I'd expect it to give a series of fault codes. It could just be a blocked fuel filter or a failed fuel pump/fuse. Or, if it hasn't been serviced properly the spark plugs could be so far gone there's no electrode left.
The rattle might be nothing to do with it. Early twinport engines had rubber edged flaps in the first stage of the intake manifold. The rubber wears away and people think the engine is rattling. It's not. A later version, same pt number different serial number is the revised version which is fine.
Don't give up too soon, might be a simple fix.
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I went to collect it 4 hours latre, with a tow rope and an Omega estate. It started, but rattled once it got warm, and wanted to stall. I managed to drive it the 2 miles home, by which the low oil pressure light was on, along with several other warning lights. I guess the engine is wrecked.
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Hmm. Wondering if the pickup strainer got clogged? Years of neglect followed by fresh oil with fresh detergent...?
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So that Astra did not last long then :( :'(
This is the downside of bangernomics, cheap car yes, but lots of time & effort to fix bits and bobs, then it blows up. Not a lot of money, but fair amount of time invested to get it running.
Then have to repeat this on the next banger :(
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Hmm. Wondering if the pickup strainer got clogged? Years of neglect followed by fresh oil with fresh detergent...?
I think you hit the nail on the head
5w30 will strip all the dirt from a neglected 100k+ engine :'(
indeed, dropping the sump to look would be worth the time
knock top end ? oil starved lifters perhaps
you could try... sump and pick up cleaned,plugs checked ,fresh filter and thicker oil ?
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Check the MOT history :y
has it failed on emissions in the past ?
how is the engine now you changed the oil ? any noisy valve lifters ? knocks etc ? smoke when the engine is up to temperature ? is this the 120k miles one ?
5w30 fully synthetic is thin and will flush sludge from all the engine IF it is there (if engine has done short journeys,not had regular oil changes,had thick oil in the past)
I've had this in the past ,a 1.6 with only 80k that a garage put flushing oil in to reduce emissions then fully synthetic 5w30 (it did not work, just made it worse ) all the sludge just stuck in the oil control rings ,jamming them in the pistons >:(
it smoked like a steam train when warm, I got the car,stripped it ,new rings ,cleaned sump etc and found the emissions fail was down to a clogged injector ::)
your car may have had thick oil in or not been changed enough(very likely from what you say) ,
hopefully a couple of oil and filter changes will resolve it .
No mention of emission problems in service records or old MOTs, or I would not have bought it. In the MOT fail in October emissions were not mentioned. I was therefore surprised this morning when the tester failed to get it through the emissions test. Three attempts with sustained high revs failed, got the engine and the oil hot, then it rattled. With hindsight, the oil remaining black after oil change warranted more investigation.
I do not understand why if failed emissions, after passing them a month ago, unless my oil change caused it.
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Hmm. Wondering if the pickup strainer got clogged? Years of neglect followed by fresh oil with fresh detergent...?
I think you hit the nail on the head
5w30 will strip all the dirt from a neglected 100k+ engine :'(
indeed, dropping the sump to look would be worth the time
knock top end ? oil starved lifters perhaps
you could try... sump and pick up cleaned,plugs checked ,fresh filter and thicker oil ?
Is dropping the sump a simple matter of draining the oil, then undoing the bolts holding sump to block?
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This car is nearly MOT ready. However, when I bought it (last Saturday) the engine management light was on, and this was listed as an MOT failure matter. After Webby the Bear kindly told me where to find the OBD2 socket I plugged in my simple code reader, read the code (lean mixture bank 1) , cancelled it, and the light has stayed off ever since. Today I plugged in my laptop diagnostic device, and read live data. Code P0621-04 came up as a fault code, Generator Lamp "L" Control Circuit Malfunction. O2 sensor 1 was switching RICH/LEAN/RICH /LEAN satisfactorily, but O2 sensor 2 was steady on LEAN. Engine light remains off. My worry is it will come again.
What should I do?
Terry, sorry I have come to this conversation a bit late. Your Z16XEP fault will keep re-occurring. In somewhere between 60 and 100 miles P0170-2 will show. It's a common fault i have just sorted on mine. The EGR recirculation channels in the intake manifold where it butts the cylinder head become blocked preventing the gas from entering the manifold. The ECU discovers this and finds it cannot enrich the mixture to accommodate it in the warm up cycle and throws the code.
Solution, take it to bits, about 2 hrs work, clean it and put it all back together again. You might also find some muppet has blocked off the EGR channel from the valve. If so this will have the same effect. Having done this, if the fault re-occurs then the EGR is not functioning correctly.
Thanks for that. Might that explain the MOT emissions failure?
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This car is nearly MOT ready. However, when I bought it (last Saturday) the engine management light was on, and this was listed as an MOT failure matter. After Webby the Bear kindly told me where to find the OBD2 socket I plugged in my simple code reader, read the code (lean mixture bank 1) , cancelled it, and the light has stayed off ever since. Today I plugged in my laptop diagnostic device, and read live data. Code P0621-04 came up as a fault code, Generator Lamp "L" Control Circuit Malfunction. O2 sensor 1 was switching RICH/LEAN/RICH /LEAN satisfactorily, but O2 sensor 2 was steady on LEAN. Engine light remains off. My worry is it will come again.
What should I do?
Terry, sorry I have come to this conversation a bit late. Your Z16XEP fault will keep re-occurring. In somewhere between 60 and 100 miles P0170-2 will show. It's a common fault i have just sorted on mine. The EGR recirculation channels in the intake manifold where it butts the cylinder head become blocked preventing the gas from entering the manifold. The ECU discovers this and finds it cannot enrich the mixture to accommodate it in the warm up cycle and throws the code.
Solution, take it to bits, about 2 hrs work, clean it and put it all back together again. You might also find some muppet has blocked off the EGR channel from the valve. If so this will have the same effect. Having done this, if the fault re-occurs then the EGR is not functioning correctly.
Thanks for that. Might that explain the MOT emissions failure?
Mine passed it's emissions for the last owner with 2 dying lambdas and the EGR blanked. He was lucky as it was before EML on became an MOT fail. Dropping the sump is fairly simple so I'd start there too. The reasons for emissions failure can more easily be sorted when (if) the engine is running properly.
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Is dropping the sump a simple matter of draining the oil, then undoing the bolts holding sump to block?
Not familiar with this model, but that's the usual procedure. Just depends if anything's in the way.
It would be interesting as a post-mortem if nothing else, but you might find that you can clean out the oil pickup and sump, fresh oil and filter and there's no lasting damage. Unlikely, perhaps, if it's been driven with the oil light on for any distance, but who knows?
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I think the front exhaust needs moving and a couple of bolts into the bell housing + sump bolts to block
and the pick up pipe is part of the sump ,so sump gasket requires a good seal around where the pick up meets the block and pump or it will suck air rather than oil
which will give low oil pressure ,the oil pressure sensor could be crudded up or the oil is too thin when warm (just leaking out the big ends and mains and not even getting to the head :-\
there is a diaphragm in the rocker cover (like a crank case breather one way valve) can split
first thing i would do is check the plugs ,if very oily :-\
(oil passing rings,oil control rings stuck)
do you have a print out to say the emissions where done a month ago ? what readings or did the tester skip it :-\
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I think the front exhaust needs moving and a couple of bolts into the bell housing + sump bolts to block
and the pick up pipe is part of the sump ,so sump gasket requires a good seal around where the pick up meets the block and pump or it will suck air rather than oil
which will give low oil pressure ,the oil pressure sensor could be crudded up or the oil is too thin when warm (just leaking out the big ends and mains and not even getting to the head :-\
there is a diaphragm in the rocker cover (like a crank case breather one way valve) can split
first thing i would do is check the plugs ,if very oily :-\
(oil passing rings,oil control rings stuck)
do you have a print out to say the emissions where done a month ago ? what readings or did the tester skip it :-\
No, I do not have an emissons print out from the Octobe MOT.
I am in the process of dropping the sump. I have removed the exhaust and the under engine cover. I am now draining the oil over night. It is black, thick, glutinous, not like lubricant at all. I know it is cold, whereas I drained the original oil hot, but even so I am amazed at the state of it.
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i wonder if it was emission tested or the tester could not get it within range and just skipped that part of the test but not abandoned the rest of the test and not entered not tested on the vts :-\
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Sorry for being simple 😂😂😂
So the car was MOTd in October of this year? Presumably failed on something/ some things. You’ve subsequently done said work. New MOT test this week and emissions fail plus the engine rattling?
When you do emissions it is then down to you as the tester to manually enter that failure on to the list of defects; the results aren’t auto-uploaded. So irrespective of the lack of an emissions sheet it either passed on emissions or the tester omitted to input them as failure items on the refusal certificate 👍
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Sorry for being simple 😂😂😂
So the car was MOTd in October of this year? Presumably failed on something/ some things. You’ve subsequently done said work. New MOT test this week and emissions fail plus the engine rattling?
When you do emissions it is then down to you as the tester to manually enter that failure on to the list of defects; the results aren’t auto-uploaded. So irrespective of the lack of an emissions sheet it either passed on emissions or the tester omitted to input them as failure items on the refusal certificate 👍
Failed in October for horn ,eml on and rear disc condition.
had a fail sheet ,so test completed , no mention of emissions on the fail that Terry has said ,though the MOT station should have kept a copy of emission pass on record for 3 months ,even if it was not passed on with the Fail sheet :-\
Looks like the 5w30 synthetic oil has stripped the sludge out the engine .causing problems :P
what was it failing on emission wise this test Terry ? C0 or hydrocarbons ? did the tester abandon the test ? i.e no paperwork ?
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Ok got ya 👍👍👍
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Sorry for being simple 😂😂😂
So the car was MOTd in October of this year? Presumably failed on something/ some things. You’ve subsequently done said work. New MOT test this week and emissions fail plus the engine rattling?
When you do emissions it is then down to you as the tester to manually enter that failure on to the list of defects; the results aren’t auto-uploaded. So irrespective of the lack of an emissions sheet it either passed on emissions or the tester omitted to input them as failure items on the refusal certificate 👍
Failed in October for horn ,eml on and rear disc condition.
had a fail sheet ,so test completed , no mention of emissions on the fail that Terry has said ,though the MOT station should have kept a copy of emission pass on record for 3 months ,even if it was not passed on with the Fail sheet :-\
Looks like the 5w30 synthetic oil has stripped the sludge out the engine .causing problems :P
what was it failing on emission wise this test Terry ? C0 or hydrocarbons ? did the tester abandon the test ? i.e no paperwork ?
CO. Occasionally the CO came within limits, but as tester kept trying to get all 3 parameters within bounds, the car got hot and began to rattle.End of test, end of car. On each attempt all the parameters went 'all over the shop', occasionally came near passing, but never made it.
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Here is sample of the oil I drained out. This was poured out of the oil change collector so was on the top. after settling for 24 hours.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/tx64rkxiut19gca/dirtyOIL.jpg?dl=1)
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but what was the strainer pick up like :-\
most of the sludge will be in the sump now
worth cleaning out and trying with fresh oil 10w40 ;)
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I am trying to drop the sump. I have removed all the bolts and screws I can see attaching the sump to the block and the bell housing, but it did not fall off. I hve given it tentative taps with a hammer, but it stays put. Is there a trick to release it?
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Bigger hammer ;)
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Probably glued on with instant gasket - it was a nightmare to get sumps off the 1ZZFE in the MR2, usually needing a chisel or wide scraper and a lump hammer!
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I am trying to drop the sump. I have removed all the bolts and screws I can see attaching the sump to the block and the bell housing, but it did not fall off. I hve given it tentative taps with a hammer, but it stays put. Is there a trick to release it?
scrape part of the gasket out with a Stanley knife, then pry the sump off with a nylon wedge in the hole.
You could knock a screwdriver into the gasket and pry the sump off that way. But you'll probably have to straighten and or dress the edges afterwards.
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I am trying to drop the sump. I have removed all the bolts and screws I can see attaching the sump to the block and the bell housing, but it did not fall off. I hve given it tentative taps with a hammer, but it stays put. Is there a trick to release it?
scrape part of the gasket out with a Stanley knife, then pry the sump off with a nylon wedge in the hole.
You could knock a screwdriver into the gasket and pry the sump off that way. But you'll probably have to straighten and or dress the edges afterwards.
.. and re-bore it, replace the main and big end bearings... ;)
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look at pics of the sump on ebay or google to see where all the bolt holes are :y
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'Drop the sump' sounds trivial, but it's not. Even removing the front exhaust took a while, and involved blowtorch and angle grinder. I believe I have now removed all the sump retaining screws and bolts, but the sump has not fallen off. I am only doing this to inspect the oil pickup strainer, the car is scrap.
I shall pause at this point. I need the garage for other jobs. Jonny is here this weekend, I must remove the rear wheels froim his Astra.
Here are all the screws and bolts I removed.
(http://[img]https://www.dropbox.com/s/2f1ct8yon2d0wbu/SUMPnuts.jpg?dl=1)[img]
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Here they are.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zd83ajs45inkpcd/sumpn.jpg?dl=1)
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not enough small bolts out yet :y 15 holes i count ,not including what goes into gearbox bell housing
(http://koratrade-001-site1.ftempurl.com/Nuotraukytes/G486/G486KA1.png)
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Yes there are some that go through the bell housing. When u see them you’ll know
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I will look again. I may have dropped some screws.
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Thanks Dave. I have found 2 more screws, left hand end, in tunnels, removed them, tapped sump with hammer and off it fell.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zd83ajs45inkpcd/sumpn.jpg?dl=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/8eeb9hzjgrkgozd/BIGends.jpg?dl=1)
Looks like I was using tar as a lubricant.
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Here is the sump. I presume the soft bit on top is the strainer.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zd83ajs45inkpcd/sumpn.jpg?dl=1)
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Here is the sump!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkmbzkagfu0xnzw/sumpo.JPG?dl=1)
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Nope, that's the splash guard ;D
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under the plastic baffle plate is the strainer
probably 2 torx hold the baffles onto the sump itself :-\
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under the plastic baffle plate is the strainer
probably 2 torx hold the baffles onto the sump itself :-\
No obvious pick up pipe in the block unless it's cast in :-\
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https://www.proxyparts.com/car-parts-stock/information/engine-code/z16xep/part/sump/partid/6664473/ (https://www.proxyparts.com/car-parts-stock/information/engine-code/z16xep/part/sump/partid/6664473/)
with baffle removed see pics in link
under the plastic baffle plate is the strainer
probably 2 torx hold the baffles onto the sump itself :-\
No obvious pick up pipe in the block unless it's cast in :-\
the pick up pipe is part cast into the sump,part a removable pipe/strainer as pics in link above
the engine block has an oil pump bolted to the side (crankshaft driven) that sucks oil via the hole which mates with it at sump gasket /sump
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:y
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Hereis the baffle plate
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/xrz8x3v3lsvw6fx/sumpBAFFLE.jpg?dl=1)
and here is the sump cleaned up, showing the above mentioned details.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/krppz5omg897slb/sumpCLEAN.jpg?dl=1)
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Here is the sump full of sludge, tilted to show how much sludge there was.
What chance had this engine to give full power; and what chance had I to foresee it?
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/fwe5wum1lqg7kn4/SLUDGEinSUMP.jpg?dl=1)
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What was the strainer like ? or have you not removed it yet ?
I picked up a 1.6 twinport estate today .quite a nippy ,light feeling car compared to my omega ;D
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What was the strainer like ? or have you not removed it yet ?
I picked up a 1.6 twinport estate today .quite a nippy ,light feeling car compared to my omega ;D
I cannot say; I've never seen one before. Here is a pic of it.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/6fol1i9q9kgxle8/STRAINER.jpg?dl=1)
Glad you like the 1.6 twinport. I was surprised to read in Haynes that it has variable valve timing, very high tech. I imagine it would benefit from clean oil. My son Jonny likes the sound system too.
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The service history contains no mention of an oil change in the last 10 years. So once the oil filter got blocked, and the bypass opened, all the debris in the oil was recirculated. I did observe, and comment on this forum, that whereas after the oil and filter change on my first Astra the dip stick showed clean oil, on this Astra it did not.
I imagine it would have taken several more oil and filter changes to remove all that debris from the system. I should have changed the oil and filter again on seeing that dip stick, and again and again until the stick showed clean oil. Silly me. I shall not make that mistake again.
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I would imagine that the oil pick up in the pic needs soaking in parrafin or similar to wash it out ?
Might be best to check with someone who knows these engines though.Then, either a few quick oil changes with cheap oil to clean things out, or run some flushing oil through it, if you can still find such a thing.
May be wrth dropping the sump again after that as it may well be full of crap again. :-\
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Hindsight is a wonderful thing ;D
strainer still looks clogged up ,backflush it into a container and see what goodies you find :y
if clogged up ,that would explain the oil light etc
I would try a new oil filter and oil, rather than just write this astra off ,rtv or silicone the sump back and give it a go .
VVT is on later models ,early z16xep just has regular cam sprockets :y
regular oil changes ,sooner than service interval is money well spent in my opinion .
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Actually, now you have the sump off, I would take a peek at one or two of the main / big end bearings. That will tell you everything you need to know about whether it's worth persevering.
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Actually, now you have the sump off, I would take a peek at one or two of the main / big end bearings. That will tell you everything you need to know about whether it's worth persevering.
If you do, it's vital you mark and keep the bearing caps and bearings the right way so they go back as they came off :y
top end cam housings will starve of oil long before the crank though normally
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I imagine it would have taken several more oil and filter changes to remove all that debris from the system. I should have changed the oil and filter again on seeing that dip stick, and again and again until the stick showed clean oil. Silly me. I shall not make that mistake again.
If that mess was after an oil change :o then several changes wouldn't really have helped: pulling the sump and physically removing all off the sludge would have been the only realistic option. Quicker and cheaper too.
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Thanks Nick, I am sure you are right. My only clues were the vendor telling me she had not had the car serviced 'for ages', and the ominous appearance of the dip stick after the oil change. Then I had never removed a sump, so I gamblsd on the car passing its MOT, and planning to do another oil change after a few hundred miles. Next time I see a black dipstick after an oil change I shall think twice.
It reminds me to change the oil on my other cars in good time too.
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Actually, now you have the sump off, I would take a peek at one or two of the main / big end bearings. That will tell you everything you need to know about whether it's worth persevering.
If you do, it's vital you mark and keep the bearing caps and bearings the right way so they go back as they came off :y
top end cam housings will starve of oil long before the crank though normally
Yes, of course. Everything needs to go back exactly as it was.
.. and whilst the top end might be starved first, the bottom end will be the most prone to damage when the engine's driven under load.
If the top end has suffered, popping a 2nd hand head on would be an easy fix. If the bottom end bearings have suffered, it probably need a complete stripdown and rebuild.
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Yesterday I bought another Astra 1.6 H, 111000 miles, full MOT, £795. On getting it home I promptly changed the oil and filter. Dipped the oil, it was not bad, but not completely clean either. I see in the service record the oil and filter have been changed 5 times since Feb 2017, in 11000 miles. Could it be Astras are prone to collecting muck in the sump? I would drop the sump of this one, but doing so involves destroying the central exhaust. As Nick W observed, the muck in my 04 Astra would never have been removed by oil changes.
What are the points for and against changing to 10W40 oil?
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5w30 synthetic is ok for a new engine , but after 100k and 14+ years it is thin and has detergents and additives, if you had the car from new and did regular oil changes then it may be ok , but with a high mile engine ,that may have had cheap or thicker oil ,or done short journeys ,not getting up to tempreture, sludge and deposits can be washed off(as you proved :( )
10w40 semi or even mineral (with regular changes ) is thicker ,
I've had vauxhalls since i was 18 ,never found a 100k+ one that ran happy on fully synthetic P155 (5w30) they smoke ,use stupid amounts of oil ,IIRC vauxhall official oil consumption on a 1.6 astra g was 1 L per 1000 miles :o
I'm sure someone will b along shortly to say i'm wrong ;D but 30 years of vauxhalls under my belt ,none i scrapped for engine problems :y the tin worm ate em ;D
I see in the service record the oil and filter have been changed 5 times since Feb 2017, in 11000 miles.
sounds very odd ::)
unless they tried 5w30 and it smoked /got very dirty :-\
or maybe they are using 10/40 with 3k oil and filter changes ,which would be fine if the 11k was traffic jams or short journeys which requires more regular service
when buying a car, ask questions about what oil they used etc
are you not going to try replacing the sump + fresh oil on the other 120k car :-\
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Probably done to cure the same problem as the first car...
Sounds like it worked temporarily enough to make the car worth £795 ;D
Joking aside, whatever was done clearly doesn't work long term otherwise the seller would have kept it :-X
Caveat Emptor etc...
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Probably done to cure the same problem as the first car...
Sounds like it worked temporarily enough to make the car worth £795 ;D
Joking aside, whatever was done clearly doesn't work long term otherwise the seller would have kept it :-X
Caveat Emptor etc...
Maybe. First Astra I bought was the 2010 160K car which I bought 3 weeks ago, seemed fine, was in and out in a day, and is still giving satisfactory service with my high mikeage son Jonny. This gave me confidence in the Astra and bought more. I have bought Omegas, 2 a year, on that basis, for16 years.
I suspect that Astras and 5W30 oil are less tolerant of missed filter changes than10W40.
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5w30 synthetic is ok for a new engine , but after 100k and 14+ years it is thin and has detergents and additives, if you had the car from new and did regular oil changes then it may be ok , but with a high mile engine ,that may have had cheap or thicker oil ,or done short journeys ,not getting up to tempreture, sludge and deposits can be washed off(as you proved :( )
10w40 semi or even mineral (with regular changes ) is thicker ,
I've had vauxhalls since i was 18 ,never found a 100k+ one that ran happy on fully synthetic P155 (5w30) they smoke ,use stupid amounts of oil ,IIRC vauxhall official oil consumption on a 1.6 astra g was 1 L per 1000 miles :o
I'm sure someone will b along shortly to say i'm wrong ;D but 30 years of vauxhalls under my belt ,none i scrapped for engine problems :y the tin worm ate em ;D
I see in the service record the oil and filter have been changed 5 times since Feb 2017, in 11000 miles.
sounds very odd ::)
unless they tried 5w30 and it smoked /got very dirty :-\
or maybe they are using 10/40 with 3k oil and filter changes ,which would be fine if the 11k was traffic jams or short journeys which requires more regular service
when buying a car, ask questions about what oil they used etc
are you not going to try replacing the sump + fresh oil on the other 120k car :-\
GM provide a wide range of suitable oil grades for the engine so it isn't as critical as some. My 1.6 has done 111K has always had 5W30 and is smooth and quiet. it also uses no oil between changes. It's been serviced according to the fixed mileage schedule and used I think really "normally" so i have no reason to change the oil grade.
To my knowledge there are no known issues with sludging so it may be as much to do with how it's driven and the quality of lubricant used and whether it's been flushed at oil changes if needed.
I'd look for signs of swarf and sludge in the sump. I have a simpler way of checking the sump for sludge using a thick gauge wire or thin gauge steel rod with a shortish 90 degree bend inserted through the drain plug hole and then rotated gently across the inside of the sump pan. it's not perfect in that it won't show what's under the baffle but it gives some idea of whether it's fairly clean or slimy and the sump needs to be removed. Even if you pull no sludge out you can feel the rod pulling through it.
Out of interest do you use a flushing agent at oil changes?
Did you suss out the owner to see if:
1. They were trying to hide something or
2. They were paranoid ?
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My Omega is knocking on 230k miles, I use 5w30 in it and it doesn't burn a drop.
There is no point over thinking it and the difference in viscosity between grades in not huge anyway. Just use what the manufacturer recommends. I am not really a fan of semi synthetic when you can get fully synthetic almost as cheap these days but then I CBA to change the oil every 3k either. ;)
With an unknown history a few quick changes with cheap oil might be a decent idea in the light of recent experience.
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5w30 synthetic is ok for a new engine , but after 100k and 14+ years it is thin and has detergents and additives, if you had the car from new and did regular oil changes then it may be ok , but with a high mile engine ,that may have had cheap or thicker oil ,or done short journeys ,not getting up to tempreture, sludge and deposits can be washed off(as you proved :( )
10w40 semi or even mineral (with regular changes ) is thicker ,
I've had vauxhalls since i was 18 ,never found a 100k+ one that ran happy on fully synthetic P155 (5w30) they smoke ,use stupid amounts of oil ,IIRC vauxhall official oil consumption on a 1.6 astra g was 1 L per 1000 miles :o
I'm sure someone will b along shortly to say i'm wrong ;D but 30 years of vauxhalls under my belt ,none i scrapped for engine problems :y the tin worm ate em ;D
I see in the service record the oil and filter have been changed 5 times since Feb 2017, in 11000 miles.
sounds very odd ::)
unless they tried 5w30 and it smoked /got very dirty :-\
or maybe they are using 10/40 with 3k oil and filter changes ,which would be fine if the 11k was traffic jams or short journeys which requires more regular service
when buying a car, ask questions about what oil they used etc
are you not going to try replacing the sump + fresh oil on the other 120k car :-\
GM provide a wide range of suitable oil grades for the engine so it isn't as critical as some. My 1.6 has done 111K has always had 5W30 and is smooth and quiet. it also uses no oil between changes. It's been serviced according to the fixed mileage schedule and used I think really "normally" so i have no reason to change the oil grade.
To my knowledge there are no known issues with sludging so it may be as much to do with how it's driven and the quality of lubricant used and whether it's been flushed at oil changes if needed.
I'd look for signs of swarf and sludge in the sump. I have a simpler way of checking the sump for sludge using a thick gauge wire or thin gauge steel rod with a shortish 90 degree bend inserted through the drain plug hole and then rotated gently across the inside of the sump pan. it's not perfect in that it won't show what's under the baffle but it gives some idea of whether it's fairly clean or slimy and the sump needs to be removed. Even if you pull no sludge out you can feel the rod pulling through it.
Out of interest do you use a flushing agent at oil changes?
Did you suss out the owner to see if:
1. They were trying to hide something or
2. They were paranoid ?
Thanks for your sludge checking tip. I shall employ it.
The first Astra I bought was a dealer p/x to clear; great car. The second was an MOT failed car, no mention of emissions on the fail certificate; I inspected it, no rust, and bought it. It was a 'wife's car', when I picked it up I met the wife, and she proudly announced she had never had the oil changed in 4 years. The third was bought from a dodgy dealer in Ringwood, but the car came with MOT till 25 Nov 2019, and looked all right and test drove all right. I know buying 10 year old cars is always a gamble, but I have never encountered sump sludge before.
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Nothing you have said about the second or third Astra inspires confidence and only suggests that you got lucky with the first one. I for one, would be interested to know how the sump contents compare between cars 2 and 3 :-\
You would do well to spend that sort of cash on ex plod stuff... at least you know exactly what you're getting.
Ex Surrey or TVP from WOMA is a safe bet... 4-5 years old and no nonsense. :y
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Nothing you have said about the second or third Astra inspires confidence and only suggests that you got lucky with the first one. I for one, would be interested to know how the sump contents compare between cars 2 and 3 :-\
You would do well to spend that sort of cash on ex plod stuff... at least you know exactly what you're getting.
Ex Surrey or TVP from WOMA is a safe bet... 4-5 years old and no nonsense. :y
I bought all my Senators from WOMA, and my second Omega, ex TVP. They weren't as cheap as the rest of my Omegas, though, and they were unique police spec, manuals, no cruise. I have become accustomed to paying less than £1000 for my cars recently, paid £190 for my last Omega purchase. At least Astras don't rust. I wonder what ex-police Astras cost?
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About £800 :-X
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And they're not treated like motorway cars either. Used up is probably the nicest description.
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Half the age though ;)
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And they're not treated like motorway cars either. Used up is probably the nicest description.
I used to do a lot of work on ex cop cars for a used dealer specializing in them and found the traffic/area cars were pretty good but panda cars beaten almost to death,you couldnt give me a panda car :-X
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And they're not treated like motorway cars either. Thrashed to opps is probably the best description.
FTFY Nick! ;D
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And they're not treated like motorway cars either. Used up is probably the nicest description.
I used to do a lot of work on ex cop cars for a used dealer specializing in them and found the traffic/area cars were pretty good but panda cars beaten almost to death,you couldnt give me a panda car :-X
The Focus diesel hasn't done their reputation any good ;D
That said, I wouldn't buy a Devon and Cornwall car if it were free and came with a £1,000 ::)
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And they're not treated like motorway cars either. Used up is probably the nicest description.
I used to do a lot of work on ex cop cars for a used dealer specializing in them and found the traffic/area cars were pretty good but panda cars beaten almost to death,you couldnt give me a panda car :-X
The Focus diesel hasn't done their reputation any good ;D
That said, I wouldn't buy a Devon and Cornwall car if it were free and came with a £1,000 ::)
Funnily enough they were far and away the best of any that he bought ;D
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And they're not treated like motorway cars either. Used up is probably the nicest description.
I used to do a lot of work on ex cop cars for a used dealer specializing in them and found the traffic/area cars were pretty good but panda cars beaten almost to death,you couldnt give me a panda car :-X
The Focus diesel hasn't done their reputation any good ;D
That said, I wouldn't buy a Devon and Cornwall car if it were free and came with a £1,000 ::)
Funnily enough they were far and away the best of any that he bought ;D
They admitted to having previously owned my first Omega... On the basis that they were the only former keeper on the log book ;D
Thames Valley take a certain amount of pride in their fleet and have seen first hand how Surrey manage theirs, so they would be my first choices for an ex plod car. ;)
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About £800 :-X
Gosh, that's cheap for a 5 year old Astra.
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And they're not treated like motorway cars either. Used up is probably the nicest description.
I used to do a lot of work on ex cop cars for a used dealer specializing in them and found the traffic/area cars were pretty good but panda cars beaten almost to death,you couldnt give me a panda car :-X
The Focus diesel hasn't done their reputation any good ;D
That said, I wouldn't buy a Devon and Cornwall car if it were free and came with a £1,000 ::)
Funnily enough they were far and away the best of any that he bought ;D
They admitted to having previously owned my first Omega... On the basis that they were the only former keeper on the log book ;D
Thames Valley take a certain amount of pride in their fleet and have seen first hand how Surrey manage theirs, so they would be my first choices for an ex plod car. ;)
Lots of forces now use the dealer network, Cambridgeshire do, TV are considering, Kent still have workshops, Essex aswel, and Cheshire.
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They are being retailed from £1,500 up and that's for early Astra Js...
Obviously the nicer cars are well over £2k, but they start somewhere and I would wager that they aren't significantly more expensive at the auction than the rougher/older/higher mileage ones...
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And they're not treated like motorway cars either. Used up is probably the nicest description.
I used to do a lot of work on ex cop cars for a used dealer specializing in them and found the traffic/area cars were pretty good but panda cars beaten almost to death,you couldnt give me a panda car :-X
The Focus diesel hasn't done their reputation any good ;D
That said, I wouldn't buy a Devon and Cornwall car if it were free and came with a £1,000 ::)
Funnily enough they were far and away the best of any that he bought ;D
They admitted to having previously owned my first Omega... On the basis that they were the only former keeper on the log book ;D
Thames Valley take a certain amount of pride in their fleet and have seen first hand how Surrey manage theirs, so they would be my first choices for an ex plod car. ;)
Lots of forces now use the dealer network, Cambridgeshire do, TV are considering, Kent still have workshops, Essex aswel, and Cheshire.
Surrey are 50/50 but down to workload and the nature of the repair... All the BMW warranty work is main dealer, for example...
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Quote from Dave the builder
are you not going to try replacing the sump + fresh oil on the other 120k car :-\
What's the point? Car rattled during the MOT, and again on the short drive home, stiffened up too. I reckon engine suffered oil starvation and is wrecked. I shall strip the car for spares, and scrap it.
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This...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Astra-Special-2008-58-Reg-1-3CDTI-Ex-Police-NEW-CLUTCH-FSH-Pearl-/183537390061
Might be a candidate for the interior from the dead one if it's presentable ;)
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This...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Astra-Special-2008-58-Reg-1-3CDTI-Ex-Police-NEW-CLUTCH-FSH-Pearl-/183537390061
Might be a candidate for the interior from the dead one if it's presentable ;)
The odometer is well hidden.
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Circa 155k from the MoT history... 78k in the first three years.
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Removing the sump involves removing the exhaust. On the 04 car I did so with an angle grinder. Haynes advises removing the clamps, applying penetrating oil, hammering a bit and separating the sections. Is this practical? Or does it mean buying a new exhaust? I suspect the sump on the 2008 car is full of sludge. The oil looks dirty already. The car has a year's MOT so I can use it, but I should like to fully sort it.
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remove the entire exhaust from manicat back in one go
still using 5w30 then ,despite car 2 ::)
even OOF recommends 10w40 trade club semi for omegas because it works ,despite vaux saying use P155 fully synthetic 5w30
I guess when you do a few more oil changes you wont have any fully synthetic left and have to use the 10w40 semi ;D
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remove the entire exhaust from manicat back in one go
still using 5w30 then ,despite car 2 ::)
even OOF recommends 10w40 trade club semi for omegas because it works ,despite vaux saying use P155 fully synthetic 5w30
I guess when you do a few more oil changes you wont have any fully synthetic left and have to use the 10w40 semi ;D
I could not get the exhaust over the rear cross member, so I sawed it up. Did I miss something?
I bought 20 litres of Vx 5W30 trade club because that was the recommended oil. I put it in the first car, its working fine. I could not imagine what harm using 10W40 could do, now you confirm this. I bought some 10W40 at the same time for the Omegas. Would using 10W40 in the Astra improve lubrication?
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I could not get the exhaust over the rear cross member, so I sawed it up. Did I miss something?
to drop the sump, you just need the exhaust out the way , remove the bolts at the front, remove the rubber hangers,move the exhaust out the way ,you don't need to put it in another room ;D, still under the car but to one side , allowing the sump to be dropped :y
I bought 20 litres of Vx 5W30 trade club because that was the recommended oil. I put it in the first car, its working fine. I could not imagine what harm using 10W40 could do, now you confirm this. I bought some 10W40 at the same time for the Omegas. Would using 10W40 in the Astra improve lubrication?
engines wear,even with manufacturer recommended oil and regular service, by 100k+ 10w40 semi will fill the void ,still lubricate ,and because it is semi,it will not seap past worn seals as easy as P155 oil. contains a lot less additives and
detergents and will not clean the baked on sludge ,blocking the pick up . if the astra owners club forum is still going :-\ look at the posts , many many posts say"just brought an astra ,serviced it with 5w30 ,now it smokes and uses loads of oil "
If you remember me saying about an astra i took on that had been flushed and had 5w30 to reduce emissions ,that loosened so much sludge it blocked the oil control rings .
GM family 1 engines ,I have lost count how many I have had and looked after for relatives ,
recap time
cav mk 2
,cav mk 2 ,
astra mk 2 white
astra mk 2 red
astra mk 3 blue,
astra mk 3 black,
astra mk 3 blue,
astra mk 3 silver
,astra mk 3 green,
astra mk 4 blue,
astra mk 4 green,
astra mk 4 silver,
astra mk 4 blue,
cursa b silver
corsa c silver,
corsa c silver,
carlton blue,
carlton red,
carlton frost,
carlton rembrandt
astra mk5 silver,
astra mk5 tractor juice edition ;D
that's besides friends cars of the vauxhall flavour :P
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Many thanks Dave. That's what I hoped you would say. It all makes sense and the way my ideas were going. Removing the exhaust nuts from the catalyst on the 04 car I broke one of them off, I will take more care next time.
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WOMA isn't that good, quite the opposite, unless you have a desperate desire for ex-plod...
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I have just changed the oil in my 2 Omage estates, and discovered that what I bought as Trade Club 20 litres 10W40 is labelled 5W40. Curious.
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Am considering dropping the sump on my 2008 Astra 1.6 to check for sludge. Looking for sump gaskets on e-bay, most offerings are tubes of sealant rather than proper gaskets. Is this a good idea?
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Yes
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Grey goo, same as oil cooler :y
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Any goo, same as oil cooler :y
;D
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Grey goo, same as oil cooler :y
Clear silicone. £1 a tube.
just saying ::)
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Grey goo, same as oil cooler :y
Clear silicone. £1 a tube.
just saying ::)
A bit more expensive at about £3.50, Travis Perkins clear silicone is really good stuff. Nice and thick and sticks like... :y
Maybe they had a Black Friday deal? :y
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Thank you gentlemen. So any of a dozen silicone sealants will do the job, or the Vx grey goo, possibly the Vx black goo as used on cam cover gasket too. Possiby not bathroom shower sealant, but maybe they are all the same really.
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Do bear in mind that bathroom sealants give off acetic acid when curing - and this kills lambda sensors!
Also - can you be sure it'll withstand the temperatures inside an engine, and not break up and clog the oil pickup strainer? (for consequences, see above) ::)
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Thank you gentlemen. So any of a dozen silicone sealants will do the job, or the Vx grey goo, possibly the Vx black goo as used on cam cover gasket too. Possiby not bathroom shower sealant, but maybe they are all the same really.
No joking apart I personally wouldn't use bathroom or clear silicone, but would use a branded purpose made sealant like Hylomar, Loctite etc which are readily available from any decent car accessory shop and much cheaper than the VX goo's. :y
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Thank you gentlemen. So any of a dozen silicone sealants will do the job, or the Vx grey goo, possibly the Vx black goo as used on cam cover gasket too. Possiby not bathroom shower sealant, but maybe they are all the same really.
Exactly, a sump isn't a critical application.
What is important, whatever product you use, is not to over do it. Lots of goo oozing out of the joint shows that you used far too much, and were too bloody lazy to wipe it off before it set! The inner joint will be as bad, and the extra there has the potential of breaking off and contaminating the engine.
I find the acetic acid and lambda sensor comment a little odd, as the fitting instructions for every cat I've fitted specifically recommended the use of silicone sealants instead of exhaust paste. And again, we're only talking about a smear of the stuff that will have gone off by the time you actually start the engine.
I suggest clear because it's good for high temp areas like exhausts, but tend to use black everywhere else because it looks better.
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Grey goo is the official stuff for the job... it's a different compound to the black goo used at the top of the engine.
Obviously use what you will, but be mindful of the fact that it will require adhesive properties as much as sealant ones ;)
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....
Also - can you be sure it'll withstand the temperatures inside an engine, and not break up and clog the oil pickup strainer? (for consequences, see above) ::)
I've pictures of the silicon sealant I retrieved from the oil pick up strainer of my Smart Roadster. I'd buy & use the proper stuff, it goes off properly. :y
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....
Also - can you be sure it'll withstand the temperatures inside an engine, and not break up and clog the oil pickup strainer? (for consequences, see above) ::)
I've pictures of the silicon sealant I retrieved from the oil pick up strainer of my Smart Roadster. I'd buy & use the proper stuff, it goes off properly. :y
I thought that proper liquid gasket goo type stuff like Hylomar dosn't actually set hard, but stays flexible to cope with expansion/contraction, vibration etc :-\
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Grey goo it shall be. Anyone got a part number?
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This sump (08) is not the same as the 04 sump I removed recently. How do I unplug the above lead (blue lever?) to the oil level sensor?
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/er19682wjo9hda9/SUMPplug.jpg?dl=1)
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IIRC the blue bit is like a wedge that pulls out then you can squeeze the tab to release
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Grey goo it shall be. Anyone got a part number?
In a previous thread recently, poss one about omega sump replacement ;)
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Grey goo it shall be. Anyone got a part number?
In a previous thread recently, poss one about omega sump replacement ;)
Thanks. Entwood post 19oct18 'Engine Sump', last post TB 7Nov18; GM12388521 $12.50 from USA, or £12.50 free P&P from christopherjohn007 in Manchester; comes in a 5.3 ounce pot. Looks like a life time supply and I was expecting something in a tube like the black cam cover goo, but it sounds good stuff, mends head gaskets, leaky fuel tanks, etc.
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....
Also - can you be sure it'll withstand the temperatures inside an engine, and not break up and clog the oil pickup strainer? (for consequences, see above) ::)
I've pictures of the silicon sealant I retrieved from the oil pick up strainer of my Smart Roadster. I'd buy & use the proper stuff, it goes off properly. :y
I thought that proper liquid gasket goo type stuff like Hylomar dosn't actually set hard, but stays flexible to cope with expansion/contraction, vibration etc :-\
The black stuff sets similar to the kind of stuff you'd put round your bath/shower. The grey sets harder but not solid.
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IIRC the blue bit is like a wedge that pulls out then you can squeeze the tab to release
Thanks Dave, it did not work. Here are some more pics. From below, you can see the drain plug dripping.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/rzqst3n6tjbqc1w/plugFROMbelow.jpg?dl=1)
Plug from alongside
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/oui55cbb7ezeutb/plugBELOWbgigger.jpg?dl=1)
Plug from a little above
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/9cfw5u1k88vkflz/plugABOVE.jpg?dl=1)
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I can still see blue plastic ,so part of the wedge is still in :(
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6akAAOSwTvpZbuFk/s-l400.jpg)
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In the last pic, should the blue wedge go left and down, right and up, or right and down?
I made a similar error on the dead Astra removing a plug below and in fornt of the battery. I managed to pull out a yellow clip, pulled oit too far and broke it. Half way out the plug was free to pull off.
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This 08 Astra has not the same sump as the 04 Astra I removed last week, more screws and different oil level plug. I wish they wouldn't change things.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/1feyjok3romt2j3/sumpSCREWS08.jpg?dl=1)
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Wrong, same number of screws. Sump is now free, suspended by the oil level cable. New pic follows. How do I disconnect it?
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zfhaj6m1hyajml5/PLUGnew.jpg?dl=1)
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In that last pic ,there is a tab above the blue wedge, it has 4 ridges
push it towards the sump
if enough of the blue wedge is out the way :-\ the plug will slide off left
if you look at the pic of the new sensor,
you can see the nib (top left on electrical pic) that the plug is retained by
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Thanks Dave. Plug is off now.
Sump does not look too bad.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/637fa9l5y34het0/sump08.jpg?dl=1)
Strainer appears to be built into the plastic sump top, and looks well blocked.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/eox78vgtmj92fe5/strainer08.jpg?dl=1)
Crank looks clean enough.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/56nuquc124q5dt3/crank08.jpg?dl=1)
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Strainer
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/eox78vgtmj92fe5/strainer08.jpg?dl=1)
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Thanks Dave. Plug is off now.
Sump does not look too bad.
Crank looks clean enough.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/56nuquc124q5dt3/crank08.jpg?dl=1)
is that a rag stuffed in the oil pump ? far right top
looks like everything needs a good clean before sticking it back together ;D
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I had not noticed that. It's not a rag stuffed there by me. I began to clean the sump and the baffle plate. then it got dark. The car drove home well enough from Ringwood on Tuesday, so I hope it will give useful service. I have not inspected the bottom of the block, just photographed it. I have ordered the sump gasket goo, a new cat to downpipe gasket, and some proper 10W40 oil.
Unlike the 04 Astra, this engine does not have a proper strainer. There is a cast in pipe from the bottom of the sump to the oil pump hole, and the baffle plate is shaped at the bottom so that it restricts input to the pump pipe.
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Thanks Dave. Plug is off now.
Sump does not look too bad.
Crank looks clean enough.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/56nuquc124q5dt3/crank08.jpg?dl=1)
is that a rag stuffed in the oil pump ? far right top
looks like everything needs a good clean before sticking it back together ;D
It looks as though it is a plastic strainer with a grid of square holes moulded into it to me :-\
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Thanks Dave. Plug is off now.
Sump does not look too bad.
Crank looks clean enough.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/56nuquc124q5dt3/crank08.jpg?dl=1)
is that a rag stuffed in the oil pump ? far right top
looks like everything needs a good clean before sticking it back together ;D
It looks as though it is a plastic strainer with a grid of square holes moulded into it to me :-\
Dead right, Andy. I can see it on enlarging the original photo, I am impressed you can see it on my 25% posting. It doesn't look blocked, either. It clearly came adrift as I dropped the sump.
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And here it is, cleaned up.It sits in a recess in the sump.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/hw6usuoovxe5yxc/SUMPstrainer08.jpg?dl=1)
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I'm blind without the right glasses on :-[
i just noticed something there that didn't look right ;D
keep up the good work :y
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And here it is, cleaned up.It sits in a recess in the sump.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/hw6usuoovxe5yxc/SUMPstrainer08.jpg?dl=1)
Modern equivalent of the mesh strainer on a traditional pickup
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chistopherjohn, ebay vendor of the GM gasket compound, tells me he has stock but it's beyond use by date, hence his cancelling my order. As Nick says, any old gasket compound should be able to contains hot sump oil under virtually no pressure. In the morning I shall pop down to Halfords to buy a £7 tube of Loctite 5980. I want to get on with this job.
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chistopherjohn, ebay vendor of the GM gasket compound, tells me he has stock but it's beyond use by date, hence his cancelling my order. As Nick says, any old gasket compound should be able to contains hot sump oil under virtually no pressure. In the morning I shall pop down to Halfords to buy a £7 tube of Loctite 5980. I want to get on with this job.
An ebay seller making excuses not to send what your ordered? Surely not.
FFS, ebay is full of wannabes without the capability or backing to be as useful as a used condom smeared in dogshite. The place is best avoided at all costs.
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Today I refitted the sump, having applied Loctite 5990 to the sump sealing surface. I did not apply any to he bottom of the block. I see in Haynes he recommends applying sealant to the oil pump and main bearing caps before the sump is refitted. Does this matter? Should I dismantle again and do it?
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The oil pick up casting might have been prudent...
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The oil pick up casting might have been prudent...
Thanks. I recall Dave the Builder stating that the oil pump sucks oil up from the sump, so if the seal between sump and pump input is not good then pump can suck air, not oil. I could not see the point of sealant around the main bering cap joints though.
I'll do it again.
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The oil pick up casting might have been prudent...
Thanks. I recall Dave the Builder stating that the oil pump sucks oil up from the sump, so if the seal between sump and pump input is not good then pump can suck air, not oil. I could not see the point of sealant around the main bering cap joints though.
I'll do it again.
I think they are talking about the gaps in the gasket surface where the oil pump meets the block, and where the extended section of the rear bearing cap which holds the rear crank seal meets the block.
Obviously there's no requirement for sealant on the other main bearing caps.
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yes it is vital to form a good seal around the oil pump pick up part of the mating surface,
but do not use too much anywhere ,you need a seal but not get big snot balls of sealant getting in the oil ways
i just put a thin continuous bead on both surfaces and smear it with my finger ,removing any excess :y getting everything very clean ,including your smearing finger first (de-grease with brake clean)
also need a good seal when you put the exhaust back ,or you will suck air and get lambda codes ,eml etc :y
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You are the old Astra expert, Dave. What oil should I put in tomorrow, TC5W/30, TC5W40, or TC10W40. Mileage is 110,000.
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I'm no expert ,just had lots of astras to fix and take care of ;D
now you have removed the sludge ,using thinner oil should not cause your previous sludge blocking the pick up problem , and if it runs fine (not smoking,leaking past seals,low oil pressure light,etc then 5w30 should be ok :y
I would use the TC 10w40 at 110k with 5k or yearly(which ever is soonest) oil and filter changes but that's just my opinion
open the question up to anyone who has an opinion :y
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Mine's still fine with 5W30 after 112K. I normally look for seepage, signs of heavy breathing and rattliness around the top end, then i'd change to 10W40. I'd stick with changes every 5K, I always flush mine every time as well and the magnetic pick up on the sump comes out clean as a whistle every time.
TC 10W40 might become harder to get over time but it's not a problem at the moment.
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Mine's still fine with 5W30 after 112K. I normally look for seepage, signs of heavy breathing and rattliness around the top end, then i'd change to 10W40. I'd stick with changes every 5K, I always flush mine every time as well and the magnetic pick up on the sump comes out clean as a whistle every time.
TC 10W40 might become harder to get over time but it's not a problem at the moment.
Indeed. Last time I thought I had bought 10W40 from Drive Vauxhall Philips March, when I got it home I found it was 5W40, and more expensive. I bought 20 litres of VTC 10W40 this week online for £47 delivered inc. VAT, much better.
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I bought 20 litres of VTC 10W40 this week online for £47 delivered inc. VAT, much better.
That sounds too expensive for 10w40 semi, which should be about £24.99 delivered
Tunnie - yours was the last I got, do you still have invoice for oil?
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trouble is , many vaux dealers don't recognize trade club or even discount for cash :(
but trade club 10w40 semi is only £38 delivered clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20LTR-DRUM-10W40-ENGINE-OIL-new-VAUXHALL-GENUINE-SEMI-SYNTHETIC-PETROL-DIESEL/253266803486?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649) not £47 :-\
for £48 clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Long-Life-5w-30-Fully-Synthetic-Engine-Oil-ACEA-C3-Dexos-2-API-SN-20-Litre-20L/371241391278?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649) tou can get 5w-30 Fully Synthetic
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trouble is , many vaux dealers don't recognize trade club or even discount for cash :(
but trade club 10w40 semi is only £38 delivered clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20LTR-DRUM-10W40-ENGINE-OIL-new-VAUXHALL-GENUINE-SEMI-SYNTHETIC-PETROL-DIESEL/253266803486?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649) not £47 :-\
for £48 clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Long-Life-5w-30-Fully-Synthetic-Engine-Oil-ACEA-C3-Dexos-2-API-SN-20-Litre-20L/371241391278?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649) tou can get 5w-30 Fully Synthetic
My mistake, I paid £37.99, not £47, for 20 litres TC 10W40. Still more than TB's price though.
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trouble is , many vaux dealers don't recognize trade club or even discount for cash :(
but trade club 10w40 semi is only £38 delivered clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20LTR-DRUM-10W40-ENGINE-OIL-new-VAUXHALL-GENUINE-SEMI-SYNTHETIC-PETROL-DIESEL/253266803486?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649) not £47 :-\
for £48 clicky (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Long-Life-5w-30-Fully-Synthetic-Engine-Oil-ACEA-C3-Dexos-2-API-SN-20-Litre-20L/371241391278?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649) tou can get 5w-30 Fully Synthetic
Not all dealers are on TC, but a lot more are than 3 or 4 years ago following a big TC shake up.
No big company will offer discount for cash now, as paying the clearing fee for a card is ultimately cheaper than having the hassles and costs of cash. Small one man band places might, if you don't need receipts or for it to go through their books.