will_doyle
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Registered: 25th Nov 08
Location: Exeter
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Well I bought this car about 3 months ago

a few days after I bought it, it started to over heat.
So I took it to the garage and they said it needed a new rad.
days after they fitted that it was still over heating.
So I took it to another garage and they said it needed a new Headgasket.
He also changed the cambelt, and oil filter
Car now has been running ok
But since he fitted all that I seem to have been topping alot of oil
Maybe a Liter every 3 weeks.
And yesterday my mate said blue smoke was coming out the exhaust.
Also, my Engine management light has been coming on and off recently
I really dont know what to do.
It is such a nice car, but stuff keeps going wrong.
I am booked in the garage this weds
I spent £120 on the rad
£650 on the headgasket etc
and £1700 on the car
I really don't want to get rid of it, cos I love it!
It might be the oil pressure switch? or valve stem seals?
[Edited on 05-07-2010 by will_doyle]
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metterz123
Member
Registered: 2nd Oct 09
Location: Bracknell. Drives: Corsa B c20xe Gsi Rep
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valve steam seals mate
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shaunmods
Premium Member
Registered: 12th Mar 07
Location: Glascote, Staffordshire
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These engine are known to use quite a lot of oil Wil. How many miles do you do roughly over a 3 week period? Does it smoke at all?
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will_doyle
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Registered: 25th Nov 08
Location: Exeter
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quote: Originally posted by metterz123
valve steam seals mate
thats what a few people have said
urmm
maybe about 15 - 30 miles aday
here is a video of me reving it first thing in morning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rW5ohpIBlY
[Edited on 06-07-2010 by will_doyle]
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shaunmods
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Registered: 12th Mar 07
Location: Glascote, Staffordshire
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Any smoke under acceleration when driving at all? Also does it smell when running?
[Edited on 06-07-2010 by shaunmods]
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will_doyle
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Registered: 25th Nov 08
Location: Exeter
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quote: Originally posted by shaunmods
Any smoke under acceleration when driving at all? Also does it smell when running?
na
not really
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shaunmods
Premium Member
Registered: 12th Mar 07
Location: Glascote, Staffordshire
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hmm. Was you driving along when your mate saw the blue smoke coming out of it? Its burning oil so its going to be either valve stem seals or piston rings I'd say. Going by the video you've posted though it seems to be under acceleration. I'd get a compression test done to make sure the rings aren't worn first Will 
[Edited on 06-07-2010 by shaunmods]
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will_doyle
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Location: Exeter
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quote: Originally posted by shaunmods
hmm. Was you driving along when your mate saw the blue smoke coming out of it? Its burning oil so its going to be either valve stem seals or piston rings I'd say. Going by the video you've posted though it seems to be under acceleration. I'd get a compression test done to make sure the rings aren't worn first Will 
[Edited on 06-07-2010 by shaunmods]
I was just parked up mate
do most garages do them compression tests?
cheers mate
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shaunmods
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Registered: 12th Mar 07
Location: Glascote, Staffordshire
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Yeah pretty much anywhere should be able to sort you one out bud. Or you could buy a tester from somewhere like ebay and try it yourself. Its pretty simple to do as long as you can get a mate to give you an extra pair of hands. If the results are ok you can at least rule out piston rings straight away then as that would be the worst case scenario (happened to mine )
Fingers crossed its just valve stem seals
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will_doyle
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Registered: 25th Nov 08
Location: Exeter
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quote: Originally posted by shaunmods
Yeah pretty much anywhere should be able to sort you one out bud. Or you could buy a tester from somewhere like ebay and try it yourself. Its pretty simple to do as long as you can get a mate to give you an extra pair of hands. If the results are ok you can at least rule out piston rings straight away then as that would be the worst case scenario (happened to mine )
Fingers crossed its just valve stem seals
cool
if I did take to garage and they said it was valve step seals, how much roughly should I be looking at?
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P1CK4D
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Registered: 19th Jun 06
Location: Around Essex Somewhere
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How ever much the garage give you the bill for.
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johnhara1
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Registered: 19th Oct 06
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
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Head will have to be taken off again to to the stem seals.
They may want to to head gasket and timing belt again
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will_doyle
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Well I took it to the grage and he had a look.
He noticed that it was smoking and smelling when he reved it.
But he said he couldnt be the valve steam seals because they were changed when the headgasket was done and the car would be smoking when you turn the engine on and dont even rev
He just said for me to monitor the oil levels
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shaunmods
Premium Member
Registered: 12th Mar 07
Location: Glascote, Staffordshire
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Ahh bugger Like I say a compression test is the next step along with monitoring you oil consumption as chap told you.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUTOMOTIVE-COMPRESSION-PETROL-ENGINE-VALVE-TESTER-KIT-/270469137051?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3ef937829b
Thats the one I've got. All you have to do is remove all the spark plugs, disconnect the coil pack and the fuel pump relay (purple cube behind the drivers side kick panel) Then you just screw the compression tester into the spark plug hole, turn the engine over and watch how the compression rises and what PSI it reaches. As long as you've got someone who can give you a hand to turn it over while you watch the gauge its nice and easy to do.
Also, this might work as a temporary fix mate. I've just bought some for mine which I'm going to put in it until I can rebuild myself a new engine. I've not tried it yet. I'm going to do an oil change and pour this in tomorrow to see if it calms the smoking down a bit for the time being. I'll let you know if its any good 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380237466991&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Hope that helps.
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McWillster
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Registered: 23rd Mar 09
Location: Huntly, Aberdeenshire
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quote: Originally posted by P1CK4D
How ever much the garage give you the bill for.
Couldn't of been more arsey if you tried could you?
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will_doyle
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Registered: 25th Nov 08
Location: Exeter
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quote: Originally posted by shaunmods
Ahh bugger Like I say a compression test is the next step along with monitoring you oil consumption as chap told you.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUTOMOTIVE-COMPRESSION-PETROL-ENGINE-VALVE-TESTER-KIT-/270469137051?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3ef937829b
Thats the one I've got. All you have to do is remove all the spark plugs, disconnect the coil pack and the fuel pump relay (purple cube behind the drivers side kick panel) Then you just screw the compression tester into the spark plug hole, turn the engine over and watch how the compression rises and what PSI it reaches. As long as you've got someone who can give you a hand to turn it over while you watch the gauge its nice and easy to do.
Also, this might work as a temporary fix mate. I've just bought some for mine which I'm going to put in it until I can rebuild myself a new engine. I've not tried it yet. I'm going to do an oil change and pour this in tomorrow to see if it calms the smoking down a bit for the time being. I'll let you know if its any good 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380237466991&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Hope that helps.
thanks mate
you car having same problem as mine?
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will_doyle
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Registered: 25th Nov 08
Location: Exeter
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which is here
http://www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=565932
On a different forum I had this reply
Lol @ telling you to monitor the oil levels, what a sodding cop out that is. Did the receipt say the valve stem oil seals were done and did you actually ask him to do them in the first place?
I notice you didn't mention it in your original post and to be perfectly honest I think you've been turned over.
Do NOT under any circumstances take them telling you to monitor the oil levels because it's an out and out cop out as said.
Here's what'll happen if you accept that: if the engine blows up they'll say you didn't monitor the oil levels correctly and if the engine doesn't blow up in the next few weeks/months any guarantee for the work done will be finished with. Meanwhile the engine will only get worse and a few months down the line you're up sh1t creek without a paddle.
Get on to Trading Standards, sound them out and ask them what your legal rights are BEFORE you even speak again to the clown who did your headgasket.
______________________________
Trading standards?
what exactly would they do?
can I do anything
Edit:
I took it back to the garage yesterday, and when he reved it he could tell that it was burning oil from the smell / smoke. He just told me to monitor the oil levels
I really dont know what to do
[Edited on 08-07-2010 by will_doyle]
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shaunmods
Premium Member
Registered: 12th Mar 07
Location: Glascote, Staffordshire
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No worries. Yeah mine is doing exactly the same as yours
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am4nf
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Registered: 27th Jul 08
Location: South Ayrshire Drives: Corsa Sport
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Seriously you must know trading standards employees by name
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3CorsaMeal
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Registered: 11th Apr 02
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why would he touch the valves if just doing a headgasket?
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am4nf
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Registered: 27th Jul 08
Location: South Ayrshire Drives: Corsa Sport
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On a more serious note, did you not get a bill listing the parts they used?
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shaunmods
Premium Member
Registered: 12th Mar 07
Location: Glascote, Staffordshire
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I agree with what your mechanic has told you Will. If it were your valve stem seal is would smoke on start up just ticking over and on deceleration. Going by the video you've posted and from what he has said its under acceleration which suggests its the piston rings. Plus he probably would have done your valve stem seals as they would have come in the head gasket set 
I can't see where the guys on the other forum are coming from to be honest. Why would changing the head gasket cause it to burn oil? If it was white smoke coming out of it I could see where they were coming from. In my opinion its completely unrelated to the work you've had done.
Also by monitoring your oil consumption you will be able to get an idea of how much it is burning over a certain period. If its not too bad you might just be able to put some additive in it and live with it. Whereas if its burning it off like crazy its going to need to be sorted.
[Edited on 08-07-2010 by shaunmods]
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adiohead
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Registered: 28th Sep 01
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quote: Originally posted by 3CorsaMeal
why would he touch the valves if just doing a headgasket?
I agree!
What does your receipt say?

take it to a decent garage.
[Edited on 08-07-2010 by adiohead]
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DaveyLC
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Registered: 8th Oct 08
Location: Berkshire
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Doyle got Doyled.
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3CorsaMeal
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Registered: 11th Apr 02
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my valve stems aren't great and all i get is a bit of smoke in the morning when 1st starting car (no revs) it clears up pretty quickly, was told thats just oil seaping into the combustion chamber over night and gets burnt off in the morning
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