Looking at these photos what do you think is happening? (leak) - Corsa Sport - for Vauxhall and Opel Corsa B, Corsa C and Corsa D

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Billy Dean

Member

Registered: 5th Jan 10
User status: Offline

15th Sep 12 at 14:39

I've had these oil stains all over the front of my engine and the heatshield for over a year now. The oil level in the engine has remained fine and constant though. I haven't bothered to fix it due to other priority things coming up, but now I have some time.

To my untrained eyes it looks like there is always 'wet'/fresh oil seaping out of a horizontal 'join' in the engine block. But I may be wrong. It may just be accumulating there after running from another spot. I dunno.
What I do know is that when the engine is on you can see oil burning (i'm assuming it's oil!) with light smoke coming from the heatshield area. And you get a stuffy, light burning smell in the car through the vents.

Can any of you guys shed light on what this leak might be?

(various photos below)

[Edited on 15-09-2012 by Billy Dean]

[Edited on 15-09-2012 by Billy Dean]

Stoneyginger

Premium Member

Registered: 25th Jan 01
Location: Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
User status: Offline

15th Sep 12 at 14:51

Change the rocker cover gasket

XE Col

Premium Member

Registered: 23rd May 10
Location: Rochdale, AKA:Boissy07
User status: Offline

15th Sep 12 at 15:33

^^ that's where I'd start

Billy Dean

Member

Registered: 5th Jan 10
User status: Offline

15th Sep 12 at 20:01

Thanks for the advice.
I checked online and a new rocker cover gasket from Vauxhall Parts World is about £8.50 all in.

The job looks simple enough from looking in the Haynes manual - they gave it 1 spanner for easiness.

But Haynes also says you have to remove the upper section of the inlet manifold to get at the rocker cover. Fair enough. But then it goes on to say it's a trickier '3 spanner' job because you have to:
1. install a new throttle body-to-mounting bracket gasket on refitting (whatever that is)
2. you have to partially drain the coolant!
3. withdraw the expansion tank!
4. disconnect the emission control solenoid valve
5. disconnect the manifold vacuum hoses
6. remove the fuel tank vent valve retaining clip
etc. etc.

the job seems to be a lot more involving than at first glance.
Is it really as Haynes describes it??

corsadonk

Premium Member

Registered: 4th Jul 09
Location: Marlborough, Wiltshire
User status: Offline

16th Sep 12 at 07:56

Taking the top section of the inlet off isn't too bad, the hardest bit is getting to the throttle body. It's also worth getting a can of carb cleaner to give the throttle body and the inlet a good clean out, because they tend to get caked in shit.

Billy Dean

Member

Registered: 5th Jan 10
User status: Offline

16th Sep 12 at 13:55

Thanks for your reply.

So the way that Haynes describes it is how I'm gonna have to do it? Draining the coolant and all that?

I thought the top few covers would just slip off and it'd be a quick and easy job :'(

Mertin

Member

Registered: 12th Oct 05
Location: Scotland
User status: Offline

16th Sep 12 at 15:52

From the pics, the top of the rocker cover looks stained with oil aswell, are the oil caps prone to leaking on these or is it just spilt oil from a previous top up? Could of been leaking out of there and running down the block to the rocker cover gasket area

I had an oil leak the same on my saxo vts, new rocker cover gasket and then turns out it was coming from the oil cap all along

*CorsaCal*

Member

Registered: 3rd Oct 10
Location: Leicestershire Drives: 20XE Corsa
User status: Offline

16th Sep 12 at 18:23

I initially thought rocker cover gasket but in reply to the above i had a leaky oil cap on my x14xe. Changed that and its been fine. Does the cap feel a bit loose/rattely when its locked on? If so change that first. I think it was about £5 off ebay.

Mertin

Member

Registered: 12th Oct 05
Location: Scotland
User status: Offline

16th Sep 12 at 18:36

I would say your best bet is to get some degreaser and give it a good clean as it all looks pretty dirty and then once its all clean you'll see where its coming from alot better

Billy Dean

Member

Registered: 5th Jan 10
User status: Offline

16th Sep 12 at 23:27

quote:
Originally posted by *CorsaCal*
I initially thought rocker cover gasket but in reply to the above i had a leaky oil cap on my x14xe. Changed that and its been fine. Does the cap feel a bit loose/rattely when its locked on? If so change that first. I think it was about £5 off ebay.

The cap doesn't feel rattley or especially loose when locked on.
But I was a bit surprised when I bought the car at how easy it was to unscrew.
It only requires a gentle turn of about 1/4 turn before it lifts off. This surprised me as my Astra's oil cap needs a few good turns before it comes off.

Are oil caps on these Corsa's all generally like that?

Mertin with a good suggestion of degreasing the engine to better identify the leak point. Could you recommend a degreasing product that has proved especially good in the past at removing old oil stains?

IvIarkgraham

Premium Member