Major Stare Posted March 29, 2009 Posted March 29, 2009 Company car... Vauxhall Zafira Sri 150bhp diesel, 21k, 9 months old. Friday night stopped at traffic lights funny smell and smoke, SWMBO turned off fan as car in front was kicking out smelly fumes. Reversed back a bit and realised it was my car. Car starts to make a terrible screaching noise. Drove 200 yards and pulled up (engine still running). Smoke had stopped pouring out of the bonnet, it was too dark to see anything under the bonnet. Drove it a further 1/2 mile, turned it off, unloaded kids, went to bed. Saturday, car still works, moved off the drive so swmbo can get her car out. Big pool of grey sludge on drive, engine bay covered in oil. Expansion tank covered in oil. AA took it away, he said it was fooked ! What do you reccon the damage is, so i can tell my boss ive b******d it?! Quote
Martin Keene Posted March 29, 2009 Posted March 29, 2009 Big pool of sludge on drive and engine bay covered in oil wouldn't point me to a head gasket failure. Is the expansion tank covered on the inside or the outside? What about mayo on the filler cap or dipstick? Does it make any funny noises or is it down on power? Quote
Major Stare Posted March 29, 2009 Author Posted March 29, 2009 Sludge on floor was drivers side, expansion tank is on passenger side Didnt check dipstick or inside expansion tank, AA man shut bonnet! Expansion tank and area around covered in oil. Didnt realy notice loss of power as i drove steady after pulling away from the lights. It did make a racket whilst waiting at the lights and untill i turned it off at home. Might have been noisy before then but had radio on and kids chattering away. Quote
Martin Keene Posted March 29, 2009 Posted March 29, 2009 Massive sludge/oil loss and noisy would point to something more terminal than a head gasket. Kind of backs up what the AA bloke said... Quote
blankczechbook Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 has it got an oil cooler/hoses that has burst ? noise would then be something expensive that has been grinding itself away without any oil.... Quote
Martin Keene Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 has it got an oil cooler/hoses that has burst ? noise would then be something expensive that has been grinding itself away without any oil.... Good Call... I was flicking through a copy of something in WH Smith which had an article on repairing a blocked diesel oil cooler in something, and when the used an air line to clear the hoses/system, it blew this mass of s***ty grey sludge, niether really oil or water, everywhere. Quote
stephenh Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 I konw nothing about diesel engines but if its only 9 months old, its Vauxhall's problem isn't it? Sounds a bit like a new engine, to a layman. Quote
Martin Keene Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 Very true. 9 month old company car, dump it on the nearest Vauxhall dealers forecourt and let them worry about it. Then go and get something decent, like a Ford... Quote
Major Stare Posted March 30, 2009 Author Posted March 30, 2009 Nipped into garage today to collect some stuff from the car. Spoke to the lady on the service desk, they have odered a new part....... an oil filter housing? That wouldnt explain the grey sludge or oil all over the engine bay and expansion tank? Quote
speedy jon Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 did the noise sound like something was on the alternator belt? also the smoke might have been mist from the oil which might explain the engine bay covered in oil and the noise. just a thought Quote
gbduo Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 The grey sludge could be the s**t inside the filter? But meh, sounds pretty nasty! Quote
perksy Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 Spoke to the lady on the service desk, they have odered a new part....... an oil filter housing? That wouldnt explain the grey sludge or oil all over the engine bay and expansion tank? Know of a Jag twin turbo diesel that went bang recently Dealer said " looks like an injector problem.." Nope, 2 pistons had holes in and the one turbo had self distructed New engine, new turbos, new cats & exhaust system and a big bill under warranty... Quote
gbduo Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 ^^^ Ouchies... Those twin turbo Jags are truly impressive though both in performance and economy! It is built by British Engineers though, so you can't expect reliability as well! *grabs flame retardant coat* Quote
dhutch Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 As said, its its happened after 9 months i would expect it to all be covered. - But when telling the boss about it would proberbly still omit the bit about know it wasnt happy and then still drving it home. Daniel Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.