Self servicing

Gamefreak501 · 22 Apr 2011 at 23:26

Lost my patience today...I even started looking at 5 year old Cars in protest!

I have an oil leak on my aging Corsa that seems to be coming from the bottom of the engine...although the sump plug seems very tight but this oil is literally caking the whole sump (excluding the back of it for some strange reason).

I've looked absolutely everywhere, top and bottom of the engine and it's bone dry, beside the sump, but I still suspect the sump plug although the lip of the sump seems quite flakey in rust so it could well be somewhere here. No need to check the big end bearings etc. because I don't get any noise from the bottom of the engine.

:confused:

I'm going to get it up on ramps to find out whats going on. The plan is to drain the oil anyway (as it wanted a change anyway) and take the sump pan off, see if all is well on the edges and lip. I haven't lost a great deal of oil and the level is still over minimum.

My MoT expires in early August - and I thought it was September! I'd rather sort everything out before this though..

I'm also planning on tightening the Alternator and Power Steering belts (a horrible job on the <1999 1.7 Isuzu-engined Diesel Corsas) as my power steering belt is squeeling like something out of a horror movie on full right and left lock - power steering fluid level seems fine.

Luckily, brake hoses and ferrules appear in good shape and my bearings seem to be okay.

I dislike Brake work the most...brake fluid is horrible, nasty stuff but Mots always bring up things that you thought you had checked before.

2Thumbs · 23 Apr 2011 at 09:23

A little oil goes a long way!

Its probably the sump gasket. Fairly common on small engined Corsa's. Part ranged from £4 to £12 depending on the exact engine code.

sigma · 23 Apr 2011 at 10:11

Gamefreak501 said:
Lost my patience today...I even started looking at 5 year old Cars in protest!

I have an oil leak on my aging Corsa that seems to be coming from the bottom of the engine...although the sump plug seems very tight but this oil is literally caking the whole sump (excluding the back of it for some strange reason).

I've looked absolutely everywhere, top and bottom of the engine and it's bone dry, beside the sump, but I still suspect the sump plug although the lip of the sump seems quite flakey in rust so it could well be somewhere here. No need to check the big end bearings etc. because I don't get any noise from the bottom of the engine.

Sounds like it might be the sump gasket.

Gamefreak501 · 23 Apr 2011 at 15:35

Thank you for your replies

As I need the car today and tomorrow, I'm going to keep on top of oil levels and top up.

Got some sealant - after a conversation with a knowledgeable Chap in Vauxhall Motorbodies, it seems my Corsa uses sealant as the gasket. This has probably gone bad I think. I'll have a good look Monday as I'll have the whole day free to sort it out.

My plan is to give the sump pan a very good clean, drain the oil, take a good look at the state of the Sump Pan, take off the sealant and reapply the new stuff.

Should sort it out..I'm 99% sure it's the gasket thats the problem 1% sure it's the Sump Pan itself (I would expect more oil loss if the sump was rusted anywhere).