Hi,
My name is Robert.
Living in UK but cars are very similar... 🤣 🤣
Brand: Vauxhall
Model: Insignia 1.8L SRI Tourer Estate, Petrol, 2011
Milage:108.967
I was buy it couple of weeks before from a dealership ( first car, hope for long time). I took it to the garage to do basic thinks, and replace the rocker cover gasket and the 4 plugs ( engine oil and filter, air filter, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, coolant drain... brake pads and discs change , on head gasket test passed. Alsó asked him to put it on computer to find all issue..
I have 2 question as my mehanic saying it's fine, but I wants to fix before really some <profanity removed> happen.
First question: Have some oil in the coolant after drain and change. I was read a lot.. it's can that the oil coolant faulty. I asked him to change it, he said it's working , the oil what I see in the coolant it's what stacked on the coolant tank wall, also he said monitor it before the,, surgery 😀 Do I have to push him to replace the oil coolant? Or any other idea why oil in the coolant.
Second question is..
The check engine light illuminating all the time. Up on the top I was mention first car, I'm like a monkey for this thins.. My mechanic did not <profanity removed> said hello something wrong, I just realised when I was read the ovners manual. The manual book saying fault in catalytic converter. I went to him today , asked him to look on it, remove the converter and wash it as minimum £420+ labour a little bit much for a new one, if can wash it , wash it.
He said with a smile that ,, I'm very sure it's not your catalic converter, it can be the sensor,, At this point I have to mention that no missfire, no engine idle issues, no noise... Drives well, but cannot compare with other cars...I don't know how it's do when suddenly accelerating and move with high speed as I'm in 🤮London.
He was giving me ,,Forte Emission Reducer ,, to clean the converter, by the way he said will look in it..
Any other idea why the check engine light is on, exactly what tools I have to get to remove the converter by myself if he don't wants to wash it?
- Thank you, and sorry for my bad english...
Please do not use vulgarity on the forum. You should review our rules in the 'Welcome' topic. Thanks.
(For reference, that car is a Chevrolet Malibu, but it uses a terrible GM-Fiat engine)
I don't know what kind of "head gasket test" your mechanic used, but if oil is in the coolant you have a blown head gasket or cracked cylinder head. Possibly the engine was overheated at some point. As far as why the check engine light is on you need to scan the car for diagnostic codes.
Hi,
Thank you for advice.
The mechanic was use the same gasket test like Scotty..
But he finished with the test in les than one minute ( I was there ) I going to order test and do it by myself as the recommendation how to use the test it's hot engine , do the test for couple of minutes.... My engine wasn't hot..
Thank you again.
As far as the first question:
Check that it's not an issue with the oil cooler (I'm unsure how they work on the A18XER)
Check if your PCV system is still in working order (High crankcase pressure could theoretically cause that)
After that check the head gasket using a testing kit, like scotty has shown many times in his videos.
This is an issue you want to solve before spending any money on the car.
As far as the second question:
Scan the car for codes using a cheap OBD2 scanner.
Hi.
Thank you for the advice.
I said to him he oil cooler, for that he said let's monitor the car.... I did not think about the pcv valve, I was read about it..... When the mechanic replaced the rocker cover gasket he found 100ml+ oil around the plugs.. may be because of the faulty the pcvvalve ? I going to order head gasket test, do it by myself...
Thank you for all advice.
Hi Dan,
Regarding your advise about rcv valve I wants to ask more help as you was right, the rcv valve is faulty. We changed the rocker cover gasket Do I have to tell to my mechanic to check any oil around the plugs because when he replaced the rocker cover gasket the plugs are was in oil.do I have to replace the rocker cover gasket again? Please advise me because I don't wants to take back the care later with the same problem or something else because of he missed some ,,basic steps,,.
Thank you .
Regards,
Robert
Please find yourself a real mechanic.
Hi Dan,
Regarding your advise about rcv valve I wants to ask more help as you was right, the rcv valve is faulty. We changed the rocker cover gasket Do I have to tell to my mechanic to check any oil around the plugs because when he replaced the rocker cover gasket the plugs are was in oil. do I have to replace the rocker cover gasket again? Please advise me because I don't wants to take back the care later with the same problem or something else because of he missed some ,,basic steps,,.
Thank you .
Regards,
Robert
Hi,
Did the mechanic replace the fouled plugs?
Denso Iridium TT ones are usually the best ones, and they should be reasonably inexpensive (about $10 a piece).
Personally, assuming the car runs good, is getting good fuel economy, and isn't smoking - I'd drive it a bit (100-500 miles) and check then.
When you eventually check the plugs for oil fouling, If they are fouled with oil:
Do a dry/wet compression test - to know if the oil on the spark plugs is caused by worn piston rings.
If plugs get fouled and the dry/wet results are OK - you might need a valve cover gasket.
It's probably worth taking out a spark plug and checking during an oil change to be 100% sure.
Hi Dan,
My mechanic saying he was replace all of the 4 spark plugs when he was replacing the rocker cover gasket ,engine oil and oil filter.
He saying do not have to replace them again as I was drive less then 10 miles since he replaced plugs, oil, filters, rocker cover gasket. When he will receive the PCV valve , I will try do take it for longer drive, and will ask him to check the plugs... Now the car drives very well, no smoke. I hope the car finally will be done after replacing the pcv valve.
I would like to update you after couple of days, weeks.
Thank you for your help.
Regards,
Robert Szabo