Low Oil Damage - Vauxhall Twinport
Discussion
I was given a Corsa 'D' in December which needed a little work to get going but served as a handy little runaround until...
It developed what must've been a pretty severe oil leak, and proceeded to pretty much empty it's sump over the course of 100 miles or so. One day I arrived at work and parked up as normal, and when I started the engine to leave that afternoon there was a horrific rattle from what I believe to be some element of the valvetrain / top end. Realising my error I stopped the engine and didn’t restart it until two full litres of oil had gone in. I hoped the noise might just be an aerated tappet and would subside by the end of the drive home but it didn’t. It drove OK with no smoke etc but it’s now reluctant to rev beyond about 3,500rpm.
I am at a crossroads with this car. I’m not sure whether to sell it as spares / repair, or repair it myself.
Whether I repair it myself depends on how bad the damage is. I don’t mind working on the top end but I don’t have the heart to change the engine with a second hand replacement only to find that the replacement engine is no good etc etc.
So really my question is what am I likely to have damaged given the symptom of a fairly high pitched top endy ‘ticking’ noise, the noise is very regular (i.e. not chain rattle) and to my ear occurs at a frequency consistent with cam shaft speed?
Sticking valve? Some sort of variable valve mechanism issue?
Part two of the question is what is likely to have happened to the bottom end, I suspect mains or big ends go first?
It developed what must've been a pretty severe oil leak, and proceeded to pretty much empty it's sump over the course of 100 miles or so. One day I arrived at work and parked up as normal, and when I started the engine to leave that afternoon there was a horrific rattle from what I believe to be some element of the valvetrain / top end. Realising my error I stopped the engine and didn’t restart it until two full litres of oil had gone in. I hoped the noise might just be an aerated tappet and would subside by the end of the drive home but it didn’t. It drove OK with no smoke etc but it’s now reluctant to rev beyond about 3,500rpm.
I am at a crossroads with this car. I’m not sure whether to sell it as spares / repair, or repair it myself.
Whether I repair it myself depends on how bad the damage is. I don’t mind working on the top end but I don’t have the heart to change the engine with a second hand replacement only to find that the replacement engine is no good etc etc.
So really my question is what am I likely to have damaged given the symptom of a fairly high pitched top endy ‘ticking’ noise, the noise is very regular (i.e. not chain rattle) and to my ear occurs at a frequency consistent with cam shaft speed?
Sticking valve? Some sort of variable valve mechanism issue?
Part two of the question is what is likely to have happened to the bottom end, I suspect mains or big ends go first?
Same answer as this one: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
It seems unlikely that oil starvation would cause a catastrophic bearing failure within seconds of starting up, and the symptoms seem consistent with something hydraulic related to the valve train having air in it. If a follower had collapsed and then mechanically jammed, that might cause the sort of symptoms you're getting.
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