2009/59 1.8 insignia

[nathans225]

Hi 

Just after some advice. 

Car has gone into garage over weekend.  Code 3 appeared intermittently over the last month or so ( low coolant )

I have topped up on several occasions around 5l over past  x2 months but but when rechecked ( cold engine)  , the expansion tank is empty. Mechanic found no visible leaks on car .

It had a new radiator on in January.  

 

Any ideas?

No white smoke, loss of performance or milky residue near the oil cap , no overheating issues (x1) is all i can recall. 

Heating blowing warm when topped up to a certain extent but doesn't feel right when set to max

 

Thanks in advance 

Nathan

[Vauxhall Owners Club]

The trouble with cooling systems is that once you fix a leak the pressure then goes to the next weakest point so potentially it could have gone within the engine (you don't state whether petrol or diesel engine - different tests for each one to determine if engine is leaking internally).

I would definitely start with replacing the Coolant Pressure Cap as if this is weak then the pressure drops and can lead to higher temperatures which boil off the coolant and also to allow air to enter the cooling system. Very cheap and easy part to replace to start with the diagnostic process.

From there I would go with a pressure test to see if the pressure drops within the system and also to see if it is leaking externally under pressure.

After that then it is a case of internal engine investigation but even then this can be done without too much dismantling of components

[nathans225]

4 hours ago, Vauxhall Owners Club said:

The trouble with cooling systems is that once you fix a leak the pressure then goes to the next weakest point so potentially it could have gone within the engine (you don't state whether petrol or diesel engine - different tests for each one to determine if engine is leaking internally).

I would definitely start with replacing the Coolant Pressure Cap as if this is weak then the pressure drops and can lead to higher temperatures which boil off the coolant and also to allow air to enter the cooling system. Very cheap and easy part to replace to start with the diagnostic process.

From there I would go with a pressure test to see if the pressure drops within the system and also to see if it is leaking externally under pressure.

After that then it is a case of internal engine investigation but even then this can be done without too much dismantling of components

It had 3 months rac warranty .feedback was it is head gasket on pressure test.  This is a local garage rac approved but said require head being stripped etc and skimmed in relation to how much I can potentially claim back through the warranty for certain things

 

I've spoken to the garage also where I had from and they believe that I'm being fobbed off with a total of £1100 for new head gasket, skimmed , timing belt and potentiality water pump and have offered to do their own test. 

 

Have decided to take back to where I brought it from an await results.  Certain things can be claimed on rac so I don't want to just be giving £1100 quid to a garage that I don't know of to well off 

 

Cars !!

Thanks 

Nathan

[Vauxhall Owners Club]

Let us know how it all goes Nathan