Vauxhall Corsa C (2000 - 2006) - 02 1.0 Oil and performance problems - HELP!

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Mon 14 Apr 2008 20:04
02 1.0 Oil and performance problems - HELP! - MacGregor
My wife has an 02 Corsa, 1.0 12v. I know the timing chain is a bit rattly and it's on the things to do list. My really urgent problem is that the car ran fine until I left the radio on while working on it for the MOT and the battery ran flat. I charged it the next day. It is now running like a bag of bolts. There is a distinct dip in power when starting off almost to the point of it stalling if you do not keep the revs up and it now sounds like my blinking diesel Vectra. There is no power when driving and it takes a long time to accelarate up to 55-60. I took the rocker cover off for a look and the entire inside was a mess, there was a serious build-up of black clay gunge everywhere including in between the camshafts and it sounds as though the top end of the engine is being starved of oil.

Today it passed its' MOT with flying colours, now instead of being able to hand it back to her to drive about in, I have my head under the bonnet!

Any ideas??

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Mon 14 Apr 2008 23:16
02 1.0 Oil and performance problems - HELP! - John S
What's the service history? A mess like that usualy indicates a lack of servicing, oil changes and/or incorrect oil. Modern engines with the correct oil changed regularly don't usually suffer the sludge problems. It's also the reason the timing chain is failing.

You might get away with cleaning the rocker area mechanically as best you can whilst the engine is dismantled for the timimg chain followed by flushing oil followed by the correct oil (Vx's own synthetic). Change this after a relatively short distance as it will lift the gunge in the rest of the engine.

JS
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