Car seems to be leaking oil.

[madder]

Not a drop of oil to be seen on the cardboard this morning? Not getting carried away just yet though. I moved the cardboard and am leaving it under the car for a few more hours to see if anything drops. Could it possibly be that there isn't an oil leak at all? After all the evidence to the contrary? But I am feeling happier right now anyway. Stay tuned.

 

[Avocet]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned, but haven't got time to read the whole thread. Is there a damaged or missing O-ring seal on the top of the dipstick? Can anyone else with one of these engines confirm whether or not there should be one?

 

[madder]

I haven't looked very closely at the dipstick for any O rings, but I will. The dipstick did previously have a problem where it wasn't staying in place properly. It is staying i place perfectly now though.

 

[madder]

Sweet mother of God. What next? So this morning, no oil drip evidence beneath the car. Good news you'd think? However, this evening, I got into the car to go for a drive to the shops. It started very weakly, jittered, engine bouncing quite a bit, engine light starts flashing on and off on the dash. Accelerator felt vibrations and even a click. Car seems very jerky and not reacting properly to acceleration. I was in traffic so I kept going. Engine light sporadically came on and off, and eventually stayed on. I pulled over. When the car was idling, it was very bouncy and the engine light was flashing. Eventually, when it warmed up properly, the idles stabilised, but the orange engine light stayed on solid. I drove home, parked, turned off the car, and started it up again, the engine light remains on. IS this something new, or is this the CAT finally giving up?

EDIT: It also could be moisture got somewhere that maybe it shouldn't have, but if that was the case, surely it would have shown itself yesterday after a short drive I took a couple of hours after the final wash? I took another short drive just now, and what I am finding is that it's bouncy and jerky until the car warms up fully, the it kind of settles but the engine light changes between flashy and solid until the car warms up fully, then it stays on solid.

 

[Mursal]

Just check the coolant temperature sensor plug and see if that helps. Does the temperature gauge work. If still as bad disconnect the sensor and see if things get worse, or just stays the same.

Might be worth disconnecting the battery for half an hour, but you will loose the radio code (if you have a coded radio).

 

[madder]

What is in your mind Mursal? Do you have a suspicion? The temperature gauge was acting normal for the most part during this. It did drop a small bit, mid way between minimum and halfway and then went back up to normal(half way). It seems to be acting normal enough? If I disconnect plug for the coolant temperature sensor, what will/should happen? I'm fairly sure that I didn't get any water near that anyway, if that is relevant.

 

[Mursal]

Just trying to think of something that will cause cold running problems, that will be easy to remedy.
Ever the optimist and hopefully it will be something simple. Otherwise you may have to get it plugged in.

Definitely not the Cat, unless I'm missing something

 

[madder]

Well, I was thinking that since a bad spark plug or a bad oxygen sensor can cause the CAT to fail, maybe the CAT has now failed and maybe the (potential) bad spark plug or Sensor is now causing the car to jerk? Failing that then I must have gotten something wet when I washed the car, but that is confusing because it ran yesterday a couple of hours after the wash without any problems. Even if it was just a short drive.

 

[madder]

I guess I need to start considering the possibility that I somehow did some damage with the water. So lets go through it. I never took the engine cover off, and so I can't see how I got near the spark plugs, for example, or the air filter? I did spray between the timing belt case and the side of the engine, so I guess it is possible that some could have gotten into the alternator, but I don't seem to be getting an alternator style warning? Then, I did a lot of spraying around the back of the engine where the dipstick is, and I would have sprayed a fair bit around there, on all the thin hoses too. And the housing of the fuel filter, but I can't see that any water got into the fuel filter housing? There may be some water left in the flooring beneath but I doubt it. So I'm kind of stumped now. I guess in the morning I'll go out and start looking to make sure any plugs that I may have hit aren't still wet. I will also check the coolant temperature sensor plug but I don't think I did any washing over that side.
There is a cable/hose type thing to the right of the alternator that seems to plug into the lower engine. It resembles a spark plug wire/hose. Not sure what it is but I may have got water on that too, but it looks weather proof anyway?

 

[Mursal]

Not sure to be honest and if you cant see anything (dirty wet connections) all you can do is drive it and see if it clears.

Otherwise you will have to get it plugged in. Did you disconnect the battery, checked the coolant temperature sensor?

 

[madder]

Hi Mursal. I have checked the coolant temp sensor, and I had a good look today for anything loose or wet. Nothing is sticking out. The flashing engie light concerns me, as that is the ''idiot'' light, if you know what I mean. I haven't done any driving since yesterday. However, I am thinking that it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that some moisture might have gotten onto the spark plug cables? I didn't spray on them or anything but I may have sprayed near them. If one of them got some moisture in it, I am sure it could cause this reaction?

I have not disconnected the battery yet, since I will lose my radio, but I'd like to know what the theory behind that is? Because if it is a strong possibility, then I will go ahead and do that.

Meantime, I think I will bring it to the breakers. I might get them to throw it up on the ramp and have a look, and also hook it up to the computer. They will hook it up for €20. If the need to do the CAT it'll be about €120. If there is any serious engine problem then I am sure they'll do nothing and that will be that.
On the oil thingy, the level is staying in the right spot still, but I do believe there is evidence of some oil re-appearing behind the timing belt case. SO if it's coming from there, I won't be getting it fixed, at least not until the belt needs doing.

 

[AlanE]

I have not disconnected the battery yet, since I will lose my radio, but I'd like to know what the theory behind that is? Because if it is a strong possibility, then I will go ahead and do that.

It's a bit like rebooting a computer; if any part of the cars ECU (electronic brain) has become corrupt, or confused, restarting it, by disconnecting the battery for a period of time might cure problem.

 

[madder]

Car is being inspected today. I will report back when I get the results. Strange thing that when I drive the car cold, since the engine light came on, there was a strange click under the accelerator. Only when the car was cold. And only shortly after startup. It happened the 2 times I took the car out with the warning light on.

 

[madder]

Spark plugs solved the engine light problem. Thank the lord for that. I've a new battery in it now also, but I've lost my radio and don't have a code. In fact, even if I did have a code, I can't seem to get anything from the radio at all, not even any power. Is that strange?

About the CAT. He said it was blown out a bit at the front, and then there was a clip missing. He does'nt have the part to fix it right now but said it should be ok for a while anyway, and if he gets the part in the next couple of weeks he'll give me a call.

Happy enough with that I must say. Gonna keep checking to see if the suspected oil leak does re-appear, so I will throw some cardboard down tonight!!!

 

[Mursal]

The radio usually asks for a code across the screen? If you got paperwork with the car it may have the code, or the dealer can give it to you as long as you have the VIN number of the car and proof of ownership. Some of the Seat websites might be able to help.

Plugs, that was handy, do the lotto if you get the chance, keep the luck going and we'll split it ..........