14 replies to this topic

[Bargi]

Hi,

I posted the other week about some sludge that was appearing in the expansion tank here
Today I took it into a local independent Lotus garage to do a check for hydrocarbon, etc to see if it's a blown gasket and it now looks like there is defiantly oil getting in. (see pic)

My first reaction was head gasket but interestingly the guys also mentioned it could be the oil cooler leaking in as well. I've talked to BOT and Paul from PSR and searched these forums and head gasket failure in the 2.2 is pretty rare. The only post relating to my situation was here but looks like the pic has been lost since the forum upgrade. (I don't get the volcano reaction)

If anyone can help with advice to diagnose the problem, pics past experience it'd be greatly appreciated. The garage does specialise in Lotus so they're not going to be familiar with the motor but they're a pair trustworthy old boys http://www.lotusservice.com/

If I'm lucky and it's the oil cooler is it a specialist (PSR/BOT) job or is it a pretty generic job?

Other things I can mention that may help, temp has always been good, normal motorway driving rarely goes over 80/85 and 90 in around London. Last night it did get to crawl up to 102 sitting in traffic and dropped right back again once I started moving.


Cheers

Ray

Attached Files

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[FLD]

I have a spare oil cooler if you need to borrow one to rule it in/out of the problem. There is a mocal generic one but I'm not sure how much of a direct replacement it'd be.

[Retset]

I am shocked to see all that oil residue on your fingers and on the cap behind you. Whatever has gone has obviously done so in grand fashion

I hope it is the cooler. Looking here, you can see it is a very simple looking part so it is hard to imagine much going wrong with it. Mind you, I also find it hard to believe the HG could be adding so much oil to the water if there is no water in the oil.

Your original picture shows fine in that thread for me BTW.

[Bargi]

I have a spare oil cooler if you need to borrow one to rule it in/out of the problem. There is a mocal generic one but I'm not sure how much of a direct replacement it'd be.

Hey mate, I may take you up on the offer on the oil cooler, can you PM you mob number to have a chat?

Cheers

Ray

[Sutol]

Hi Bargi, I went out for a pint with Tony who has been looking at your car for you. He was telling me that they bypassed the oil cooler and the car ran fine. The shocker was the cost of a new oil cooler Tony's OK it didn't sound at all phased about fixing it.

[techieboy]

If the price from Vauxhall for a new one is stupid, you might well be able to get an off the shelf replacement Laminova oil cooler to fit, from these people, assuming you can't source a secondhand one.

[Bargi]

Hi Bargi, I went out for a pint with Tony who has been looking at your car for you. He was telling me that they bypassed the oil cooler and the car ran fine. The shocker was the cost of a new oil cooler Tony's OK it didn't sound at all phased about fixing it.

I ended up sourcing a second hand unit from a breaker I found on Pistonheads, £130 inc VAT and delivery which is way better than £600+VAT from Vauxhall (would have preferred the HG if this was the only option
Fitted and flushed a few times and looking good, I'm taking it out for a good run this weekend to make sure but looks good.

Tony's a good guy to talk too and knows his stuff, defiantly recommend him if someone needs work done.

[alanoo]

Doubt it was an oil cooler failure
Simply because the oil pressure is so huge it leads to the whole oil getting out of the exp tank

Just like on mine :



+ If it was an oil cooler failure, it will happen again, for a simple reason
The most common failure mode of them, is the oil pump pressure valve sticking which leads to 10+ bar pressure, if it is not fixed, the same will happen again

Edited by alanoo, 11 March 2010 - 04:12 PM.

[Retset]

Sounds good so far (although the post above is alarming!). My fingers are crossed for you ....

[Bargi]

Doubt it was an oil cooler failure
Simply because the oil pressure is so huge it leads to the whole oil getting out of the exp tank

Just like on mine :



+ If it was an oil cooler failure, it will happen again, for a simple reason
The most common failure mode of them, is the oil pump pressure valve sticking which leads to 10+ bar pressure, if it is not fixed, the same will happen again

Did anything show up prior in the expansion tank to it going or did it just go bang?

[alanoo]

Nop, bang on a cold start (cold thicker oil) one morning

[Bargi]

Nop, bang on a cold start (cold thicker oil) one morning

The lack of hydrocarbons in the expansion tank points to the oil cooler, I'm hoping it's just become leaky rather than forced from a faulty oil valve.

Is there a way to check for high oil pressure or any symptoms?

Cheers

Ray

[Zoobeef]

Nop, bang on a cold start (cold thicker oil) one morning

The lack of hydrocarbons in the expansion tank points to the oil cooler, I'm hoping it's just become leaky rather than forced from a faulty oil valve.

Is there a way to check for high oil pressure or any symptoms?

Cheers

Ray

Fit an oil pressure gauge then you can keep an eye on it

[rik]

anyone know what oil pressure the laminova coolers can take? as you may know we have an unusually high normal running pressure

[vocky]

cooler max pressure = 10 Bar engine oil pressure should be a max of 8.5 Bar