Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Sat 24 May 2003 12:59
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
First, thanks to all who helped me on the shrieking noise - new fan belt cured it.

Now this one may be more difficult, both to explain and to solve - nice if I could attach a sound file.

The car generally runs fine for its age and mileage its at 116800 miles now and I have recently serviced it. New Rotor Arm, Dizzy Cap, HT Leads, Spark Plugs, Oil and Air filter Change, Cleaned out all breather type hoses. New Thermostat, water pump and cambelt.

However it is burbling at idle. The tickover speed seems OK and if a normal engine note was:

Dt-Dt-Dt-Dt-DT..............etc

Mine sounds like:

Dt-Dt-Phut-Dt Dt-Phut-Dt-Dt-Dt-Dt-Phut (this is impossible aint it)

Coincident with this burbling- the exhaust pipe shakes.

One other factor the engine block area (at the gearbox end) is often wet (beaded type wet rather than flooding type wet and it is water not oil) - is this early signs of head gasket failure? (I am not losing anything significant from expansion tank - nor is there any oil in the expansion tank). The engine oil is clean and bright.

Andrew fancy a trip to the coast?

Any advice appreciated.

NormanB
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Sun 25 May 2003 08:05
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - Pugugly {P}
mainfold leak ?
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Sun 25 May 2003 10:00
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
Thanks for that - do yu mean intake or exhaust manifold?

Any tips on how to check effectively (or is just a case of finger test/soapy water?)
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Mon 26 May 2003 07:58
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
Where are you Norman?
Andrew



Simplicate and add lightness!
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Mon 26 May 2003 08:55
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
Andrew

Horndean - just off A3M (PO8 9YE)
email: norman@the-boyes.freeserve.co.uk

:-)
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Thu 29 May 2003 23:30
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
Well things have developed for the worse.


The car was noticeably rough tonight (taking daughter on driving lesson). On return home found:

a. Floor of car centre between seats - very very hot.
b. Also, not connected but suspicious of potential Head Gasket failure as previously posted, with engine running release pressure in expansion tank to examine for bubbles. No bubbles with engine at idle. Blipped the throttle by hand and wallop - the level in expansion tank rose very quickly and flowed over the top.

Questions:

1. Must have a major exhaust leak (although it did not sound so bad - though it might have been blowing a wee bit! but thats all). Views?

2. Views on Head Gasket?

Thanks in advance
NormanB
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Fri 30 May 2003 06:24
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
The Cat is probably overheating due to the misfire. The water thing may be a red herring. Try giving our man Alvin a ring (Southampton) www.uktuneup.co.uk
Andrew


Simplicate and add lightness!
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Fri 30 May 2003 14:15
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
Andrew

Thanks for that.
I have given Alvin a call - well left a message on his answer machine.
I will feedback when I have something definitive to report!
Once again - Thanks Andrew.:-)

NormanB
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Fri 30 May 2003 15:16
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
Andrew

Alvin just called - he doesn't travel out of Southampton area!

:-(
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Sun 1 Jun 2003 23:17
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
Help!
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Tue 3 Jun 2003 18:19
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
Pretty please!
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Tue 3 Jun 2003 18:43
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - Dynamic Dave
Norman, I think you've exhausted the technical expertise available here. Have you taken the car to a garage for advice at all?
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Tue 3 Jun 2003 19:53
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
Yes I think you are right I need to get it in somewhere for testing.

Thanks everyone anyway!
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Wed 4 Jun 2003 13:50
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - NormanB
Once again thanks to all on the Forum, and in particular Andrew Moorey.

I am posting this here to close the loop on my experience because hindsight is such a wonderful thing!

Andrew was right on the money. With a garage my next option and Andrew\'s advice firmly in mind - I engaged my brain!!

The only components on the HT side that I had not changed very recently were the coil and the HT leads. Of course the misfire could have been down to something else but I decided to focus on HT.

Always wary of HT after having had a belt in the past and not sure how to \'test\' them, I decided to throw financial caution to the wind and purchased a new set of HT leads. I removed the sparking plugs to check condition and I have to say there was nothing starkly obvious to indicate a cylinder had been loafing but if anything number 2 looked marginally \'darker\' than the rest. Anyway, I digress.

Refitted existing plugs, fitted new leads and..............its like a new motor so smoooooooooth!!!

So Andrew was correct - I just wonder if I have damaged the cat!
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Wed 4 Jun 2003 16:05
Astra 1.4i Merit 1992 - Burbling - Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
Cats are tougher than you think, the reason it was so hot was the unburnt petrol was actually igniting inside the cat. Providing the cat hasn't physically melted you will probably have got away with it as you had the good sense to stop driving it. Thanks for posting the 'fix'.
Andrew


Simplicate and add lightness!
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