Corsa C - Noise on acceleration

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Mon 7 Dec 2015 23:30
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - Haydn24

Recently I've started hearing this noise that only occurs at certain revs/speed, usually in 3rd/4th gear around 20-30mph, and generally becomes more noticeable the more I push the throttle. But generally after a couple of seconds it disappears.

Hard to determine where it's coming from though. From where I'm sitting it sounds like it's driver's side and underneath, but it could be the engine, I don't know. I've done a bit of research and the closest thing I can think of is engine pinking (whatever you call it). There's no other issues with it as far as I can tell (no lack of power etc).

I've only noticed it since Saturday after I put about £20 worth of petrol in it (don't know if this has anything to do with it), but I'm 99% sure it was not there before.

Any help would be massively appreciated!

Edited by Haydn24 on 07/12/2015 at 23:42

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Tue 8 Dec 2015 09:07
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - elekie&a/c doctor

Could be fuel related,run it low and fill up from a different garage.

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Tue 8 Dec 2015 12:46
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - galileo

Accelerating hard at 20 mph in 3rd or 30mph in 4th would have made most cars 'pink' in the days before 'knock sensors' were invented and linked to the engine management system, which retards the ignition to minimise the noise. (In the olden days this noise sometimes indicated the need for a de-coke.)

As the noise goes away after a couple of seconds it suggests this is what is happening; a simple solution is to use a more appropriate gear if you want to accelerate hard, i.e. drop anothe cog instead of labouring the engine at too low rpm.

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Tue 8 Dec 2015 13:37
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - craig-pd130

As others said, sounds like pinking. Could be carbon build-up in the engine, might be worth filling up with premium petrol (V-Power Nitro, BP Ultimate etc) as it's higher octane (which should reduce or stop pinking) and higher detergency (to help remove any built-up crud)

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Tue 8 Dec 2015 14:14
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - hardway

Yeah,

could be pinking but I'm getting alot of similar jobs these day's

and the first things I check are the underbody heat shields.

You just would not believe the various noises these can make.

From a buzz to oh s***! what is that!!

Fixed most time with a big washer.

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Thu 17 Dec 2015 22:01
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - Haydn24

Right, so I'm quite certain it is pinking. What I'll do is run the tank low and then fill it up with BP ultimate or something. I do 100 mile stretches on motorways a few weekends each month so can give it a run along there. If that doesnt help it, I'm thinking of maybe trying a petrol additive like redex (or similar). After that the only option I can think of is changing the spark plugs? I did change them back in July though so I would be suprised if it was them.

That's all I can think of for now

PS. Thanks for the replies

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 07:44
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - 1litregolfeater

Change the oil immediately, and hopefully, it may go away.

Having one of these, my choice is 5/30 synthetic.

Stop pushing the throttle so deiberately.

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 15:53
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - Haydn24

Changed oil about 2 months ago. Changed the spark plugs today but doesn't seem to have made a difference. How likely is it due to carbon build up? Or what else could it be

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 17:19
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - galileo

Do you still get this on accelerating more gently or using a lower gear (so that RPM are 2000 or more)?

If not, your driving style is causing the pinking. If you still have the problem, it could be carbon build up, to inspect the inside of the cylinders for this you will need one of those inspection devices which have a fibre optic cable to poke through a plug hole.

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 17:23
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - Haydn24

Nope, it's usually only around 1500rpm, but then its strange because I never heard it before and I've been driving in that way for over a year I've had the car now. I'm trying to adapt to it but shifting up later, but I don't want to be masking any problem that's there and could getmore serious

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 21:01
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - Lygonos

Sounds like pinking...

... but wasn't it the Corsa C (1.2 petrol around 05 vintage) that had issues with camshafts snapping probably due to the retaining bolts not being sufficiently torqued down?

Might be worth checking under the rocker cover if your car fits this age/engine.

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 22:01
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - Haydn24

1.2 (2003)

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 22:07
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - galileo

Nope, it's usually only around 1500rpm, but then its strange because I never heard it before and I've been driving in that way for over a year I've had the car now. I'm trying to adapt to it but shifting up later, but I don't want to be masking any problem that's there and could getmore serious

1500 rpm is not good for hard acceleration unless the engine is a large capacity one - a 3.5 litre Rover V8 will pull well from those revs but a small 4 cyl Corsa won't like it, whether it pinks or not.

Those old enough to have driven carburettor fed engines will remember how they would hesitate, cough and protest if given a heavy right foot from low revs. Fuel injection and ecu timed ignition makes modern engines better but are still sensitive to driving methods.

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 22:11
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - Haydn24

Yeah true, so whether it's my driving style over the past year that has caused it suddenly I don't know. Though I only drove that way to try to save petrol

Edited by Haydn24 on 20/12/2015 at 22:11

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 22:58
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - Haydn24

On a separate note, the last owner had it from 2003 until last year and only did 33k in it. Most of that was in the first few years and it was mainly used for odd short journeys. I've done 17k in it in 15 months with a lot of that being on the motorway though I do use it around towns quite a lot too.

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Sun 20 Dec 2015 23:22
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - Haydn24

Can't edit the last post for some reason but was going to add whether or the past history has had any influence on the current pinking I'm experiencing

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Mon 21 Dec 2015 08:39
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - dadbif
Changing gear at 1500rpm, you are barely higher than tickover, drive the thing properly, it's a small engine, it needs revs, 2500-3000 minimum before you change. You may think you are saving petrol, but you are doing the crank bearings and big ends no good at all.
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Tue 22 Dec 2015 02:43
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - 1litregolfeater

Generally Corsa C s don't pink as they have modern fuel injection and electronic management, but they are cheaply made out of poor components.

One of the worst components in the mix is the EGR Valve which gradually fails before it causes an engine warning light, gradually allowing more exhaust gases back into the inlet tract than it ought to, eventually poisoning the valves and the normally bullet proof catalytic convertor.

So I can see how you can be getting pinking with what was allegedly a modern hi tech eco friendly engine.

If it is faulty, information is on the web on how to block it off, which does not interfere with passing the MOT, as oxides of nitrogen are not tested.

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Tue 22 Dec 2015 02:45
Corsa C - Noise on acceleration - 1litregolfeater

Now I think about it, I bet the previous owner never changed the oil!

"the last owner had it from 2003 until last year and only did 33k in it"

lol

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