Corsa C - headgasket failed?

[Nomad]

This got parked up as a spare time job, it recently got promoted to legal and roadworthy.
A shame it's not reliable

Yesterday the starter motor died (traced to a blown 30 amp main fuse !) now fixed..
A brand new battery was fitted (the old battery was good but I needed another battery for a low priority project, it made sense to put the new battery on this)
It spins over happily but last week was only firing every 5 attempts, This week it's refusing to fire at all.

Battery voltage is over 12 volts, glowplugs are getting 11.5v for several seconds.

The engine fires straight up with a small shot of easy start and sounds strong once it's running.

Scanning error codes flagged a new fault :
P0335 / P0335(F4) crankshaft position sensor (wiring around the motor is a mess - I'll check wires and plugs before I order a new sensor)
Any idea where the crankshaft sensor is?

The older errors remain:
P1105 Dual Alternator fault - vacuum sensor circuit.
I think I've found the problem, photos to follow.

P0530 Aircon low pressure
I'm leaving this for last

 

[Nomad]

I’d like to confirm where the small bore vacuum pipes should run.

There seem to be 2 separate circuits:

Front & top of the engine.
Small bore from alternator to a valve on top of the engine.
From the valve down the back of the engine to (what I think is) the EGR valve.
These pipes seem secure and in decent condition, I don't think these are the problem.

Looking up the back of the engine :
1/2" bore pipe runs to a valve, small bore pipe (yellow arrow) runs from the valve - other end is floating / not connected (I thought it was a breather pipe at first).
There's also a sensor with 3 wires and a stub to connect a pipe (yellow circle), no pipe connected.
My guess is the "floating" end of the pipe should be connected to the stub on this sensor - could a kind person confirm?

It feels like one step forward, 2 steps back this week ... at least the no-crank isn't down to a dead (£££) starter motor and lots of skinned knuckles to fit it.

 

[Smallfry]

I’d like to confirm where the small bore vacuum pipes should run.

There seem to be 2 separate circuits:

Front & top of the engine.
Small bore from alternator to a valve on top of the engine.
From the valve down the back of the engine to (what I think is) the EGR valve.
These pipes seem secure and in decent condition, I don't think these are the problem.

View attachment 536650

Looking up the back of the engine :
1/2" bore pipe runs to a valve, small bore pipe (yellow arrow) runs from the valve - other end is floating / not connected (I thought it was a breather pipe at first).
There's also a sensor with 3 wires and a stub to connect a pipe (yellow circle), no pipe connected.
My guess is the "floating" end of the pipe should be connected to the stub on this sensor - could a kind person confirm?

View attachment 536649

It feels like one step forward, 2 steps back this week ... at least the no-crank isn't down to a dead (£££) starter motor and lots of skinned knuckles to fit it.

Second picture first. I don't even recognise that sensor in the yellow circle ! Mine has nothing like that on it that I can remember. Maybe to do with the aircon ?

Thinking about it, It does look rather like the boost sensor from the top of the inlet manifold.

Looks like it is screwed to that bracket to the left of it. I notice in the top right of the photo, there is a bolt missing from the EDU. I sort of think that bracket should be fixed there, and the plastic hose/harness clip holding that chunky "hose" which I think is actually a sponge rubber protection sleeve.

Regarding skinned knuckles, the crankshaft sensor is behind and slightly above the driveshaft boot in the photo, and the gearchange bracket above it make is a joy to get at. Only buy a Denso or Bosch replacement, the cheaper ones do not last long.

Now the top photo. The larger hose goes to the EGR valve which is underneath the ECU. The smaller hose should go down the back of the cam belt cover and push onto a "H" connector that distributes the vacuum, which may well be missing. This also feeds the turbo wastegate solenoid, which is mounted below the EDU in the second photo. There should be a separate hose that goes from the vacuum pump on the alternator to that "H" connector.

I will have a look at mine in the morning.

 

[Nomad]

P0335 / P0335(F4) "crankshaft position sensor circuit fault" update.

I fitted a new Delphi crankshaft sensor, motor turns over fine (new battery) but doesn't even fire.
The P0335 codes only appeared 1 time, I cleared them and they've not come back but I still feel there's a fault around that area.

Odd that it fires up very easy with a tiny shot of easy start.

Sometimes you get a quick easy fix (the starter motor was dead last week - I know it's a pig of a job to remove it as I had practice when I did the clutch slave cylinder).
That turned out to be a blown 30A fuse, quick & easy...

This weeks non-start isn't such an easy fix



ps. Do clutches still have master & slave cylinders or are they now taboo phrases ???

 

[Melvyn Best]

P0335 / P0335(F4) "crankshaft position sensor circuit fault" update.

I fitted a new Delphi crankshaft sensor, motor turns over fine (new battery) but doesn't even fire.
The P0335 codes only appeared 1 time, I cleared them and they've not come back but I still feel there's a fault around that area.

Odd that it fires up very easy with a tiny shot of easy start.

Sometimes you get a quick easy fix (the starter motor was dead last week - I know it's a pig of a job to remove it as I had practice when I did the clutch slave cylinder).
That turned out to be a blown 30A fuse, quick & easy...

This weeks non-start isn't such an easy fix



ps. Do clutches still have master & slave cylinders or are they now taboo phrases ???

Some master cylinders are a right pig of a job , slave cylinders tend to be concentric slave cylinders that require gearbox removal

 

[bricol]

P0335 / P0335(F4) "crankshaft position sensor circuit fault" update.

I fitted a new Delphi crankshaft sensor, motor turns over fine (new battery) but doesn't even fire.
The P0335 codes only appeared 1 time, I cleared them and they've not come back but I still feel there's a fault around that area.

Odd that it fires up very easy with a tiny shot of easy start.

Sometimes you get a quick easy fix (the starter motor was dead last week - I know it's a pig of a job to remove it as I had practice when I did the clutch slave cylinder).
That turned out to be a blown 30A fuse, quick & easy...

This weeks non-start isn't such an easy fix



ps. Do clutches still have master & slave cylinders or are they now taboo phrases ???

Length of nylon tubing into the inlet, fed back through a suitable grommet, shoved over the end of the tube on a can of Easy Start, duct-taped to the dash within easy reach?

 

[harveyp6]

Length of nylon tubing into the inlet, fed back through a suitable grommet, shoved over the end of the tube on a can of Easy Start, duct-taped to the dash within easy reach?

Ford A-Series six pot diesel had an ether injector from the factory IIRC, so if it's good enough for Ford.....

 

[Blobber]

That sensor circled is a MAP sensor isn't it?
It should have a part number on it

 

[sako243]

Bad fuel?

I confirmed I had spark and fuel to the injectors on Sandy's V8 which only left fuel and it was crap. Modern petrol goes off pretty quickly.

 

[pedrobedro]

Bad fuel?

I confirmed I had spark and fuel to the injectors on Sandy's V8 which only left fuel and it was crap. Modern petrol goes off pretty quickly.

It's a diesel innit ?

 

[sako243]

It's a diesel innit ?

Diesel generally better but can still go off I've found.

 

[Nomad]

Hi. Yes it's diesel.
I got it more than 6 months ago - unsure how long it was parked up before I got it but it was taxed & tested so I guess it's been off the road between 6 months and a year.
It came with 1/4 tank of fuel, since then I've added a couple of gallons so it's now at least 50% fresh fuel. I'm guessing the old fuel is 12 months old at most.

The thing that makes me think the fuel is ok is that I've had something standing a lot longer and that starts up very happy even if left for more than a month.
This fires up with a tiny sniff of easy start then runs happily, have been told that is a common symptom of a dead or dying crankshaft position sensor (or wiring)
The rev counter works fine once it's running but it doesn't even twitch when the engine cranks over - another sign of a missing crank signal at startup??
I took it for a 30 mile drive 2 weeks ago before the starting problems began and it ran fine for the whole trip.

It feels like it should be simple to fix but I'm missing the obvious.
The code reader I'm using is generic and doesn't show crank sensor readings, now looking to see if I get Op-Com (Vauxhall specific code reader + more) up and working.

Keep the ideas & suggestions coming, it's all appreciated.

 

[Kayos]

Hi. Yes it's diesel.
I got it more than 6 months ago - unsure how long it was parked up before I got it but it was taxed & tested so I guess it's been off the road between 6 months and a year.
It came with 1/4 tank of fuel, since then I've added a couple of gallons so it's now at least 50% fresh fuel. I'm guessing the old fuel is 12 months old at most.

The thing that makes me think the fuel is ok is that I've had something standing a lot longer and that starts up very happy even if left for more than a month.
This fires up with a tiny sniff of easy start then runs happily, have been told that is a common symptom of a dead or dying crankshaft position sensor (or wiring)
The rev counter works fine once it's running but it doesn't even twitch when the engine cranks over - another sign of a missing crank signal at startup??
I took it for a 30 mile drive 2 weeks ago before the starting problems began and it ran fine for the whole trip.

It feels like it should be simple to fix but I'm missing the obvious.
The code reader I'm using is generic and doesn't show crank sensor readings, now looking to see if I get Op-Com (Vauxhall specific code reader + more) up and working.

Keep the ideas & suggestions coming, it's all appreciated.

I had opcom (a clone really) and found it invaluable on vauxhalls, especially the older ones

 

[sako243]

This fires up with a tiny sniff of easy start then runs happily, have been told that is a common symptom of a dead or dying crankshaft position sensor (or wiring)

If it runs happily once started that seems odd to me it's the CPS as surely it would be wanting that continuously to know where it is?

Do you know if it's two or three wires feeding the cps or more specifically if its a hall effect or variable reluctance style sensor? If it's VR then the faster the engine spins the higher the voltage of the signal (to an extent) that comes out so it might be dodgy wiring that's meaning the low amplitude signals whilst cranking don't make it through.

 

[carbonarc]

Heater plug issue?