MrVnz' Corsa

[MrVinz]

Hi folks,

A few days ago I got myself a little Corsa B from 1999. It's a Corsa Sport (1.4 16V) with the X14XE engine. I only wanted to spend no more than 1000 euros so I paid 1100 Still very little for what I got I think though.

However... There had to be a few issues of course and since I'm new to the car I hope it's OK to ask you lot a few things as I start using my new old car

The body is in great shape but there are 3 mechanical issues I'd like to ask about.

1) When steering to either side, I feel "pulses" in the steering wheel. It's like the powersteering isn't smooth but spins the wheel with little jolts at a time. What could this be?

2) When driving 80km/h or faster, I feel a vibration through the steering column and I think I can also hear it. Something I should be worried about or does it sound like the wheels need adjusting? (yeah I understand this is very vague)

3) For about 30-60 seconds after starting the engine, the part in the red circle below makes a lot of noise. What part is this and what does it do? There seems a little airfilter is attached (yellow circle) and a tube leads up to some thing in the green circle. Can anybody identify these parts please?



Thanks!
Vincent
PS: This is a Dutch Corsa.

[Barraclough]

Welcome to the site. I wouldn't know any of your answers but I'm sure someone here will. Could the vibration when going at speed be the wheels need balancing? You got any piccys of your new car? [emoji16]

[johnny]

First is odd but it'd have to be a problem with the pump or maybe the rack it'd need inspected

Second is more than likely the wheels need balanced

Thrid is the egr (exhaust gas recirculation) it's a dirty disgusting thing to lower emissions and my advice is to rip out [emoji38]

[stanc3w0rks]

Yeah number 2 is either wheel balancing, buckeled wheel, or broken belt in the tyre. Most likely balancing though

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[MrVinz]

Cheers guys. I'll get the front wheels balanced then. About that egr. It looks (and sounds) like an air pump, is that correct? Is it easy to take out and open up or is it a lot cheaper to just replace it? (I rather not rip it out).

[johnny]

I've never opened or even replaced one, all they do is take gas from exhaust and pump it back through the inlet so removing them or even just blanking them off allows the engine to run cleaner

Think you can replace them for around 80 euro

[williamt73]

Reasonably familiar with this car.

Notchy steering could be worn steering rack/ pinion, PAS pump (is the belt slipping?), or simply low fluid in the PAS system (pumping air round instead of hydraulic fluid). Easiest to check is the level of fluid in the PAS reservior - its is the container at the bottom right corner of your picture - just outside your yellow circle. If it is low fluid - why? check for leaks. The X14XE I look after has very slight PAS fluid leaks from both the pump and the rack.

Vibration in the steering when at speed could be wheels out of balance (= most likely and cheapest and easiest to check), damaged or poor quality tyres, buckled or bent wheel rims (does the car look like it has had a hard previous life?). If all of those check out OK then next to look at would be track rod end joints, lower ball joints and lower suspension bushes (All pretty cheap and easy to fix, may also be connected to notchy steering feel). If they are all OK next check would be the dampers. Are they working as they should? or are they old, worn and leaky?

Parts in your coloured circles are nothing to do with the the EGR (that is hidden round the back of the cylinder head below the inlet manifold). You are correct, it is simply an air pump which blows into the exhaust system for a few seconds when the car is started from cold and running on a rich mixture. It is to help with the emissions and catalyst lightoff time. It sounds like it is working like it should. I would recommend you leave it alone. Those bits are expensive to replace if you brake any.

The X14XE is a really fun engine - but sometimes a bit difficult to work on as so much is crammed into the engine bay. If looked after they will last a very long time. I hope you enjoy it. I have a few spares for this car. If you need any let me know.

[johnny]

The egr valve is the thing in the green circle

[MrVinz]

Thanks William for your extensive reply! I'm planning on having the front wheels balanced as soon as I have time. I'll check the powersteering fluid as well, didn't know what that reservoir was!

I'll keep you lot posted

Thanks everybody for helping me get to know my little car, I'm quite fond of it sofar

[MrVinz]

So yesterday I got new front tyres and they also got balanced. Haven't driven fast enough to test though so will keep you posted.

Powersteering fluid is half full so that's cool I reckon.

Today I quickly checked coolant and it's empty:



What is the residue on the inside? Any recommendations on how to clean it out?

Have a great day everybody

[MrVinz]

Balancing worked!

[williamt73]

The egr valve is the thing in the green circle

No it isn't

[stanc3w0rks]

The egr valve is the thing in the green circle

No it isn't

Its the secondary air injector. Egr is round the inlet side. Is the SAI not part of the Egr system though?

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[stanc3w0rks]

I get them mixed up too [emoji14]

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[MrVinz]

Today I drove a bit faster and longer and there was no resonating front wheels anymore so that was good.

When I started the car this morning though, it wasn't running very smooth. Every couple of seconds in between running stationary it would throw in a shudder. It took nearly 10 minutes to start running normal. Any idea why this is?

Oh and one other thing: upon accelerating I hear bubbling liquid, possibly coolant. Is that normal?

Cheers!