Oil and coolant levels going down quick!

  1. L-plater Joined: Sep 2009 Bristol Posts: 78 Saxo 1.0 almost dead
    #1
    Startin to think my saxo is ready for the scrap since im having to put oil and coolant in the car every 2 weeks and sometimes every week and a half...

    ive changed the oil filter and drained the old oil and put some half decent stuff in and also took out the radiator coolant bottle and washed it and filled it back up to maximum with coolant as well. ive tried this twice the first time was on the 8th june. 14 days later i found myself doing this procedure again and filling everything back up as it was completely empty.. my dipstick was showing no signs of oil on the end. so i filled back up and then check the levels of the oil and coolant today and found it was near bare minimum again. this problem has been going on for a while now since about may but lately has started to get more noticeable recently. i do 20 miles every day to work and back and probably about 40-50 around the local area a week. and i dont particularly 'rag' the car everywhere as it is shit 1.0 98 reg.

    if anybody could tell me if there's is anything i could do to help the situation cus i need the car to live a few more months whilst i save for another!

    thanks
  2. Saxperience Addict Joined: Jul 2005 Solihull / Bournemouth Posts: 14233 2015 Lapiz Blue Golf R
    #2
    get a compression and sniff test done.

    any smoke out of the exhaust ?
  3. L-plater Joined: Sep 2009 Bristol Posts: 78 Saxo 1.0 almost dead
    #3
    yea somebody said cus its an old car the piston rings mite be worn and which affects compression if that is what that test is about? and there isnt really not on start up but ive noticed if you accelerate hard just after a start up there is but other than that nope. just hope the cars got a couple of months left?
  4. Forum Section Moderator Joined: Apr 2009 Orpington Posts: 1406 My son drives a Poseidon Blue Saxo Mk2 1.6i VTR.
    #4
    Hi,

    A compression test will check to see if your cylinders are properly sealed or if there is a leak somewhere, perhaps your head gasket.

    Thing is that both oil and coolant should not be going anywhere. If you do not see ANY signs of oil or coolant on the floor beneath your car or around the engine bay then it'll be an internal leak which suggests that your head gasket may have failed. It's goind somewhere.

    Check the underside of your oil filler plug and your radiator cap for a yellowish mayo looking gunk. Check for whitish smoke, almost like steam, coming from the exhaust.
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  5. L-plater Joined: Sep 2009 Bristol Posts: 78 Saxo 1.0 almost dead
    #5
    yea i might get that done then because ive checked the under side of the oil cap and there is no gunk. allthough i nthe washer bottle there was a fair amount of brown junk? i did think at first it could be head gaskit but if there is no gunk and hardly any white smoke then that would rule it out? ive checked a couple of times under neath the car and there is no leaks but what are the signs of internal leaks? and what would happen to the fluid?

    thanks
  6. Forum Section Moderator Joined: Apr 2009 Orpington Posts: 1406 My son drives a Poseidon Blue Saxo Mk2 1.6i VTR.
    #6
    Washer bottle! Che?

    Here are a few of the symptoms
    Coolant in cylinder/exhaust = white smoke
    Oil in coolant = gunk under radiator filler cap
    Coolant in oil = gunk under oil filler cap
  7. L-plater Joined: Sep 2009 Bristol Posts: 78 Saxo 1.0 almost dead
    #7
    not the washer bottle lol i always get things mixed up i meant the coolant bottle next to the radiator
  8. Established Member Joined: Jun 2009 Coventry CV6 Posts: 2477 Slowda Octavia vRS SOLD - Cam'd Chip'd VTR
    #8
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Sheppie501 View Post
    yea i might get that done then because ive checked the under side of the oil cap and there is no gunk. allthough i nthe washer bottle there was a fair amount of brown junk? i did think at first it could be head gaskit but if there is no gunk and hardly any white smoke then that would rule it out? ive checked a couple of times under neath the car and there is no leaks but what are the signs of internal leaks? and what would happen to the fluid?

    thanks
    Yeah brown sludgy gunk is the oil mixing with your coolant in the filler tank.. this would suggest the head gasket is blown mate. What happens is a water or oil jacket blows on the actual gasket causing the oil/coolant to mix giving you an emulsified gunk and causing the oil and water to run through the system, therefore quickly runs low depending on the severity of the leak
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