[MokkTheWeek]

Took our Mokka X to all saints garage Bromsgrove. It's slowly loosing coolant, They did a pressure test and reported all was well, its not loosing coolant. I asked why the coolant was currently low and was told it was nearly up to the mark with the engine hot so when cold it would be right, I begged to differ, the person on the service desk called over a passing mechanic who then agreed the water will rise as the engine cools I was SHOCKED. another customer had appeared so we went over to my car so he didn't have to listen to the disagreement, opening the bonnet the smell of coolant was apparent I asked why it smelled of coolant unfortunately I was alone in being able to smell it, pointing at the header tank I was told the level looks fine, I said yes it is only a few mill low but the engine is hot when cold it will be low, trying to cover his grin I was told when the system is under pressure the level drops so when its cold it will be right. I asked him to put it in writing and wager on it but no luck!Any comments will be forwarded to the garage.

Edited to add, was told "drive it till the warning light comes on then bring it back"


Edited by: MokkTheWeek

 

[MokkTheWeek]

Hopefully yours will be found now! The day after my post above when cold it required 250 mi of coolant having only driven back from the dealership and being told no leak and coolant level correct! now booked in to be left with the other dealership owned by the same company, next week

 

[MokkTheWeek]

QUESTION, How many Vauxhall trained technicians does it take to correctly top up an expansion tank?

After the experience in my posts above a case was opened with Vauxhall and our Mokka went in for "further diagnostics" no fault was found, the case is left open and I was asked to keep a record of coolant needed to top up, before leaving the dealership I checked the coolant level, the engine was cold, it has been filled to the seam in the tank, so will need to consume a considerable amount to reach the level mark, either the technician was pretty thick or they deliberately set out to reduce the record of coolant used.

ANSWER, Two failed, so three to infinity it is!

 

[MokkTheWeek]

On a positive note, the dealership did give me a spare bottle of coolant

Mine was less confident, they just put the extra in and to hell with expansion space!

 

[MokkTheWeek]

On a positive note, the dealership did give me a spare bottle of coolant

Mine was less confident, they just put the extra in and to hell with expansion space!

Hi, have you been able to get your coolant loss sorted ?

We are still losing coolant and I am waiting for the dealer to respond.

Having dug around the internet, I am getting the feeling that these particular engines are not that good reliability wise. Honest John, goes onto say that he expects to see a high number of failures !

Best Regards

Nope! our car only covers about 50 miles a week, I marked the level in pencil on the expansion tank when cold and for the first 3 weeks it dropped 1 mm per week, so 3 mm in just under 150 miles, prepared an email ready to send, then checked the level and it had not dropped for a week so left it till this week, (checking day has been Wednesday). Together with the other issues, no "lights on" indicator and no heater illumination from time to time, and the continuing saga of being warned by the infotainment that using the touch screen while driving can be distracting, despite never using the touch screen while driving except to clear the warning, sometimes several times on a short journey, although overall I like the Mokka owning it has turned pretty damn sour!

 

[MokkTheWeek]

I think the issue is, for the dealer to investigate further means dismantling bits of the engine, which then leads onto whos going to pay.

As you reported the problem before the warranty expired it should be covered, but like you I would be getting concerned that they might "forget"

 

[MokkTheWeek]

Its worth checking/replacing the cap. I had the same problem in my previous Insignia with gradual coolant loss and was recommended by another forum to try replacing the cap as the pressure relief can go faulty, i did just that and it solved the problem. For the Insignia it was only about £4.50 i remember.

Presumably while the dealers have had their pressure testing kit out they did the cap as well.

 

[MokkTheWeek]

The Mokka has no tube on the overflow outlet and has a channel under it formed in the top of the expansion tank, I'd guess any coolant passing the cap, either from a faulty cap or over pressurising from head gasket failure would leave white residue in the channel?

 

[MokkTheWeek]

Head gasket failing between cylinder and waterway is easy to spot, pressure forcing coolant out of overflow, bubbles in header tank while running, sniff test will find it easily. Head gasket failing badly between waterway and oil return will cause a build up of emulsion on the inside of the cam cover-underside of oil cap, but a slow leak between waterway and oil return is very difficult to spot, the moisture will just boil off, all engines get a small amount of moisture in the oil, combustion creates moisture, small amounts of combustion gases including water vapour blows past the rings into the oil, this boils off exactly the same way. All pressure testing kits I've ever used include cap testing adaptors so its normal to test the cap while doing the cooling system test.Pressure testing is only of value done cold, if done hot the pressure will fall because of cooling, but small head gasket leaks may only exist when hot due to expansion, so they fall through the net, hence dealer gives you a bottle of coolant and says keep your eye on it

Edited by: MokkTheWeek

 

[MokkTheWeek]

Sounds like a good plan to me, is he off on a European tour holiday?

 

[MokkTheWeek]

The water pump is mounted to the side of the engine. A new water pump gasket seals to the timing chest but uses part of the timing chest gasket to seal to the engine. Yes that leaks! This appears to be a long standing problem with this engine.

Just been looking at a used Mokka 1.4 timing cover on Ebay. the water pump inlet comes through the timing cover, there is a coolant gasket on the inside of the timing cover, any leak at that point would let coolant into the inside of the cover to drain into the sump, impossible to see without removing the timing cover. no idea how likely a failure is, but certainly possible.

 

[MokkTheWeek]

At least at the moment they are taking it seriously and not trying to fob you off!

 

[MokkTheWeek]

About time we heard a glowing report about a Vauxhall dealer, really pleased for you!

 

[MokkTheWeek]

That is roughly the area where the air con condensate drips if your coolant level is OK that's probably what it is, but wouldn't account for a burning smell.

 

[MokkTheWeek]

Even if I haven't used air con in a couple of days?

The air con is sometimes active while turned off, a forum search will reveal all.

 

[MokkTheWeek]

How long, how many miles before it was nearly empty again? bear in mind after refilling there could have been an airlock that cleared after its first run and allowed the level to fall.

 

[MokkTheWeek]

If you have chance before taking it in, run the engine with the coolant cap off and the climate control on its hottest setting with the fan on the lowest setting, have some coolant ready to top up and hold the engine at 2000 to 3000 rpm, until the engine is hot enough for the fan to cut in and out a couple of times, keep your eye on the expansion tank and if the level starts to get near the top let it the engine tick over until it goes back down again and be ready to top up if the tank gets low, that should clear any air locks in the engine or heater.

 

[MokkTheWeek]

Normally the coolant level will increase slightly when hot, the coolant level dropping when hot indicates air in the system, water can't be compressed but air can, its also normal for the level to rise when the cap is released when hot as the pressure drops and the hoses relax but rising excessively or overflowing indicates air locks, an air lock can be caused by removing a hose for repair and not purging the system as in my last post or a failed head gasket allowing combustion gases into the coolant, with the cap removed and the engine hot a continual stream of bubbles in the expansion tank after purging can indicate a failed head gasket.

 

[MokkTheWeek]

Lets hope it's sorted, there is another reason small leaks don't show when the engine is hot/warm, evaporation, the water simply disappears before there's enough to see, leaving just the tell tale marks of the antifreeze residue.