Is my Astra dying?

kluivert

I have a 1999 Opel Astra qith 130k miles.

I have the following problems which I think need to be seen to.

I was wondering if boarders could tell me which ones I should be able to do myself, I do basic servicing on the car changing the oil etc.

Starting with the easiest.

1. Light bulb for mileage clock on dash (do my self)
2. Loud rear knocking - havent a clue where I would start with this - if you go to the back of the car and push down on the suspension - its knocking very badly, even going over small bumps now.
3. Front Brakes - not great at all but do stop in time for the red lights
4. Rear Brake Drums - stick every time I start the car (even in the warm weather)
5. Hand Brake - useless - can drive away with it on, and need to pull it right up to get it to hold the car.
6. Engine is drinking Coolant - headgasket? No mayo type colour under the oil cap, engine burning half a litre of oil every 5k miles.
7. Engine Temperature is running at just above 80, should be 90. Car over heats if sitting in traffic in no time.
8. Car will shaking badly, as in steering whell, seats, centre console, at any speed over 60mph and gets worst the higher the speed - could be buckled alloys.

NCT end of February.

Selling the car is not an option.

Captain Slow IRL

2 - Could be a drop-link or anti-roll bar bushing, you'd have to have a look-see while someone pushes down on the back of the car
3 - You might want to invest in a set of pads and discs (I never thought the astra's had great brakes anyway)
4 - Get the drums off and give a good cleaning, have a look for wear while you've them off
5 - It could be your hand-brake cables or adjustment - you'd have to check it out with the rear drums off, pull on the hand-brake to see if it's pulling on the shoes.
6 - Could be just a leak - any patches on your driveway?
7 - Is your fan cutting in while in traffic?
8 - Get the best wheels balanced and put on the front.

I don't know how much of a diy'er you are; a lift would make all those jobs a lot easier, especially searching for a leak and checking the brakes out.

You'd be as well to just get the car nct'd and work off the fail sheet.

kluivert

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

7 - Is your fan cutting in while in traffic?

Yeah Fan cuts in while in traffic. goes up to 95 and when I starting driving again goes back now to just over 80 degrees.

I have home made ramps, great for changing the oil.

Normally fix all the silly little things that go wrong on the car.

I want to get the car fixed up so it will last for another two years or around 150k miles.

kluivert

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

8 - Get the best wheels balanced and put on the front.

Four new tyres put on the car in Oct 08 and all wheels balanced.

Made no difference to the car shaking problem. No sure if it would be suspension related or alloy wheels related.

ARGINITE

kluivert wrote: »

1. Light bulb for mileage clock on dash (do my self)
2. Loud rear knocking - havent a clue where I would start with this - if you go to the back of the car and push down on the suspension - its knocking very badly, even going over small bumps now.
3. Front Brakes - not great at all but do stop in time for the red lights
4. Rear Brake Drums - stick every time I start the car (even in the warm weather)
5. Hand Brake - useless - can drive away with it on, and need to pull it right up to get it to hold the car.
6. Engine is drinking Coolant - headgasket? No mayo type colour under the oil cap, engine burning half a litre of oil every 5k miles.
7. Engine Temperature is running at just above 80, should be 90. Car over heats if sitting in traffic in no time.
8. Car will shaking badly, as in steering whell, seats, centre console, at any speed over 60mph and gets worst the higher the speed - could be buckled alloys.

NCT end of February.

Selling the car is not an option.

1. Should be able to handle that yourself as you said.

2.The Knocking from the rear suspension could be many things, I'm not a mechanic so its one I would bring it to the garage for.

3.When you say not great does it make a grinding noise when braking? Is their brake fluid in the reservoir? If pads you can do that in an hour or two.

4,5. Check the brake shoes change if needed and if no tighten the handbrake cable.

6.Could just be a leak, check for the following if you think it could be the worst:

Mayonnaise in the Coolant Header Tank
Emulsification of the Oil
System Boiling due to “air locks” in the heater/by-pass
Coolant Leak running down the block

But also check all hoses, water pump and the rad for a leak. Going through .5L of oil every 5k miles, once again checks for leaks and blue smoke when accelerating hard or when starting the car. If no leaks are found sounds like you need a new engine. Has it always burned this amount of oil?


7.Could just mean that your thermostat has failed in the open position, but it could be many other things also, easy enough to check. Drain the coolant and remove the thermostat, find out what temperature its meant to open at and then pop it in to some water at or above that temperature and check if it has opened.


8. Could be many different thing, tracking, alignment, etc. Another one for the garage to fix.


Good luck.

kluivert

Thanks lads,

Gives me a starting point as to what to look out for today.

If it stops raining lol.

Captain Slow IRL

When's the last time your timing belt was changed?

david

8. Does it vibrate at idle (more than any other normal 4cyl engine)? If it loses power/idles rough its the EGR valve, common problem on Opels of this vintage. Check for play in the ARB bushes/ARB wearing around the bushes/worn bushes.

It sounds like a tired old car but most of those problems sound easily fixed.
I'm surprised it lasted so long, fair play!

mickdw

half litre of oil every 5k miles is not bad.

3,4,5 will need a bit of time and effort if you are tackling them yourself. A lift would be advisable as the work would be at a comfortable level then. Its enough to do just pads with the car on the ground.
6,7, possible leak, possible gasket (due to overheating problems). May only be losing the coolant due to overheating.
8, Get wheels balanced at tyre shop, they will find a warp if there.

2, get it on a lift to find easily (4 poster would be best)