Hells Flaming Bells .....

[CharlieFarlie]

I now avoid going under the bonnet of My Rav for fear of what I will find.. Today I thought I had better check the oil as it has not been done for 800 miles....

I have little constructive to say so I will let the pictures do the talking.. I am just simply gutted....

This level was very slightly over the full mark 780 miles ago....

This is not exactly encouraging...

[mystic]

uh-oh :(

[Big Kev]

Aw FFS Charlie.....please tell me Jeremy Beadle will appear shortly and say "only kiddin' folks..." ???????

See that pound coin ah gave ye to get me a lottery ticket....? Just buy sweeties mate.

Big Kev

[DominicPriestley]

Gutted for you Charlie.

Trade it in for a new(er) one tomorrow!

[jedi134]

Crickey!!! Is that a overheating head gasket problem now?

[CharlieFarlie]

Gutted for you Charlie.

Trade it in for a new(er) one tomorrow!

Trade in value is just so low........ Dont know which way to turn now except its another trip to the Dealers.

I am beginning to feel embarrassed just phoning them...

Box of Swan Vestas and 5 litres of unleaded seems the best way forward.. (Joke)

[CharlieFarlie]

Gutted for you Charlie.

Trade it in for a new(er) one tomorrow!

Trade in value is just so low........ Dont know which way to turn now except its another trip to the Dealers.

I am beginning to feel embarrassed just phoning them...

Box of Swan Vestas and 5 litres of unleaded seems the best way forward.. (Joke)

Crickey!!! Is that a overheating head gasket problem now?

It has not overheated.. It spat the coolant out to about 2 1/2 inches below the maximum mark (Picture was taken after I topped the expansion tank up)

On the previous times this never happened though with engine number 1 the coolant level did drop but only once.... Never spewed any out of the top....

The engine sounds and runs superb !! MPG is not so good but the Lindop kit has remained in the tool chest so that may or may not be causing the drop in MPG...

[Davrav]

It has not overheated.. It spat the coolant out to about 2 1/2 inches below the maximum mark (Picture was taken after I topped the expansion tank up)

I would have expected more mess if it had actually sent that much out through the nozzle in the top of the expansion tank Charlie - must have been at least 1/2 a litre to go down 2 and a 1/2 inches I would have thought. Have you been getting any white exhaust?

Not a lot of use speculating though - just get it back to the dealer and let them get on with it........................

Have you got your own coffee mug in their kitchen yet?

[Mistermena]

!Removed! Hell my mate! That has used a fair bit of oil! I take it that from min to max mark on dip stick is 1L? Those white marks are a bit worrying! Is there supposed to be a blow off pipe on the top of that coolant tank an all?

[anchorman]

Is that after an overnight stand?

The water might be something and it might be nothing. They sometimes don't bleed all the air out for a while.

Keep your chin up, talk to the dealer and see what he says.

[Big Kev]

Bloody Hell my mate! That has used a fair bit of oil! I take it that from min to max mark on dip stick is 1L? Those white marks are a bit worrying! Is there supposed to be a blow off pipe on the top of that coolant tank an all?

Probably just as well there aint no "blow off pipe" there Tafftterz.....that way it could blow it off to somewhere one would not notice it.....!!! Or did the blow off pipe blow off under pressure too.....?

Good will gesture should now consist of a swapped bloody car for a much more recent vintage.....this is complete urine.

Big Kev

[Gods_gift]

Is there any oil in the water or water in the oil? Any white smoke?

[Mistermena]

!Removed! Hell my mate! That has used a fair bit of oil! I take it that from min to max mark on dip stick is 1L? Those white marks are a bit worrying! Is there supposed to be a blow off pipe on the top of that coolant tank an all?

Probably just as well there aint no "blow off pipe" there Tafftterz.....that way it could blow it off to somewhere one would not notice it.....!!! Or did the blow off pipe blow off under pressure too.....?

Good will gesture should now consist of a swapped !Removed! car for a much more recent vintage.....this is complete urine.

Big Kev

Good point there kevmeister!.. . Better to see the stuff. On the Avensis it has a small pipe that you'd be able to see if any blow off has happened :)

[CharlieFarlie]

Is there any oil in the water or water in the oil? Any white smoke?

No smoke that I have noticed.. No oil in the water or vice versa..

Don the car was moved off the drive today but that was it... I have never ever seen any signs of water being expelled through the pipe on the expansion tank...

There has never been a pipe attached to the expansion tank while I have owned the car but maybe its always been missing ??

Kev. As I did not buy the car from a Dealer there is no possibility of them being forced to do anything other than take it in PX.. I cant of course even force that..

All Dealers will of course take the car in PX but the value of this 2006 car (T180) with 59.000 miles is very very low. This despite the fact the car itself is in mint condition and has wanted for nothing.....

I think the time has come to bite the bullet and send it to auction..................

[Mistermena]

Auction will not give you a good price at all mate! eBay would secure a higher price for the Rav! I would get the car back to the dealer and get it sorted and then go for sale. !Removed! shame as I know how well you've looked after this and all your cars.

[anchorman]

Just trading it against something else will give you a btter price than auction.

None of them have a pipe on the expansion tank. I would check it in the morning on level ground and then see what happens.

Why all this talk of selling it again without finding out what it really does? Mine will read low if I move it out of the garage, it needs an overnight stand and it also needed checking accurately from day 1. If you have spilt a bit of coolant when you topped it up it will stain the header tank.

[CharlieFarlie]

Don. Many trade ins are sent to auction.. Some are underwritten by other traders some are put on the forecourt for resale..

In the case of a vehicle being underwritten the value of the car will be at likely its lowest as underwriters buy blind and pay well below book

Cars taken in PX with them being sent to auction means a similar figure as Dealers expect cars at auction to sell very low.

Cars taken in PX that are to be re sold are again marked down so a warranty and vehicle prep like valeting and minor repairs are taken in. This before the Dealer profit...

One common denominator is that I have to buy a car at retail prices in order to trade in.. That car will be at retail..

If I send the car to auction I can move forward and do what I have done 99% of My vehicle buying life.. Buy privately or haggle very hard within the trade.. I cannot do this as well when trading in..

The car had been stood on the drive for an hour before I dipped the oil. So I would expect it to have most if not all the oil showing on the stick.. It is near to the bottom mark or perhaps 3/4 down from the full up mark..

When You asked if the car had been stood overnight I thought You were referring to the coolant having been sent out.

I would stress that Never before has this car EVER sent any coolant out of the expansion tank.. The tank was 2 1/2 inches down from the full mark. This has never happened before...

Only once did I find the need to top it up and there were no tell tale spatter marks that time.

I backed the car off the drive and washed it over the drain as I always do and then pulled it back onto the drive and cleaned and vacced out the inside and in the boot before lifting the bonnet to check the oil. At least an hour later....

Quote..

Why all this talk of selling it again without finding out what it really does?

Unquote

Well My plan was to sell it anyway so no change other than it is now In My opinion time to get shot ASAP..

I believe that I have gone through enough agg with this car and so it has to go..

Once fine... Twice Errrr blimey its getting daft.... 3 Times . No not for Me...

[jedi134]

Have you tried dipping the oil with the filler cap removed 1st, on some engines it takes a long time for it to drop back down to the sump, due to the vaccum effect I belive,

Could the residue on the expansion tank be from last time it was in and not cleaned,???

[dervdave]

Take the loss and get rid, hell man when I sold my Jag last year I`d lost £20k in under the 5yr I had it.

As with all cars some you lose and some you lose some more :D

[DjRav]

Charlie,

If you trade it in to a dealer at least there is no come back on you (and clearer conscience than selling direct to a punter). If that dealer then sells on, then someone will have a warranty with the dealer!

It's what I'd do and I don't think you'll get a bad price if you're trading up.

Dave

[CharlieFarlie]

Charlie,

If you trade it in to a dealer at least there is no come back on you (and clearer conscience than selling direct to a punter). If that dealer then sells on, then someone will have a warranty with the dealer!

It's what I'd do and I don't think you'll get a bad price if you're trading up.

Dave

Dave.. Mate I have been trying to trade the thing in for around three months now .. Best price I was given was by Dons dealer (Thanks Don) but that was against another brand new Rav..

No problems with a new Rav except I could not get the spec I have in My old car and if spending 26K I would like a spare wheel..

The Auto is whilst a cracking car a wee bit thirsty though that was/is not the deciding factor........

If I sell it at auction there is no come back ! The buyer only gets an hour after the hammer drops to reject a vehicle and that is only after demonstrating a fault.. I think it will take more than an hour to suss what is happening with this car ...

[CharlieFarlie]

Have you tried dipping the oil with the filler cap removed 1st, on some engines it takes a long time for it to drop back down to the sump, due to the vaccum effect I belive,

Could the residue on the expansion tank be from last time it was in and not cleaned,???

Your getting Me at it here !!!

Just been down to the garage and checked it again.. With the filler cap removed...

Right,, Between the top and bottom marks on the dipstick it measure

1 3/8 inches ...

Or 37mm

The oil level is sat at

3/8 on an inch or 10mm above the bottom mark..

Last check on oil was just under 800 miles ago at which point it was 5 mm above the maximum mark

I topped up the coolant tank with clean water. But have not topped up the oil as I have only Castrol GTX Magnatec fully synth here...

Car has been stood since 1.30 today and is sat perfectly level.....

No chance on the residue Mate I keep My cars spotlessly clean both inside outside and under the bonnet !!

Nothing gets left dirty !!

Think the Wife has a point .............

I'm not going down again.. Wife thinks I'm crackers !

[jedi134]

So its drank some but its still being run in I presume, top it up and see how it goes

But the residue is worring......maybe it just had a sneeze

Have to agree that car is spotless..you must clean it every day......I wish the outside of my alloys looked like the insides of yours...

[Gods_gift]

I'd top it up with oil and drive it until it goes bang then hand back to the dealer each time.

[CharlieFarlie]

I'd top it up with oil and drive it until it goes bang then hand back to the dealer each time.

Engine will not go bang Mate... Computers and ECU will first go into limp mode then cut the engine altogether ....

Really fed up with this caper now.. All joking aside I honestly think I have stuck with it long enough./