Corrosion in bores?

Question

I was searching for some info on google groups and came across the snippet from 2003 in uk.rec.motorcaravans.

----------------------- Don't forget if buying a diesel that any decent engine likes to be used hard, nothing worse that occasional light use as it causes corrosion and cylinder bore glazing. I'd far rather a 100 000 mile 5 year old than a 50 000 mile 10 year old. uk.rec.motorcaravans On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 21:13:02 +0000 (UTC), "jambo"

------------------------

If there any truth in the comment about corrosion in bores etc. My old campervan rarely gets started all winter. I never know if its better to start it once in a while or just leave it. It tends to get left, but even after six months it fires within half a turn of the engine once the glow plugs have warmed it up.

1986 VW LT35 van 6 cyl 2.4 litre DW engine, no turbo, 75000 miles).

-- bucket

Paul Hubbard · Accepted Answer

Not so much corrosion but glazing and coking up can be an issue. A diesel really needs to be driven with gusto to get the best out of it. Usually the lightly driven cars (beware the older owner/OAP) driven by people who dodder around in order to get the most mpg from the car can be an issue. A good italian tune up followed by a motorway thrash will start to clear the engine.

PDH

Doki · Answer

It's a possibility I suppose. IIRC you can buy dummy spark / glow plugs in the likes of practical classic that have silica gel in and soak up any moisture. OTOH my golf's been stood 6 months and enough oil's leaked past the valve stem seals that I've no need to worry about corrosion in the bores ;).

Rob graham · Answer

I would say this is true of petrol engines as well.Rob Graham

Paul Hubbard · Answer

Quite probably. You drive a car carefully and it eventually gums up.

I looked at a TD a while back, took it for a test drive. Got out onto open road and then said to the guy with me "the previous owner was an OAP, correct", followed by "how did you know". Easy, the performance was not quite what it should have been for a TD with 10k on the clock. Five minutes later and a good dual carriageway thrash and the performance was stating to cme up quite nicely.

Lots of chunky stuff was coming out the back though.

PDH

Duncan Wood · Answer

Don't worry about the bores, the camshaft will snap first :-)

bucket · Answer

When I do use it, it gets driven fairly hard as no a turbo and engine needs to work hard to pull its 3500kgs. Never sure if the 3500kgs is the vehicle weight on its own (has the weight stamped on a plate) or if all the camper woodwork, furniture and gear in the back is on top of that weight. No MOT/tax at moment so doesn't get driven as don't even like moving it 10 feet off the drive unless legal these days. ANPR makes me nervous about driving it even a couple of streets unless on way for MOT. When it gets its MOT in the Spring it will get its twice yearly 500 mile trip.

-- bucket

Knight Of The Road · Answer

"bucket"  wroteNeither. That will be the Maximum Gross Weight, the most it is allowed to weigh. In reality it will not weigh anything like this much, but it is van-derived and the figure of 3.5 tonnes would include probably two tonnes of payload.

Grimly Curmudgeon · Answer

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when thedrugs began to take hold. I remember "Duncan Wood" saying something like:Or the head crack. Seems to be a favourite with them.

Corrosion in bores?

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?