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Newby help - checking a VY for my son

VYMillsy

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Hi All - my son is very keen on a VY for his first car - won't look at anything that's not RWD, and I figure this is better than a BMW :). I've just had a look at it for him, as he can't get to it. It's a cheapy with serious sunburn, but looks nice otherwise - 170k on the clock. I know nothing about commodores, have never owned anything other than Jap 4 pots, but have done a fair bit of work on them, so know a bit
1) The VY when running, oil cap is under pressure. If you remove it, the car just about stalls out, but then adjusts/recovers. This would sound alarm bells in the little engines I am used to. Is this normal? There is no milky residue under the oil cap, but the car has been cleaned up nicely for sale, so the seller knows enough to clean this out. Is the head gasket blown?
2) ABS light is on. Is this going to be a tricky fix (seller just said 'code needs clearing' - but obviously it could be more than this!)
Thanks in advance for any help
 

VECalaisV8Wagon

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Probably the PCV valve is blocked, dipstick would do the same thing & spit oil.
Fairly common on these engines, oil sludge would be present throughout the airbox & ducting up too the butterfly.
If really bad will cause gaskets to weep oil.
Easy fix if that's the case.
 

VYMillsy

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Thanks Mate - just to clarify, are you saying that the oil sludge would be present if the PCV valve was blocked, or if the headgasket was blown (I assume headgasket?). My question I guess the, is how do I tell the diff between a blocked PCV and a blown HG. Thanks!
 

VECalaisV8Wagon

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Thanks Mate - just to clarify, are you saying that the oil sludge would be present if the PCV valve was blocked, or if the headgasket was blown (I assume headgasket?). My question I guess the, is how do I tell the diff between a blocked PCV and a blown HG. Thanks!
That's correct excessive blow-by oil would be present if its blocked.
I think the PCV valve is located under the plenum on VY Ecotec.
Definitely sounds like it has positive crankcase ventilation.
Checking for headgasket you would do the normal checks.
What makes you think it has a leaking headgasket?
 

VYMillsy

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The only issue I could see was the pressure on the oil cap when removed, and the fact that the car just about stalled out when the oil cap was removed. Thinking about it, I think it may have even been negative pressure...ie the cap did not come off with any kind of pop...but was tricky to remove
 

VECalaisV8Wagon

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The only issue I could see was the pressure on the oil cap when removed, and the fact that the car just about stalled out when the oil cap was removed. Thinking about it, I think it may have even been negative pressure...ie the cap did not come off with any kind of pop...but was tricky to remove
Someone else may be able to chime in, I have experience with PCV & Alloytech but not Ecotec.
 

VECalaisV8Wagon

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