New Saxo Owner

[Docbooze]

Hi

Just got a 1.1ix for £50. It seems ok (£50 !) but at that price a few things do need looking at.

Gonna change the cambelt as no service history (107,000 miles) and there looks to be a nasty oil leak dripping down from the lower timing belt cover so reckon that this is the crank seal. I've got the jist of a cambelt change on a saxo thanks to this excellent forum but can anyone tell me what the best way to lock the crank pulley for removal would be so that I can remove it and replace the seal (dont trust a 5mm allen key to hold it). There is a great guide on here r.e this but I didn't get the bit about using bolts to lock it.

Also coolant seems to be disapearing somewhere (dont think its the headgasket as no mayo) and I cant see a leak anywhere so I'm hoping it's just at the waterpump. Do these have rubber seals ?

Thanks for any advice

[RustySkull]

Is there any coolant leaking out? You'd see it leaking out if it was leaking.

[mischief]

rad weld its a quick and easy fix, thats what the garage would probly do anyway.

[Docbooze]

Cheers for replies.

Also get the bit now bout using alternator pulley bolts to lock the crank with a lever between them to stop it moving so i can take off the pulley and replace the seal.

Will a 1998 1.1 saxo be the 104 tooth belt ?

Cheers for any help

[col101]

rad weld its a quick and easy fix, thats what the garage would probly do anyway.

if your garage is dodgy as fuck...
Any halfway decent garage would pressure test the system to expose the weak seal.

[mark1311]

surly you could pick a decent little 1.1 engine thts lower millage, with lot less proplems ect and just fit tht?

[Lewiswhitlock]

surly you could pick a decent little 1.1 engine thts lower millage, with lot less proplems ect and just fit tht?

this is how id go about it, 107k miles its only going to be the start of problems id assume (N)

[Docbooze]

Aye , well if I get a couple of years outta it , it'll proberly be worth it. Now that I've read up on a few of DIY guides for saxo's (always drove VW polo's) I wonder mind splashing out and getting a really good mk2 with service history cos they seem really nippy and frugal and from what I've done so far they're a breeze to work on. They do feel a bit flimsy after driving mk3 polo's for years but a 1.1 saxo would leave a 1l polo standing and return better mpg.

Cheers

[lisavts]

mayo not always visible when headgasket gone or going.. and if no sign of external leak then will be between 2 cylinders ie 3and 4

[Docbooze]

Yeah , seems weird. There is no smoke of any sort from exhaust. No mayo in filler cap or dipstick after a run on the motorway. The only thing is slight oil in the coolant but the reservoir is full of sludge so reckon it could have been from a pervious headgasket change (107,000 miles so must have been done at some point) and the system wasn't cleaned.

It does have the oil weep from the cambelt end but its very slight.

Previous owner said it's been like this for 2 years and all he was doing was topping up the oil/coolant every couple of months.

I'll proberly just give it a quick service /cambelt change and drive it till it dies.

Cheers