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Repairs in Progress
Sep. 10th, 2023 07:20 pmWhile we were out yesterday evening, the rattling sound from the engine got worse than ever. We stopped, opened the hood, and found that the oil filler pipe (which runs from the engine to a point above the engine so that you can get oil into the engine, due to the way the engine fits into the van) had come completely out of the engine and was sitting on top of it rattling. We're lucky that it didn't fall out of the engine entirely! Both the oil cap and the gasket that fits on the bottom of the pipe to hold it into the engine were gone.
Fortunately, the engine would still run and, somewhat to my surprise, it did not spew oil everywhere. We made our way over to O'Reilly Auto Parts to buy a new oil cap and filler gasket. Even better, I had $5 O'Reilly Rewards credit.
Today, Lisa put things back together.
( Pipe )
The most important thing here is that Lisa managed to correctly re-attach the oil filler pipe to the point on the alternator mount where it's supposed to be secured. We think that the rattling that bedeviled us from Winnipeg to Fernley wasn't actually the loose air conditioning pipe, but the oil filler pipe rattling around in this area, and we just didn't realize it when we were checking the engine.
Lisa also tried to apply some tape to the loose ends of A/C pipe. We now still have rattling noises, but they are not anywhere near as loud as they were on the trip back from Winnipeg. Further investigation is needed to find the source of the lesser rattle.
After a short drive to check for rattles, we looked up how to read the codes on the Astro's diagnostic system, and, as instructed, grounded the A and B terminals on the panel. The result was a Code 32: EGR (exhaust gas re-circulation) valve failure. This has happened before, and Lisa thinks she can replace it if we get a replacement part, which should not be too hard. It will be a hassle because we'll have to take the "doghouse" cover from inside the van off, but we've done that before. Besides, we probably were going to have to do that anyway to trace the ultimate source of that remaining lesser rattle.
I had hoped that possibly the issue with the unstuck oil pipe was related to the service-engine-soon light, but apparently not. Still, that's one repair done.
Fortunately, the engine would still run and, somewhat to my surprise, it did not spew oil everywhere. We made our way over to O'Reilly Auto Parts to buy a new oil cap and filler gasket. Even better, I had $5 O'Reilly Rewards credit.
Today, Lisa put things back together.
( Pipe )
The most important thing here is that Lisa managed to correctly re-attach the oil filler pipe to the point on the alternator mount where it's supposed to be secured. We think that the rattling that bedeviled us from Winnipeg to Fernley wasn't actually the loose air conditioning pipe, but the oil filler pipe rattling around in this area, and we just didn't realize it when we were checking the engine.
Lisa also tried to apply some tape to the loose ends of A/C pipe. We now still have rattling noises, but they are not anywhere near as loud as they were on the trip back from Winnipeg. Further investigation is needed to find the source of the lesser rattle.
After a short drive to check for rattles, we looked up how to read the codes on the Astro's diagnostic system, and, as instructed, grounded the A and B terminals on the panel. The result was a Code 32: EGR (exhaust gas re-circulation) valve failure. This has happened before, and Lisa thinks she can replace it if we get a replacement part, which should not be too hard. It will be a hassle because we'll have to take the "doghouse" cover from inside the van off, but we've done that before. Besides, we probably were going to have to do that anyway to trace the ultimate source of that remaining lesser rattle.
I had hoped that possibly the issue with the unstuck oil pipe was related to the service-engine-soon light, but apparently not. Still, that's one repair done.
