# AA inspection can some one put this in laymens terms please



## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

Had an AA inspection today on a van i have put a deposit on.
Peugot Elddis Autostratus EB 1996.

I had kept aside £500 for a full serivce and to rectify any minor problems.

All in all pretty good, needs one or two minor bits, but the only cause for concern (according to inspector) is that there is no antifreeze in the radiator (engine?) he said that as the engine is made of Ally and Cast iron this can cause pitting.

I have heard though that they often over emphasise things just to cover themselves. The inside of the van is in wonderful condition for the year which seems to me that they do look after and care for the van

reproduced below are the salient points, everything else seems reasonable. I would point out that i have a very good mechanic who only charges for parts and labour at mates rates, and has a lift that can take the vehicle. I'm going to give him a ring tomorrow, but thought you guys could give me a laymens view of it.
ps, he also took it for a 12 mile drive and found no faults, said it drives lovely.

Bonnet catch - Cable partially seized
Antifreeze -No anti freeze in the cooling system, the lack of an inhibiting agent could result in internal damage in the engine that cannot be seen. the aluminum cooling jackets could have corroded.
External leaks (upper engine) -Oil leak from the rear of the engine appears to be from the oil seal at the rear of the cam shaft.
Battery condition - Battery terminal loose
Tool kit - Not found
Handbrake mechanism(s) -Cable corroded
The power steering pipe above the steering rack is badly corroded.


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## karlb (Feb 22, 2009)

imo it sounds like you have found a good-un, that is a very normal list of "faults"

karlb


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## neilmac (Dec 31, 2008)

Sounds like AA speak to cover their @rse.

Might want to sort oil leak and put some antifreeze in though :wink:


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

You paid a fair bit of money for the inspection and the inspector has brought things to your attention. I don't see that they are over emphasising things just to cover themselves.
If I was buying it and it had no anti freeze in it I would wonder why. We have just got through the coldest winter for many years so how did it manage not to freeze up? What is the sellers explanation?

Handbrake mechanism(s) -Cable corroded 
The power steering pipe above the steering rack is badly corroded. 
Are these MOT fail items? Has it got a new / long MOT?


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Could it have been drained down for the winter and then just topped up with plain water?

Lack of coolant with the required inhibitor in it can be fatal in very short order for an alloy block and/or head engine. The alloy can corrode rapidly and this means the metal flakes off and the bits settle out in the low points of the cooling system and can eventually cause blockages and overheating problems - remember Hillman Imps and Triumph TR7s?

They had problems because people didn't think there was "any problem" with running the engines with pure water in.

The AA guy has just quoted a bit of this to you.....
http://www.aa-academy.com/asp/info.asp?id=72


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

My old man was thinking it could have been drained down and just topped up as seller knew AA would be test driving it.
He thinks that a water only system would have had frost problems this winter was so Siberian.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Just make sure you get a 50/50 mix in before you drive it very far.


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

Stanner said:


> Just make sure you get a 50/50 mix in before you drive it very far.


Got a 100 mile journey home after collecting it. Is that okay, or put it in before that?

will be going straight to my mechanic for a full service, so could it wait until then?


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

It all depends how much it has been driven already - all I can say is read the AA document and make your own mind up.

But my feeling would be that a couple of litres of anti-freeze now could be cheaper than possible problems later.


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

I think the most likely scenario is that it probably has a persistent coolant leak from somewhere and has been topped up with plain water every time leading to a system with no antifreeze left in it.

It could be something quite simple to fix but it could also be a fault that's difficult to get at. Worst case is probably a core plug in an awkward place that's leaking slightly. 

A core plug is like a metal bung about the size of a 5p placed in the engine block at strategic points in the cooling system. They are like a safety plug designed to give way in case the water system freezes. The trouble with these is they can be in very awkward places to get at.

Alternatively it could be a cooling system that overheats for some reason and loses water or a head gasket that's leaking water into the engine.

However if it had been a core plug or head gasket I would have expected the AA Inspection to have picked up some tell-tale signs.

JohnW


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

AA inspector made no mention of oil contaminatd water or mayonnaise in the oil
in fact on his recheck after the test drive he confirmed no sign of a leak
so I dont think head gasket or coreplug as after sixteen miles pressure would be pushing water out visibly for a leak.
My guess is its been drained down and hes put water in for the test drive


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

Have Emailed the seller asking if he knows why theres no antifreeze in the system and will ask my trusted mechanics advice tomorrow


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

riverboat2001 said:


> My guess is its been drained down and hes put water in for the test drive


I too would have expected to see some signs but I am puzzled as to why you would go to all the trouble to drain down a system which if it had antifreeze in in the first place would have been better left alone, and having done that you then refill it with just plain water?

Something a little odd here methinks. Having said that it wouldn't put me off buying the van but I don't like puzzles.

JohnW


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

I wouldn`t drain down the rad either didn`t on my old van but some people may take the drain down everything for winter literally.Hopefully the seller will explain and solve the mystery.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Riverboat you have a PM.

Kev.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

It is not a very old van, the only reasons for it having no antifreeze in it are that the owner is a nut and drained it or there is or was a problem. If there was a problem and it was professionally fixed then it would have anti freeze in it. It sounds like an amateur messing about and not wanting to put anti freeze in till he is sure the problem, what ever it was, is fixed. In the absence of a very good answer from the seller I would give it a miss, Alan.


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## hblewett (Jan 28, 2008)

Wizzo said:


> It could be something quite simple to fix but it could also be a fault that's difficult to get at. Worst case is probably a core plug in an awkward place that's leaking slightly.
> 
> A core plug is like a metal bung about the size of a 5p placed in the engine block at strategic points in the cooling system. They are like a safety plug designed to give way in case the water system freezes. The trouble with these is they can be in very awkward places to get at
> 
> JohnW


I have fixed a core plug by putting a generous layer of araldite on the outside - it lasted for a couple of years. I'm not sure I'd be so keen with an expensive motorhome, but if you're going to get a bargain anyway it may save cost of accessing a core plug if that was a problem


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

It's possible that the seller is one of the old school types who don't believe in newfangled stuff like anti-freeze, just drains it down over winter and refills with plain water each spring.

So it could have been used for years with no inhibitor in the cooling system - who knows?

We'll have to wait for the seller's reply.


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