Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Entwood on 08 March 2012, 15:46:43

Title: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Entwood on 08 March 2012, 15:46:43
Do these fail spontaneously ?? or only on "disturbance" ??  Just got back from WIM, and whilst it was up in the air I had a look underneath .. spotted a minor coolant leak from the region of the drain valve ... got home and left it alone for an hour, sure enough a small wet patch front left :( but no longer dripping.... so it looks like it only leaks under full system pressure. In 180 miles I've "lost" just under 1/2 litre.

No time to fix today as I need the car tonight, looking at getting a new radiator drain valve tomorrow, if consensus is it might be that ... 'its obviously the easiest thing to change first... :(
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 08 March 2012, 15:54:52
Is it done up tight?

There are two small rubber seals on the valve which are easy enough to replace
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Entwood on 08 March 2012, 16:03:33
Is it done up tight?

There are two small rubber seals on the valve which are easy enough to replace

Seems firm enough .... :(  My EPC shows the valve as a complete part only, doesn't list the seals seperately .. :(
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 08 March 2012, 16:10:39
It wont but the seals are pretty standard small metric items so should be easy enough to get.
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: HockeyDave55 on 08 March 2012, 20:15:10
I have the same problem, not called VX yet but, Does anybody know the size of the o-rings?
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Andy B on 08 March 2012, 20:27:05
I have the same problem, not called VX yet but, Does anybody know the size of the o-rings?

I wouldn't bother even trying to size the O rings, a new plug/tap is only a few quid.  :y :y :y

I have a new one in my garage somewhere (it came with my new Vx rad a few years ago) but I suspect postage would be as much as the new one.  ;) ;)
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Colin G on 08 March 2012, 21:01:28
Part No. for drain cock is NOW 93194704 and is £1.73 + VAT, interestingly, the part doesn't include the cork washer and the vaux dealer didn't offer an alternative part number for it  ???
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Andy B on 08 March 2012, 21:10:25
Part No. for drain cock is NOW 93194704 and is £1.73 + VAT, interestingly, the part doesn't include the cork washer and the vaux dealer didn't offer an alternative part number for it  ???

Cork washer?  ??? If you mean the washer shown on the picture I've shown a few times, then  it's the rusted remnants of a shake proof washer.  ;) ;) ;) ;)
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Colin G on 09 March 2012, 08:27:39
ah right Andy, as they say, appearances can be deceptive  ;D
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 09 March 2012, 09:20:42
Sadly when my Rad was leaking at the front passenger side, it was a small fracture up on the Rad itself, so I had to have a new one.

Nige - did you see coolant actually coming from the drain? Just thinking your LPG Vap is also in that region, isn't it?
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Entwood on 09 March 2012, 09:24:50
Sadly when my Rad was leaking at the front passenger side, it was a small fracture up on the Rad itself, so I had to have a new one.

Nige - did you see coolant actually coming from the drain? Just thinking your LPG Vap is also in that region, isn't it?

Definitely a coolant leak ... but exact source unconfirmed... once I've had me coffee its out to jack her up and start investigating ... the fluid was certainly on the base of the rad, the LPG Vap is further round, by the horns.. but worth a look .. thanks for the thought :)
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Entwood on 09 March 2012, 12:42:50
Engine has been running an hour with air con off, sitting nice and hot with the fans cutting in & out regularly, so must be at normal temperature and pressure ........

and not a sign of a leak anywhere.

There are the signs of yesterdays leak, clean(er) patches etc... but 'tis as dry as a witches *** ...

Possibly (?) signs of fluid run ABOVE the drain tap, in the moulding of the black plastic, but unsure ... :(

Area around LPG Evap bone dry and dirty ... :)

Totally inconclusive .. :(
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Kevin Wood on 09 March 2012, 12:45:15
let it cool off while keeping an eye on it. I've seen leaks that seal up again once the system gets nice and hot.
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 09 March 2012, 13:49:33
let it cool off while keeping an eye on it. I've seen leaks that seal up again once the system gets nice and hot.

When my rad was split (above the drain tap) it was fine when running, and would only ever leak when it was cooling down...
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Entwood on 09 March 2012, 14:28:53
let it cool off while keeping an eye on it. I've seen leaks that seal up again once the system gets nice and hot.

When my rad was split (above the drain tap) it was fine when running, and would only ever leak when it was cooling down...

Wonder if thats the problem here .. :(
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: Entwood on 11 March 2012, 23:09:30
Well .. done 160 odd miles today .... Cardiff & back ...  water level not dropped at all, no drips on the floor after parking .. so crawl under and its as dry as a bone, can still see where the dirt has been washed off, and where I found the coolant before .. but no signs of anything now .. :(

Most odd ... :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\
Title: Re: Radiator Drain Valve
Post by: HockeyDave55 on 11 March 2012, 23:18:10
Maybe the drain tap fairies have been out and fixed it for you???  ;) wish their friends would pop round to mine!  ::)
Let's hope you leak is not going to show it's head again....