Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: omegod on 12 August 2013, 18:37:50
-
Stripped most of the engine down on my dead 2.6 to get some parts off for sale and was expecting to see the cam belt having jumped or snapped...nope! all timed correctly and the heads/valves are absolutely fine. Bottom end is locked solid though so suspect the oil pick up became blocked and lunched the crank bearing despite 2 oil changes in 1000 miles and running sweetly. I will pull off the sump at some point to see what state the bearings are in just out of curiosity.
Same thing happened to my cousins 2.6 ::) I wonder if they are prone to it?
-
Same thing happened to a '52' 2.6 MV6 I had. The oil pick up became blocked after a recent oil change and locked the engine. I almost became paranoid. When I bought my 2.6 Elite, Daz took the sump off and cleaned the oil pick up. It had full VX SH, so oil changed every 20k miles. I was worried about the same thing happening to the Elite.
It's a bit of an extreme step, but any unknown Omega to me, I would take the sump off to clean the oil pick up to be extra safe, then I'd know there would be no issue with ongoing frequent oil changes.
-
Same thing happened to my first 3.2 breaker. :y
-
I had a suspicion it may have been this when I went round to the new ( unhappy buyers) house and could have probably towed it back,stripped it down for a clean up and it may have run sweet again but would never have slept if I sold it to someone else so thought bugger it it's a breaker now and got nearly home before it locked up. Does seem 2.6's may be more vulnerable to this problem !
-
That shows the sort of chap you are! I'd have no qualms in buying a car from you. As a dealer, I have much stricter guidlines, SOGA etc but you sold it privately so in theory could have washed your hands of it. But you took the right, moral approach. I hope once broken and sold, it doesn't turn out to cause too much of a loss for you.
-
That shows the sort of chap you are! I'd have no qualms in buying a car from you. As a dealer, I have much stricter guidlines, SOGA etc but you sold it privately so in theory could have washed your hands of it. But you took the right, moral approach. I hope once broken and sold, it doesn't turn out to cause too much of a loss for you.
Hear, Hear! :y
-
That shows the sort of chap you are! I'd have no qualms in buying a car from you. As a dealer, I have much stricter guidlines, SOGA etc but you sold it privately so in theory could have washed your hands of it. But you took the right, moral approach. I hope once broken and sold, it doesn't turn out to cause too much of a loss for you.
Hear, Hear! :y
+1 :y
guys, just trying to understand something from my learning point of view.....
are we saying the oil pick up blocked BECAUSE of frequent oil changes? :-\ sorry if ive misread. would have thought new oil would go through really nice taking any building up crud with it and through the filter?
:y
-
....
guys, just trying to understand something from my learning point of view.....
are we saying the oil pick up blocked BECAUSE of frequent oil changes? :-\ sorry if ive misread. would have thought new oil would go through really nice taking any building up crud with it and through the filter?
:y
I think it's guess work :-\ :-\
A severely neglected engine may have lumps of cruddy carbonised oil stuck into the recesses of the block. A few changes of oil might have knocked some of these lumps away (same as using an engine flush) which have become stuck in the mesh of the oil pump pick up pipe ....... A speculative guess :-\ :-\
-
....
guys, just trying to understand something from my learning point of view.....
are we saying the oil pick up blocked BECAUSE of frequent oil changes? :-\ sorry if ive misread. would have thought new oil would go through really nice taking any building up crud with it and through the filter?
:y
I think it's guess work :-\ :-\
A severely neglected engine may have lumps of cruddy carbonised oil stuck into the recesses of the block. A few changes of oil might have knocked some of these lumps away (same as using an engine flush) which have become stuck in the mesh of the oil pump pick up pipe ....... A speculative guess :-\ :-\
got ya! so in effect the fact that the oil is doing its job could have contributed to the blockage. I suppose the old oil would just sail past it then :-\
:y
-
Whichever way you look at it, it's going to end badly. If the service history is in doubt, drop the sump and clean the strainer. The sump itself will normally have a load of crap caked on to it. It doesn't take long, and is a very worthwhile process.
-
make it a coffee table :y :y :y
-
make it a coffee table :y :y :y
The wife has already said no to that as well as a CDX sofa ;D
-
Whichever way you look at it, it's going to end badly. If the service history is in doubt, drop the sump and clean the strainer. The sump itself will normally have a load of crap caked on to it. It doesn't take long, and is a very worthwhile process.
Indeed. Or if its been serviced to Vauxhall's spec, which so many are, and owners seem proud of :'(
-
yes they're prone to it.
I'd go so far as to say I've never seen an Omega that isn't in the early stages of big-end failure.
Blame too-high oil temperatures
-
yes they're prone to it.
I'd go so far as to say I've never seen an Omega that isn't in the early stages of big-end failure.
Blame too-high oil temperatures
I think you are on to something there. Vee engines are particularly hard on big ends because two bearings have to be squeezed into the space normally occupied by a single big end of an in-line engine.
Fully synthetic oils are intended to cope with extreme temperatures. I know many in oof don't see the point but I am convinced that it is worth paying a little bit more for GM 5w30 synthetic oil (dexron ?) .
There are other benefits too from running thinner oil eg less resistance from cold, if engine is revved when cold it is less likely to blow oil seals, (allegedly) better fuel consumption, and I am convinced that it is capable of freeing sticky valve lifters without having to use an additive.
-
I definitely agree about using fully syn but I am wary of GM dexos 2 which is ACEA C3 spec . The oil manufacturers pointedly pass responsibility back to the car makers, saying 'GM say the C3 spec is backwards compatible with A3'. It is or it isn't, why not state it yourself? In fact ACEA say differently "Warning: these oils have the lowest SAPS limits and are unsuitable for use in some engines. " I believe C3 is aimed at diesel exhaust particulate filters and very modern cats. Quite a few fully syn oils, usually the most expensive ones are C3.
From http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=113301.msg1429257#msg1429257 (http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=113301.msg1429257#msg1429257)
I'd be interested to see a photo of the oil pick up or does someone have one of a blocked pick up already?
-
Fully synthetic oils are intended to cope with extreme temperatures. I know many in oof don't see the point but I am convinced that it is worth paying a little bit more for GM 5w30 synthetic oil (dexron ?) .
Yep, seeing the state that Semi Syn gets into in these engines (and my Westfield, where you can see it breaking down in terms of reduced oil pressure) prompted me to go fully syn.
Also, remember that the 20K service interval was conditional on the use of A3 oils whereas I wouldn't be surprised if most main dealers just get their bulk tank filled up with the cheapest cr@p they can get hold of and the customer carries on blissfully unaware that their oil is being used 15k beyond the end of its' useful life. >:(
-
The sump was dropped on my 140k 3.2 Elite, we found some shards of crap on the strainer. Talking tiny amounts though, think poor maintenance followed by good maintenance can cause this ? :-\
-
It happens to the 2.5 as well. First Omega we bought for mum was a 99 2.5 with seized bottom end. Think it is just down to poor oil maintenance myself.
We replaced engine and all was well for many years.
-
At 207k, and 120k of that as me as an owner, I couldn't complain if my big ends let go tomorrow. Obviously I'd be gutted, but couldn't complain.
I think the GM service intervals are the biggest problem.
-
20k oil change intervals and a 90c running temp seem excessive to me. Being honest. :-\
-
guys can I just clarify whats been said.....
most omegas are probably going to have worn big end bearings irrespective of oil changes.... how come most of them do lots of miles then?
sorry just trying to understand :y
-
20k oil change intervals and a 90c running temp seem excessive to me. Being honest. :-\
Think the running coolant temp might be a bit higher than that - usually dashboard temp gauges read a little lower on the scale inaccurate scale in order not to worry the average driver!
-
certainly Omegas have a disproportionately high incidence of big-end failure.
I've done maybe eight Omega engine rebuilds now, every one prompted by big-end failure, rather than anything else
-
certainly Omegas have a disproportionately high incidence of big-end failure.
I've done maybe eight Omega engine rebuilds now, every one prompted by big-end failure, rather than anything else
Probably those that arnt well looked after, lots of OOF'ers have good milage,and no failures
-
:o scary thread.. enough to fill in my pants ;D
full synthetic from now on..
-
:o scary thread.. enough to fill in my pants ;D
full synthetic from now on..
:o ;D
Im going to take that Poundland oil back now :-[ ::)
-
Well, I rolled over 208k today. It did it in style, and at speed.
-
Howz the roof now ;D
Sounds like someone will get ear ache about the fuel consumption ::)
-
Howz the roof now ;D
Sounds like someone will get ear ache about the fuel consumption ::)
I got earache at the time. Which I always find encouragement to try harder ;D