Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: terry paget on 09 September 2013, 19:53:23

Title: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: terry paget on 09 September 2013, 19:53:23
X84GNB
This is the crunch point. I am changing the RH exhaust manifold. New manifold is on, so are heat shields and downpipe. I have changed the O ring in the transfer pipe. I now have to insert the two screws to hold the pipe to the cylinder head. I cannot do it. I have dropped four screws so far. Is there a trick? Someone must have done it.
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: symes on 09 September 2013, 19:58:21
blu tak/chewing gum and socket on bolt or magnetic socket--that helps :y
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: YZ250 on 09 September 2013, 21:01:37
Unclip pas bottle for a little bit more room, put bolt in hand, ram your hand through the gap until gap gets slightly wider, pull hand back up and feel for the locating hole.  :y
Could be worse, the later engines have two bolts, one for dipstick and one for transfer pipe, so you have to do it twice.  :o :o
You are working blind so 'feel' is the only way.  :y
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: symes on 09 September 2013, 21:07:20
Unclip pas bottle for a little bit more room, put bolt in hand, ram your hand through the gap until gap gets slightly wider, pull hand back up and feel for the locating hole.  :y
Could be worse, the later engines have two bolts, one for dipstick and one for transfer pipe, so you have to do it twice.  :o :o
You are working blind so 'feel' is the only way.  :y
other side of  engine mate ;) ;)
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: YZ250 on 09 September 2013, 21:12:52
Unclip pas bottle for a little bit more room, put bolt in hand, ram your hand through the gap until gap gets slightly wider, pull hand back up and feel for the locating hole.  :y
Could be worse, the later engines have two bolts, one for dipstick and one for transfer pipe, so you have to do it twice.  :o :o
You are working blind so 'feel' is the only way.  :y
other side of  engine mate ;) ;)

 :-[ :-[
Sorry, thought OP meant coolant transfer pipe to thermostat on a V6.  :-[
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: symes on 09 September 2013, 21:24:46
so did i at first mate :D ;D ;D
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: amba on 09 September 2013, 22:33:34
Given the limited access and difficulty in seeing what you are doing I used this approach and it worked first time albeith I had a stiff back for several days. :o

Get a large peice of foam or old pillow and wrap it in couple of dust sheets or similar to make a decent kneeling mat.Put 1 on the front slam panel and the other ontop of the the engine,camcovers etc to foarm a soft area to kneel on and lean across.

Knee l on the slam panle and lean over as far as you can reach so you are directly above the back of the engine.Get a decent torch and a mirro on a shaft that way you should be able to see down the back of the engine.Make sure you have the correct bolts and the right size deep socket close to hand.You should then be able to wedge the mirror in such a position that allows you to see the 2 mounting holes.Carefully guide the transfer pipe into position and then fit the bottom bolt first into the hole in the pipe plate and line up with the hole in block.Gently get thread to start and then do the same on the top bolt .Once both have started to take thread get them as far in with the socket by hand as even less room for the ratchet,but I found by having the handle of the ratchet facing the ground and taking very small clicks on the ratchet you will eventually get it tight.Dont expect being able to torque it up as suggested in the Haynes book though.

Make very very certain that the "O" ring stays in place..I would suggest a liberal smear of grease in the ridge of the pipe and all over the seal to avoid it dropping whilst fitting as after you get it all back together you will have a major coolant leak and need to strip it down again .

Best of luck,it is fiddly ;)
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: terry paget on 11 September 2013, 17:53:12
Phew! That was a job. It is on now. Thanks to all, especially Amba. I did not clamber on to the engine, I leaned over (I am 6'2" tall) and eventually managed to get the screws in and tighten them by hand as Amba advised. No chance of torquing them up. I bet Haynes did the job with the engine out of the car.
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: symes on 11 September 2013, 21:09:11
well done mate --migs are a pain in the neck/back aren't they :D ;D ;D Glad you getting there mate--soon be on the road again :y :y :y :y
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: omegod on 11 September 2013, 22:05:40
A small 8mm ratchet spanner can be a godsend too! if you are ever mad enough to do this again!
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: Webby the Bear on 11 September 2013, 22:14:44
sorry, I know i'm thick  :-[ but im still confused about what bolt we're actually talking about  :-\ I initially thought it was the 'b' bolt
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: symes on 11 September 2013, 22:16:23
long pipe over manifold/drivers side-goes to rad :y yes that one
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: Webby the Bear on 11 September 2013, 22:19:45
long pipe over manifold/drivers side-goes to rad :y yes that one

the big thick silver one that goes right round the back of the engine? when me and martin got heads off we left this in situ. or at least I think we did......gets PJs on and goes to omega with torch  ;D
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: symes on 11 September 2013, 22:46:58
as said-yes that one-sorry -mind reading again-answering before you ask :D
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 12 September 2013, 14:43:17
There not to hard, the tricks are:

1) Dont tighten the bolt that holds the pipe to the EGR bracket, leave it loose.

2) Use an 8mm quarter inch drive socket on a short extension to get better access aroudn the oil cooler pipes.
Title: Re: How do I get the screws in the coolant transfer pipe?
Post by: terry paget on 15 September 2013, 09:57:35
Given the limited access and difficulty in seeing what you are doing I used this approach and it worked first time albeith I had a stiff back for several days. :o

Get a large peice of foam or old pillow and wrap it in couple of dust sheets or similar to make a decent kneeling mat.Put 1 on the front slam panel and the other ontop of the the engine,camcovers etc to foarm a soft area to kneel on and lean across.

Knee l on the slam panle and lean over as far as you can reach so you are directly above the back of the engine.Get a decent torch and a mirro on a shaft that way you should be able to see down the back of the engine.Make sure you have the correct bolts and the right size deep socket close to hand.You should then be able to wedge the mirror in such a position that allows you to see the 2 mounting holes.Carefully guide the transfer pipe into position and then fit the bottom bolt first into the hole in the pipe plate and line up with the hole in block.Gently get thread to start and then do the same on the top bolt .Once both have started to take thread get them as far in with the socket by hand as even less room for the ratchet,but I found by having the handle of the ratchet facing the ground and taking very small clicks on the ratchet you will eventually get it tight.Dont expect being able to torque it up as suggested in the Haynes book though.

Make very very certain that the "O" ring stays in place..I would suggest a liberal smear of grease in the ridge of the pipe and all over the seal to avoid it dropping whilst fitting as after you get it all back together you will have a major coolant leak and need to strip it down again .

Best of luck,it is fiddly ;)
Disaster! Having fully reassembled things and filled with water, I find I have a coolant leak at the back of the engine. I can't say I wasn't warned. I suppose the wretched O ring has fallen out. I did check its presence time and time again whenever I retried to get the screws in, but I guess it dropped out in my last attempt to get the screws in. Bother.