Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: prefacelift on 13 November 2016, 11:13:57
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Good morning good people
I have a 99 mini face 3.0 that appears to leaking engine oil from every orifice particularly from up above even after both cam cover gaskets where changed only a few weeks ago, only 89 on the clock. I'm thinking perhaps the oil pressure regulator may be sticking and creating to much pressure?? Would you guys recommend an engine flush and oil and filter change (paper type) currently fully synthetic oil but after the flush will use mobile 1 semi synthetic..... what do you think.....
Many thanks
Steve. :y
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These engines are not easy to keep the oil inside of. This mostly due to complex and easily blocked breathers, which cause the underdeveloped cam cover gaskets to leak.
So, here's the list of necessary jobs:
Clean the entire breather system.
Check that the cam covers are flat, the gaskets are correctly fitted, and that the bolts are tightened to the necessary 8Nm - a figure that is so loose you need to use a torque wrench to achieve.
Wash as much of the engine as you can manage, ensuring that you don't drench the electrics.
Then you can check for other leaks: the oil pressure sender is a common cause, but a new one is easy to fit and costs £5; the crank and cam seals can also leak, which is a much more involved fix.
I use the thicker grade of oil that is specified, as there is no need for anything 'better'
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What cam cover gaskets did you use?Some gaskets are notoriously poor!As said check breathers are clear and that the covers are true-use a straight edge to confirm.
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thank you gentlemen, BGA gaskets were used and according to my mechanic who is also a friend had checked that the cam covers were straight, maybe the breathers are blocked as you've suggested, i'll check that out this coming week, will probably still do an engine flush as well just to clean the oil pressure regulator in case it is sticking?? I spose it cant hurt..... plus down grade the oil from fully to semi
thanks guys :y
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The wisdom on here says only the correct GM cam cover gaskets work properly. :y
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you are right ::)
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The wisdom on here says only the correct GM cam cover gaskets work properly. :y
You missed off consistently. Like GM oil, or filters it smacks of dogma to me. I am thoroughly underwhelmed by the whole breathers/cam cover/gasket design.
As a paying job, I would have to consider the hassle of a come-back. On my own car, I would just buy another pair of the Elring gaskets that were part of the £12.50 head gasket set I fitted nearly 3 years ago. No, they still don't leak. Actually thinking about it, I would probably use them on a customer's car too.
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As Nick W said, it's not mandatory to use GM gaskets.
Any good-quality suplier will do - Victor Reinz, Erling, Payen.
The quality of the gaskiet itslef has the smallest contribution in the whole saga - blocked breathers, misfitment (gasket not seated properly, due to the akward position), wraped or cracked camcovers - these are all more likely to produce a leak so fast after fitting new gaskets.
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When the engine is running the cam covers are maintained under engine suction by the breather system. Any leaks in the cam cover gaskets allow air to leak in, not oil to leak out. After many years service the small breather hole blocks, then the cam covers are pressurised by crankcase gas blowby, this pressure eventually blows a hole in the cam cover gasket.
Relieving the blockage in the small breather should rectify matters, though changing the blowing gasket is also advisable. Changing the other cam cover gasket is pointless, though often recommended. Fitting expensive Vx gaskets is also pointless, any old set will do. The Omega 2.6 I bought in May 2015 had a leaking cam cover gasket and a complete set of Leader gaskets in the boot, with invoice for £15.75. I fitted one set to the leaking side, cleared the breather, and handed the car over to my daughter. 18 months and 10267 miles later the car is home again for its MOT, and there are no oil leaks.
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Thanks guys will look into breathers this week, appreciate the help.
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Or....... if there's anyone from here that can have look at the breathers for me who doesn't live to far away would be great?? Watford Hertfordshire.
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Breathers dead easy - have you seen the guide? Nice enough job, just involves leaning over a bit, poking your hands down, but once you get the 'feel' it's fine :)
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I'll have a go then thanks geezer
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Just to say that it's unlikely to be anything to do with the oil pressure regulator as this is a very uncommon failure and probably wouldn't result in external oil leakage. Make sure the breathers are clear firstly.
If the breathers are found to be blocked, then it would be worthwhile filling it with some cheap oil, running it for 1000 miles then changing the oil. Repeat until the oil stays clear. If oil changes have been neglected previously, this is where the crud that blocked the breathers has come from.
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SO excessive, but I'm in for the long haul on my car... I actually sourced a complete spare breather box, scrubbed until it was clean enough to be used by a day-old baby to drink from, then swapped it over.
A PAIN and something I shan't be doing again for another 100k miles or so :D
However, the ten times easier means of cleaning breathers, as the guide describes, pop the two hoses off, and make sure they're not blocked. Frequent oil changes also helps avoid this clogging a bit. :y
EDIT: Must type faster, but as Mr Wood says, couple of changes in quick succession won't hurt.
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Thanks Mr Wood and Mr Geezer, as it happens the new oil I put in it 1500 miles ago has gone almost black which explains blocked breather....
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Overfilling the sump allows the cranks to dip in the oil and froth it, encouraging breather blockage. Rumour has it that some detergent oils (Castrol?) froth well, with similar results.
I once bought a used Omega 2.0, and the engine oil was black as molasses. The vertical breather pipe was clogged soild, and the contents took some shifting.
The moral is always use Vauxhall Trade Club oil, change it frequently, and do not overfill.
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This replacement breather box I bought, once I split it apart I was horrified how much black crud was inside. I haven't yet had time/inclination to take apart my car's original one yet. The donor vehicle appeared to have had a clogged-solid breather setup, blown head gaskets, failed timing, all together! :D
As above, change your oil, and do your breathers, keep on top of thise simple things and you're most of the way there
:)
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thanks terry and mr geezer, went to vx today and ordered all the o rings to do the job, 5 to 10 days from Germany though!
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Be thankful they can still get them! :D Certain bits like that I'm assuming are the same as the later V6s as fitted to Vectra Cs and Signums, but there's a ton of stuff that they won't sell you anymore for Omegas - too old :(
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Very true, autovaux are quite good at getting hold of genuine GM deleted parts though. vx still list the breather box but it's £73.