Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: SparticusMK2 on 22 November 2007, 14:01:45

Title: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: SparticusMK2 on 22 November 2007, 14:01:45
After careful consideration (better safe than sorry) I decided to have the Cam belt changed on my V6 Elite.
Firstly I phned around for some quotes; I got quite a supprise.
Quote 1 £430 (A garage recommended by a friend)
Quote 2 £390-420 (Main Dealer)
Quote 3 £275 (A local garage 5mins up the road)
Quote 4 I WON'T TOUCH IT (That was a Vauxhall Mechanic gone private!!)

I decided to go with Quote 3; mainly because I can drop and walk to work!
I also had fitted a water pump + new aux Belt.

Total cost £416  :o was this a good price?
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 November 2007, 14:11:55
Quote
Quote 4 I WON'T TOUCH IT (That was a Vauxhall Mechanic gone private!!)

Not much of a Vauxhall mechanic then!

Kevin

Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: SparticusMK2 on 22 November 2007, 14:29:10
He'd had a couple or bad experiences that cost him a lot of money  :-/

He's Old School prefers the older (easier) vauxhalls...... Mk 2 Cavs etc :-?
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 22 November 2007, 14:35:56
Quote
He'd had a couple or bad experiences that cost him a lot of money  :-/

He's Old School prefers the older (easier) vauxhalls...... Mk 2 Cavs etc :-?

His days are numbered then......

You only get problems when you do it wrong or dont use the locking tools.
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 November 2007, 14:46:04
Sounds like the gas man I phoned up once to connect a boiler.

"What model is it?"
....
"Oooh, no, mate. Not interested."
"It's a boiler. You're a CORGI registered gas fitter. I'm asking you to install a piece of pipe supplying the gas to it. What's the problem?"
"Ahh, well, I prefer working on Potterton's.. I can sell you...."

Kevin
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: MattR on 22 November 2007, 14:51:26
i dont know about the V6's but i know that my omega is the worst car in the world to work on, both my experience, and my uncle (and this is a man who has worked all his life on mercedes, volvo, and then when he went private, just about any mainstream car) his own words; "the worst car i have ever worked on"

however, the timing belt shouldnt have been too bad a job, even on the V6's. strange..l..
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 22 November 2007, 15:04:59
Quote
Sounds like the gas man I phoned up once to connect a boiler.

"What model is it?"
....
"Oooh, no, mate. Not interested."
"It's a boiler. You're a CORGI registered gas fitter. I'm asking you to install a piece of pipe supplying the gas to it. What's the problem?"
"Ahh, well, I prefer working on Potterton's.. I can sell you...."

Kevin

Do it yourself, the gas council say you can (Corgi do not set the regs) as its not for profit....you just need to assess yourself to determine if you are compitent.
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 22 November 2007, 15:05:57
Quote
i dont know about the V6's but i know that my omega is the worst car in the world to work on, both my experience, and my uncle (and this is a man who has worked all his life on mercedes, volvo, and then when he went private, just about any mainstream car) his own words; "the worst car i have ever worked on"

however, the timing belt shouldnt have been too bad a job, even on the V6's. strange..l..

Nothing I find to difficult about them....unless they have the BMW diseasel in them.
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: SparticusMK2 on 22 November 2007, 15:18:04
It was only on this rare occasion I decided to let someone else do the work + I had the money ;)

I have to finish my other 4 cars before being able to fit the Omega in my workshop.  ::)
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 November 2007, 15:19:13
Quote
you just need to assess yourself to determine if you are compitent.

Ahh, like I did before I fitted my hob?

Quote
i dont know about the V6's but i know that my omega is the worst car in the world to work on

Try working on an MX5, or almost any front wheel drive car that isn't a big car with a poxy engine.

Kevin
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: MattR on 22 November 2007, 15:31:15
fair does! i suppose theres worse, its just the recent horrors of clutch and headgasket were fresh in my mind!
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 22 November 2007, 16:38:49
Clutch on an Omega is easy.....MUCH easier than any modern front wheel drive (i.e. Volvo etc).

Head gasket is not to hard either....bit of leaning over the slam panel to cope with.
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: MattR on 22 November 2007, 16:48:51
easy... but not disconnecting the hydraulic hose, its an absolute pain, especially if youve never done one afore.


sorry, its gone off topic!
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: ffcgary1 on 22 November 2007, 17:03:07
QUOTE 3 IS THE FULL  BELT KIT I HOPE. :y
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: TheBoy on 22 November 2007, 19:43:17
Quote
Quote
i dont know about the V6's but i know that my omega is the worst car in the world to work on, both my experience, and my uncle (and this is a man who has worked all his life on mercedes, volvo, and then when he went private, just about any mainstream car) his own words; "the worst car i have ever worked on"

however, the timing belt shouldnt have been too bad a job, even on the V6's. strange..l..

Nothing I find to difficult about them....unless they have the BMW diseasel in them.
OUCH! You hurtful bugger.

I'd be angry, if it it wasn't so true ;D
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: TheBoy on 22 November 2007, 19:44:13
Quote
After careful consideration (better safe than sorry) I decided to have the Cam belt changed on my V6 Elite.
Firstly I phned around for some quotes; I got quite a supprise.
Quote 1 £430 (A garage recommended by a friend)
Quote 2 £390-420 (Main Dealer)
Quote 3 £275 (A local garage 5mins up the road)
Quote 4 I WON'T TOUCH IT (That was a Vauxhall Mechanic gone private!!)

I decided to go with Quote 3; mainly because I can drop and walk to work!
I also had fitted a water pump + new aux Belt.

Total cost £416  :o was this a good price?
Ensure its the full cambelt kits, ie belt and tensioners.  Also, ensure he has a proper locking/timing kit - it can not be done properly without (unlike most others).
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: SparticusMK2 on 23 November 2007, 08:20:58
Quote
QUOTE 3 IS THE FULL  BELT KIT I HOPE. :y

Yes it was the full kit!
In my lunch break I took a little strole down to the garage; they were very helpful, they explained everything showing me the complete cam belt kit, aux belt and why they thought the water pump needed replacing.
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: TheBoy on 23 November 2007, 09:03:22
Quote
Quote
QUOTE 3 IS THE FULL  BELT KIT I HOPE. :y

Yes it was the full kit!
In my lunch break I took a little strole down to the garage; they were very helpful, they explained everything showing me the complete cam belt kit, aux belt and why they thought the water pump needed replacing.
Do they have the timing kit?
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: davlad22 on 23 November 2007, 10:01:44
When timing 'kit' is implied, what does this consist of? Strobe?
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: hotel21 on 23 November 2007, 11:55:32
Quote
When timing 'kit' is implied, what does this consist of? Strobe?

Ref cambelt timing kit, this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Laser-V6-Engine-Timing-Set-VAUXHALL-Vectra-SRi-SAAB_W0QQitemZ140181526038QQihZ004QQcategoryZ72205QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) is not the best of kits available out there - a few members tried one and could not get the job done properly - but will give an idea of whats required.

Two locking parts (green and red) and a timing 'shape' to ensure marks line ip properly - the double 'C' shape.  Also most important is the crankshaft locking/timing device which is the silver part.  It fastens to the crankshaft and times up onto the waterpump.

No need for a timing lamp....

The 'Kit' part is the belt and tensioners, similar to this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vauxhall-Sintra-Vectra-Omega-V6-Timing-Cam-Belt-Kit-new_W0QQitemZ330188755676QQihZ014QQcategoryZ10404QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) .
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: CyNick on 23 November 2007, 12:06:02
Davlad22

The 'Kit' part is the belt and tensioners, similar to this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vauxhall-Sintra-Vectra-Omega-V6-Timing-Cam-Belt-Kit-new_W0QQitemZ330188755676QQihZ014QQcategoryZ10404QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) .[/quote]



Is this a recommended purchase or should I only consider Vauxhall Genuine Parts?

Nick - from another post - Shredded Aux Belt + Cam teeth slipped??
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: davlad22 on 23 November 2007, 12:06:51
^^^^^^^^^
Nice one  :y So, with all the locking kit, will the timing be absolutely spot on as before? Would I be right in saying also that only genuine parts (belt etc) should be used for maximum reliability?
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: davlad22 on 23 November 2007, 12:08:08
Beat me to it! And what's the cost? (James will know i suspect)
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: hotel21 on 23 November 2007, 12:27:46
Personally, I would suggest the gen VX kit which costs about £90 plus VAT for the V6 on Trade Club.  As said by others, do not attempt to fit without the proper timing kit.  The DVD, available from user Robin Hood for a couple of quid, shows you how.
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 23 November 2007, 12:45:35
Quote
Personally, I would suggest the gen VX kit which costs about £90 plus VAT for the V6 on Trade Club.  As said by others, do not attempt to fit without the proper timing kit.  The DVD, available from user Robin Hood for a couple of quid, shows you how.

Agreed.

Just as an afterthought - bear in mind the GM kit will unlikely have the markings on the belt - as shown in the DVD.

Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: davlad22 on 23 November 2007, 12:49:28
Quote
Quote
Personally, I would suggest the gen VX kit which costs about £90 plus VAT for the V6 on Trade Club.  As said by others, do not attempt to fit without the proper timing kit.  The DVD, available from user Robin Hood for a couple of quid, shows you how.
bear in mind the GM kit will unlikely have the markings on the belt - as shown in the DVD.
Ooh eck  ::)
Title: Re: Cam Belt............Good price?
Post by: ffcgary1 on 23 November 2007, 15:59:39
Mine was a gen vx belt and had the marks on the belt It was replaced about 3 months ago.  so check at the dealers when you get it. :y