Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: stuvaux on 28 January 2008, 22:28:18
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Hi guys,
I have a leak on my 2.5V6. The HBV and oil cooler have both been replaced already.
It is losing around 1 litre every 2 days. With the car on a ramp, coolant can be seen dripping from the area just to the right of where the passenger side front pipes bolt to the manifold.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what is leaking?
Is it a core plug in that area?
Thanks in advance,
Stu
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I had a similar problem with mine , I had a leak at back of engine and I checked all obvious things as you have mentioned but it turned out to be the head gasket had blown a hole in gasket between water way and edge of head to block (on N/S head)
Hope this helps
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are you sure all the pipes are properly reconnected to the hbv? bearing in mind that its quite awkward to see and work at,might be worth checking
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Thanks for the replies...
I really was hoping it was not the head gasket tbh....
All pipes on HBV are secure
Does anyone know the location of the core plug(s) on the 2.5V6? Just in case thats the leak.....
Stu
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If you've just had it all apart .. could it be the coolant bridge is not done up securely ?? If I remember correctly someone else had a similar problem and that was the cause ... :(
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If you've just had it all apart .. could it be the coolant bridge is not done up securely ?? If I remember correctly someone else had a similar problem and that was the cause ... :(
I was thinking it could be something in that area, maybe thermostat as I didn't check that... :(
I had to use new bolts/washers on the coolant bridge (at a cost of £5.50 for 2 bolts and £7 for 4 washers... :o) so I'm fairly sure that is ok....
Stu
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Had a quick look between the V of engine today. It still looks wet down there, so the leak must still be from there.
Could be oil cooler cover or maybe thermostat....
What sealant is best for oil cooler cover/thermostat housing?
Stu
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What sealant would you recommend to seal the oil cooler?
Stu
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When I renewed my Oil Cooler it came with a new Cover Plate too... The sealer that you need to use to seal the Cooler Plate is Part Number 93165267 costs around £7-8 from Vauxhall.
There are also a few washer that need changing that sit between the Coolant Bridge and the Heads, forget what they are called but I am looking at an invoice and there are two part numbers for seals that I had so they are either of these 12992647 or 11076852, either someone will be a long soon to tell you which are the washers or Vauxhall should be able too....
Hope this helps :y
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What sealant would you recommend to seal the oil cooler?
Stu
What sealer did you use?
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When I renewed my Oil Cooler it came with a new Cover Plate too... The sealer that you need to use to seal the Cooler Plate is Part Number 93165267 costs around £7-8 from Vauxhall.
There are also a few washer that need changing that sit between the Coolant Bridge and the Heads, forget what they are called but I am looking at an invoice and there are two part numbers for seals that I had so they are either of these 12992647 or 11076852, either someone will be a long soon to tell you which are the washers or Vauxhall should be able too....
Hope this helps :y
Thanks mate :y
I did use just an instant gasket but that was obviously a mistake..... :'(
I did also change the washers/bolts on the coolant bridge (one of the bolts broke off...but luckily I removed it) which cost £12.50 from the stealers.... :o
The new cover plate also came with the new oil cooler (from autovaux)
Stu
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If you have used normal gasket sealer mate you have used the wrong stuff :(
Look on the bright side you know how to do it and you know what the problem is ;)
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If you have used normal gasket sealer mate you have used the wrong stuff :(
Look on the bright side you know how to do it and you know what the problem is ;)
Thats true mate....I was worried it might have been head gasket...
Just means another few hrs work stripping it down and re-sealing it now.... :-[
Stu
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Update on the leak....
Re-sealed the oil cooler with correct sealant (grey Vaux stuff)
Still seems to be leaking from somewhere at back of engine....not sure if its slowed down yet or not tho....
Anyone any more ideas as to what could be leaking? (seems to still be from same area - looking from underneath, its just to the right of where the p/s front pipe bolts to manifold....)
Stu
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Hi did you checked the coolant hose connection point to the engine as in the picture..Though not easy..But there must be coolant traces around this area...
(http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x80/mecdv6/coolanthose.jpg)
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Thanks for the pic... :y
I did look at that pipe. It looked secure, although there was traces of old coolant there.
But the HBV and oil cooler have leaked before, so I thought these traces would be from that....
Whats the easiest way to access that pipe. I do have some transfer pipe seals (part no. 9129999). Are these the right ones for this pipe also?
Stu
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Thanks for the pic... :y
I did look at that pipe. It looked secure, although there was traces of old coolant there.
But the HBV and oil cooler have leaked before, so I thought these traces would be from that....
Whats the easiest way to access that pipe. I do have some transfer pipe seals (part no. 9129999). Are these the right ones for this pipe also?
Stu
from top ...you need to take the plenum, inlet and other bits..
part numbers dont know..sure someone from here know...
also there are some additives giving color to coolant that you can add
to check leaks..
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There are a couple of core plugs on the rear of the 2-4-6 head.
On the estate I just bought from Max, it was dripping coolant in exactly the area you describe. After doing EVERYTHING else, finally changing the head gasket fixed it :-[ :'(
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and when he says EVERYTHING else, he means it...
we changed, the Transfer pipe & O ring seals from the back of the thermostat, the oil cooler got sorted, every damn rubber pipe, including those feeding the heater matrix, V-collant bridge, HBV twice, and a bunch of other bits too numerous to mention....
then James rebuilt the top end with new heads, and bingo....
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There are a couple of core plugs on the rear of the 2-4-6 head.
On the estate I just bought from Max, it was dripping coolant in exactly the area you describe. After doing EVERYTHING else, finally changing the head gasket fixed it :-[ :'(
Thanks mate.... :y Though that was the reply I was dreading tbh....
How difficult is it to change that head gasket......?
Stu
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This may not help, but I have just replaced my HBV only to find that there was a leak on the single port side of the HBV. The hose had gone porous and leaking everywhere. Had exactly same symptoms as HBV blown.
Phill
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This may not help, but I have just replaced my HBV only to find that there was a leak on the single port side of the HBV. The hose had gone porous and leaking everywhere. Had exactly same symptoms as HBV blown.
Phill
Thanks mate....All ideas much appreciated! :y
Looks like it needs stripping down (yet again), and getting sorted properly....
Stu
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Still not sorted the leak yet :-/
I have noticed though that it loses coolant even while standing....
Does this make a difference?
Or point to what may actually be leaking?
All ideas welcome.... :y
Thanks,
Stu
P.S. If I dont reply straight away to your responses, its because i'm off to sleep now because I was at work last night....I'll reply later....Thanks again in advance :y
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Any ideas anyone? All ideas appreciated.... :y
Thanks,
Stu
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Not sure if this helps, but it seems to leak a lot of water when the engine is turned off...
Any ideas anyone? Please!! I'm getting tired of topping up the car every day....and of seeing that `coolant level` warning..... :(
Stu
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Check all hoses/connections/jubilee clips, as well as the fitting of the filler cap, and the "neck" of the filler cap - these are known to crack.
Leaks that continue with the engine stopped are usually small and difficult to find, they occur because the coolant system is pressurised, so after running it takes a couple of hours for the coolant to cool and the pressure to drop, all that time the leak ( or often just a seep) continues.
In the past I have used coloured kitchen roll/ paper towels ( kimwipe is good) to find these leaks as by wiping down the pipes/joins etc the paper towl changes colour when wet ( light blue kimwipe goes dark blue) which is an aid to finding small but persistent leaks.
Good luck !!
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Check all hoses/connections/jubilee clips, as well as the fitting of the filler cap, and the "neck" of the filler cap - these are known to crack.
Leaks that continue with the engine stopped are usually small and difficult to find, they occur because the coolant system is pressurised, so after running it takes a couple of hours for the coolant to cool and the pressure to drop, all that time the leak ( or often just a seep) continues.
In the past I have used coloured kitchen roll/ paper towels ( kimwipe is good) to find these leaks as by wiping down the pipes/joins etc the paper towl changes colour when wet ( light blue kimwipe goes dark blue) which is an aid to finding small but persistent leaks.
Good luck !!
Thanks mate :y
The leak is quite major to be honest, around a litre a day now... :'(
When it was on the ramp, it seemed to be dripping from rear of engine, next to where p/s front pipes bolt to manifold. But looking from above engine, it also seems wet around the front edge of the sump.....
Oil cooler and HBV have both been done, but still the leak continues...
Not sure what to try next.....looks like taking car off the road for a while so I can strip down and try and find the problem...
Stu
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The only other thing in that area (rear of engine) that I remember is the coolant bridge, that has a few joints/seals - and I think the washers are a tad fancy - sort of metal+rubber things - could be from there, but thats a plenum off job
:(
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The only other thing in that area (rear of engine) that I remember is the coolant bridge, that has a few joints/seals - and I think the washers are a tad fancy - sort of metal+rubber things - could be from there, but thats a plenum off job
:(
I did replace them...along with new bolts (I broke one!) .....cost around £6 just for the 2 washers and £5 for the 2 bolts
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Well, clutching at straws now.... the only thing I can suggest is to spend an hour after the car has stood for 10-12 hours wiping everything you can reach as dry as you can, really being very thorough... then run the engine for an hour or so at low rpm (tickover) without moving the car at all.
This MIGHT allow you to see where the leak is from without airflow blowing water all over the place.
The other option is the flourescent dye you can put in the system, you then shine a UV light and it is supposed to show up the leaks - never used it myself .. :(
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Sounds like a good idea mate....I'm willing to try anything...
Might see if I can get some of that dye actually...
Meanwhile I'm trying to get my Chevette roadworthy to use while I sort the Omega....
Stu
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The only other thing in that area (rear of engine) that I remember is the coolant bridge, that has a few joints/seals - and I think the washers are a tad fancy - sort of metal+rubber things - could be from there, but thats a plenum off job
:(
I did replace them...along with new bolts (I broke one!) .....cost around £6 just for the 2 washers and £5 for the 2 bolts
Did you use genuine Vx Doughty washers or pattern ones ?? Just read in another thread that pattern ones leak ??
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1203368401
JamesV6CDX comment at 23.50
really clutching at straws here .... :(
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The only other thing in that area (rear of engine) that I remember is the coolant bridge, that has a few joints/seals - and I think the washers are a tad fancy - sort of metal+rubber things - could be from there, but thats a plenum off job
:(
I did replace them...along with new bolts (I broke one!) .....cost around £6 just for the 2 washers and £5 for the 2 bolts
Did you use genuine Vx Doughty washers or pattern ones ?? Just read in another thread that pattern ones leak ??
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1203368401
JamesV6CDX comment at 23.50
really clutching at straws here .... :(
Genuine washers and bolts... :y
I think I need to either use some of that dye or wipe clean as you said and run engine to see if leak becomes apparent....