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Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: star_whites on 31 December 2008, 14:38:35

Title: V6 Water Leak
Post by: star_whites on 31 December 2008, 14:38:35
Hopefully one of you may be able to give me a few ideas.

My 3.0 V6 1999 has started with a water leak. I noticed it due to using 1 litre of water over two weeks but due to the cold water I have noticed what I first thought was smoke but is steam coming from under the bonnett on the passenger side of the engine bay.

On taking a closer look I could see one or two drops of water dripping off the gearbox bellhousing but nothing really. I then popped the bonnett and could see that the water was dripping onto the passenger side manifold/downpipe causing the steam.

At first I was thinking heater bypass valve leaking but now Im not so sure as that is situated more to the left hand block than the right.

Anyone got any ideas??
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: duggs on 31 December 2008, 14:58:25
Get it checked out properly and don't drive her too much.

A water leak in the same place for me, turned out to be a water hose right at the back.

A £5 hose cost me over £350 cause the dripping buggered up the Dis pack. Tis a pain but get it sorted...sooner the better.
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 31 December 2008, 15:01:05
Quote
Hopefully one of you may be able to give me a few ideas.

My 3.0 V6 1999 has started with a water leak. I noticed it due to using 1 litre of water over two weeks but due to the cold water I have noticed what I first thought was smoke but is steam coming from under the bonnett on the passenger side of the engine bay.

On taking a closer look I could see one or two drops of water dripping off the gearbox bellhousing but nothing really. I then popped the bonnett and could see that the water was dripping onto the passenger side manifold/downpipe causing the steam.

At first I was thinking heater bypass valve leaking but now Im not so sure as that is situated more to the left hand block than the right.

Anyone got any ideas??


I  would still be looking first at the HBV as that is the most common fault that causes this kind of coolant loss, and it fairly easily checked by removing the wipers and lifting the scuttle out of the way to observe the HBV from all angles. ;)  

The water could easily be flowing down the pipes onto the left hand side of the engine and onto the gearbox, although with mine it all seemed to flow out onto the right side! ;)
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Elite Pete on 31 December 2008, 15:03:21
As Lizzie says, I would check the heater bypass valve first ;)
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: star_whites on 31 December 2008, 15:08:57
Is the same HBV as fitted to a 2.0 as I have a spare for a 2.0??
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: jonathanh on 31 December 2008, 15:11:07
yep - common across most of the VX range I believe
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: RichB on 31 December 2008, 16:59:59
I have exactly the same leak but i'm pretty sure its not from the HBV and I had a new Vauxhall one a few months ago.  Mark is going to help me have a look at it later on in Jan so if we find anything we will let you know, and if you find out where its coming from please let me know so we can check that out too.


Cheers,

Richard
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 31 December 2008, 17:06:21
This is what the HBV looks like mate  :y

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1192574064
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: v6coop on 01 January 2009, 20:01:04
You may want to look at this post http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1218214895/10#10 for other possible sources if not the Heater Bypass valve. Not sure if they are likely to leak onto the manifold though.

Edit - Might help now I've put the link in  ;D
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Jack-V6 on 01 January 2009, 21:56:13
I have the same problem,
It's not the HBV i've changed it yesterday.

Its also leaking petrol on the passengersite (seen as RHD)
only tis is leaking near to the oilfilter not on the gearbox.
i can't see where its coming from.

Gr Jack


Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 01 January 2009, 23:20:50
Quote
I have the same problem,
It's not the HBV i've changed it yesterday.

Its also leaking petrol on the passengersite (seen as RHD)
only tis is leaking near to the oilfilter not on the gearbox.
i can't see where its coming from.

Gr Jack




I know I could be very wrong here, misunderstanding your engine layout on a left hand drive vehicle, with petrol leaking on the passenger side (drivers side in Britain). ::) ::)

But the oil filter on RHD vehicles is on the passenger side (your drivers side), so if petrol is leaking onto it, i.e. from the left hand side of the engine to the right, that must be very worrying!! :o :o  

I would certainly not use it until you know where it is leaking from. ;)
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Jack-V6 on 01 January 2009, 23:37:03
Quote
Quote
I have the same problem,
It's not the HBV i've changed it yesterday.

Its also leaking petrol on the passengersite (seen as RHD)
only tis is leaking near to the oilfilter not on the gearbox.
i can't see where its coming from.

Gr Jack




I know I could be very wrong here, misunderstanding your engine layout on a left hand drive vehicle, with petrol leaking on the passenger side (drivers side in Britain). ::) ::)

But the oil filter on RHD vehicles is on the passenger side (your drivers side), so if petrol is leaking onto it, i.e. from the left hand side of the engine to the right, that must be very worrying!! :o :o  

I would certainly not use it until you know where it is leaking from. ;)

Oil filter fitted on the left side of the engine.
Its the same as in britain.

But becaus i'm driving an LHD i try'd to explain it for a RHD.

it is al the same exept the steering wheel.


I don't srive the car until it's repaird.

Gr Jack
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: v6coop on 02 January 2009, 07:39:06
Sorry I missed the link out of my post higher up the page. I have inserted it now.  ::)
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 02 January 2009, 07:46:29
Quote
Quote
Quote
I have the same problem,
It's not the HBV i've changed it yesterday.

Its also leaking petrol on the passengersite (seen as RHD)
only tis is leaking near to the oilfilter not on the gearbox.
i can't see where its coming from.

Gr Jack




I know I could be very wrong here, misunderstanding your engine layout on a left hand drive vehicle, with petrol leaking on the passenger side (drivers side in Britain). ::) ::)

But the oil filter on RHD vehicles is on the passenger side (your drivers side), so if petrol is leaking onto it, i.e. from the left hand side of the engine to the right, that must be very worrying!! :o :o  

I would certainly not use it until you know where it is leaking from. ;)

Oil filter fitted on the left side of the engine.
Its the same as in britain.

But becaus i'm driving an LHD i try'd to explain it for a RHD.

it is al the same exept the steering wheel.


I don't srive the car until it's repaird.

Gr Jack


Yep, so I was right in my understanding with the oil filter on the left of the engine looking out from the drivers point of view, for either RHD or your LHD. ;) ;)

That does confirm my concern that petrol is going from the right side of the engine (again looking out as the driver would), where all the fuel workings are, to the side of the oil filter.  That signifies a major leak of some kind, and I am very pleased to hear you will not be driving the car until fixed!! 8-) 8-) :D ;)
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Jack-V6 on 02 January 2009, 10:08:03
Ihave a little boy 5 months i don't take a risc.

I think it's the injectionrail.

But the water leak, i can't find the problem, it's leaking realy bad.
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 02 January 2009, 12:54:53
Quote
Ihave a little boy 5 months i don't take a risc.

I think it's the injectionrail.

But the water leak, i can't find the problem, it's leaking realy bad.


Have you managed yet to look around the area of the HBV as I suggested before, with the wipers off and the scuttle pulled back out of the way? :-? :-?

Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Jack-V6 on 02 January 2009, 13:59:52
the hbv is replaced two days ago. 8-)

i replaced al the clamps to and inspected the hoses. ::)
wen i look under the car  i see the exhaust manifold and it's turnd orange same as the bulkhead.  

Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 02 January 2009, 14:11:24
Quote
the hbv is replaced two days ago. 8-)

i replaced al the clamps to and inspected the hoses. ::)
wen i look under the car  i see the exhaust manifold and it's turnd orange same as the bulkhead.  



Sorry Jack, missed that point in the earlier posting; it's old older age you know!! ;D ;)
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: star_whites on 02 January 2009, 21:03:13
Thanks for all your reply's but not had much time to look at it yet, well that and it's been bloody freezing.

I decided to strip my 2.0 down first just to see how to get the wipers and scuttle off and how easy it is to get to the hbv from this angle as I remember how much of a pain in the backside to replace the hbv on that was from underneath with a hot engine!

Ive started by starting to remove the wipers but then could not work out how the scuttle is fastened on at the back. Ive just found my haynes manual and that states that there are securing clips under the windscreen rubber seal if Im reading it correctly.
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: ngrainqey on 02 January 2009, 21:04:55
yep andy, if you use two screwdrivers (flat bladed)
use one to hold the rubber up and the second to quarter turn i believe the 7 from memory clips

can pop round and give you a hand if you like lol!
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: Jack-V6 on 02 January 2009, 21:07:28
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd274/omega3-0/fotosgeluidinstallatie019.jpg)

GR Jack
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: star_whites on 02 January 2009, 21:39:35
Thanks for that, it makes a bit more sense now.

Will remove it on my 2.0 then do it on my 3.0 and hopefully answer where the leak is coming from (thats if it aint freezing cold again)

I would have thought that you would be working on the turbo or has that ground to a halt lol
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: ngrainqey on 02 January 2009, 21:42:41
lol its ground to a halt till i get a welder :P and sort the 2.5 lump out, plus i have a cdx facelift to play with and im on about taking the 3.9 diff off my 2.0 to put it on my 2.6
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: star_whites on 02 January 2009, 21:50:20
Oh dear lol, sounds like you have your hands full with that lot.

Im going to have another look at it tomorrow if it aint freezing and carry on stripping the engine on my 2.0 to do the head before selling her.

Your more then welcome if your bored lol
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: feeutfo on 03 January 2009, 01:58:55
most common seems to be hbv as said. Other options are, stat housing, oil cooler cover plate and coolent bridge in the v of the engine, due to the  the slight back angle of the engine etc  most leaks run back over the bell housing and down off the 2 bolts under the gear box.

Then their is core plugs to cylinder head, seen a pic on here of coolent deposits around the dis pac area on right hand drive cars. I beleive left hand drive cars have the wiper mechanism reversed, so presume the scuttle drain and dis pac may well be on the other side as well. Which may make it easier for hbv to spray water to the left side (as you sit in it)of the engine bay. Maybe..?

If its core plugs, if a bottle of bars stop leak potion dont fix it(1 only per system or you risk blockage) then its head off time. Rare but also consider external head gaskit leak. Water pump too but as that at the front of the engine presume not relevant here.
 Hth.


Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: star_whites on 03 January 2009, 21:01:16
Well I stripped down my 2.0 and bow what a pain in the arse were the wipers. They were well seized, but they eventually came off so can now strip my 3.0 tomorrow (weather permitting).

One question if anyone can answer is what is the best way to remove a rounded off star drive (size 10). Since I had already started stripping the car I carried on and stripped almost all the head down. However when I came to remove the tube mounted ontop of the exhaust manifold one of the E10 star drive it rounded off straight away. Ive managed to remove most of the manifold bolts but am struggling getting past to the last remaining bolt so need to remove this.

Anyone got any good ideas to remove. Ive already tried to get the mole grips on but there is not suffient room to get hold of it properly with the set I have got??  :-/
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: ngrainqey on 03 January 2009, 21:03:44
technically it sounds like a complete arse to do but if you could get an angle grinder in then grind some spanner flats on it otherwise i think the other way is to hammer a socket on
Title: Re: V6 Water Leak
Post by: ngrainqey on 03 January 2009, 21:05:14
Quote
Oh dear lol, sounds like you have your hands full with that lot.

Im going to have another look at it tomorrow if it aint freezing and carry on stripping the engine on my 2.0 to do the head before selling her.

Your more then welcome if your bored lol

not quite got my hands full lol, i do it all as i can be arsed :P