Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Dawes on 01 April 2009, 23:22:46

Title: Oily smell!
Post by: Dawes on 01 April 2009, 23:22:46
I'm wondering if this is a common problem with the V6. Often particularly at low speeds I get an awful smell of oil in the cabin, would this be caused by chocked breathers?
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: duggs on 01 April 2009, 23:28:16
Could be...I have the same problem to be honest and Im SURE its coming from the oil cooler pipes somewhere which are right under the centre console. Mechanic sais is gaskets, I'm sure it ain't but he's reluctant to go and find the leak.
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 01 April 2009, 23:31:17
Quote
Could be...I have the same problem to be honest and Im SURE its coming from the oil cooler pipes somewhere which are right under the centre console. Mechanic sais is gaskets, I'm sure it ain't but he's reluctant to go and find the leak.


If the breathers have got to this "oily smell" stage, the cam cover gaskets have probably gone as well!! ::) ::)

Check for oil in the plug wells. ;) ;)
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: CoolHand on 01 April 2009, 23:52:06
I have the very same problem with an oily smell, do you know how much it would be to get fixed and if it's a big job. Sorry, i'm useless when it comes to working on engines. I was told by a VX dealer that they needed doing when it went in for it's last service, they wanted nearly £500!! I told them that I loved the smell of burning oil!!
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: tuckshop on 02 April 2009, 00:32:50
my oily cabin smell was cured by wiping my bum.......

no sorry wiping my..... no sorry wrong forum.... ;D

my was cured by fitting new rocker cover gaskets and cleaning out the breathers.................

gaskets care of a very nice man on this forum  :y and the breathers by me, a piece of wire, a cut up wire coat hanger, rags, carb cleaner and tissues...............

or was the tissues the other forum............ :)


the smell is almost deffo caused by the oil dripping on the manifolds,

drips caused by leaking gaskets,

leaking gaskets caused by blocked breathers......


I tell you this site could do with a workshop meet to do this job let alone a cam belt meet.........................
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: Cameron on 02 April 2009, 00:33:26
Quote
I have the very same problem with an oily smell, do you know how much it would be to get fixed and if it's a big job. Sorry, i'm useless when it comes to working on engines. I was told by a VX dealer that they needed doing when it went in for it's last service, they wanted nearly £500!! I told them that I loved the smell of burning oil!!

If you leave it, the plug leads will deteriorate and need replacing, potentially damaging the coil pack I've heard. :(
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: feeutfo on 02 April 2009, 02:54:05
as said really, smell probably coming in via the pollen filter near the pass side bank. Lift the bonnet while hot you may well see some smoke from burning oil.
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: addy on 02 April 2009, 08:10:36
Hi I had this smell, as said the breathers were blocked and rocker cover gaskets gone.  Loo-Knee and Pete did both for me, we had great fun when first taking it out for a drive, blue smoke from under the bonnet where old oil was burning off and when cold air was on in cabin the windows had to be down.

When him and Pete got underneath they found a mixture of old oil mixed  with crud tucked in behind the manifold on the left side as looking from the front, they cleared some of it out and the smell has gone.  I have got some carb cleaner to clean the rest when the car can be left for two days.
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: DazzerBoy on 02 April 2009, 08:27:24
....same problem on my 2.2 - caused by blocked breathers...oh and a spell of not hanging around on the motorway building up the pressure....!!  :D

For info....vauxhall want approx £25 for the gasket on a 2.2 and £75 to fit it.

Cheers
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: MutantCav on 02 April 2009, 08:36:37
As said...blocked breather causing camcover gasket to blow...

Use genuine Vaux gaskets and Vaux black sealant in only the prescribed places (90 degree bends and half moon) and tighten to only 8nm when done and make sure the covers etc are cleaned of any old crud before fitting new gaskets...

Clean breather system once a year minimum to avoid re-occurance...

Shouldnt take more than 3-4 hours (and I would go somewhere thats significantly cheaper labour wise) plus gaskets about £75...
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: M0T0RVATE on 02 April 2009, 08:40:57
Quote
I have the very same problem with an oily smell, do you know how much it would be to get fixed and if it's a big job. Sorry, i'm useless when it comes to working on engines. I was told by a VX dealer that they needed doing when it went in for it's last service, they wanted nearly £500!! I told them that I loved the smell of burning oil!!

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Unfortunately, from a garage or dealers point of view Omega engine work is time/labour intensive which is reason for the high prices for relatively small jobs... :(
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: jjleonard on 02 April 2009, 09:42:31
I've done a gasket change on my car and, (more recerntly) Tuckshops' as per his post above. He did a far better job of cleaning out the breathers than I ever did on mine.

On a V6 it'll take 4-6 hours to replace both gaskets and clean the breathers - well it will if you keep having coffee breaks and smoking breaks like I did!

Well worth a go if you fancy doing it yourself - it's not that hard a job. :y
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: Chris_H on 02 April 2009, 09:57:01
Just to put a spanner in the works; agreed about the camcover gaskets but my breathers appeared to be immaculate - no visible sludge build-up.

Problem hasn't recurred.... yet.
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: MutantCav on 02 April 2009, 10:46:30
Always possible the guy who put yours on originally didnt use gen gaskets or seal them properly...jobs gotta be done right to last :y
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: Seth on 02 April 2009, 11:27:31
Quote
Always possible the guy who put yours on originally didnt use gen gaskets or seal them properly...jobs gotta be done right to last :y

Absolutely .......
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: addy on 14 April 2009, 19:33:35
Well I have had the gaskets done on the covers, Loo-knee and Pete did them and as said in last post, cleaned the crud away with carb cleaner.  The oil smell went for a while, it is now back again once the engine gets up to temperature, I cannot see any leaks and everything else coolant, oil etc are OK.

Has anybody sorted this out yet as it is getting annoying now.

Cheers
Addy
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: kingplym on 14 April 2009, 19:39:53
i also get a funny smell when i get heavy footed i thought it was the cat getting a bit hotter? :-[
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: Pitchfork on 14 April 2009, 19:46:08
Quote
I'm wondering if this is a common problem with the V6. Often particularly at low speeds I get an awful smell of oil in the cabin, would this be caused by chocked breathers?
Is it Omega 3? ;D
Title: Re: Oily smell! in cabin
Post by: addy on 18 April 2009, 00:32:36
has anyone found out about the oily burning smell yet through the vents?.  As mine is getting stronger.  I have had the head gaskets done and breathers  cleaned and oil change was done.  It is getting very annoying,   is there anything around the pollen filter area, that I can check such as Gearbox, etc.


Hope I can sort it otherwise I might have to call on the help of Loo-Knee and Pete again to check it all through incase something has started leaking again. :(

Thanks
Addy
Title: Re: Oily smell!
Post by: BigDave on 18 April 2009, 21:11:36
I've had both gaskets on a V6 replaced, smoke coming from under the bonnet a bit alarming! - local garage was about £120. I asked them to check the breathers after reading the forum here and all were clear. First side replaced has now done 20k miles with no reoccurence