Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: shell on 07 June 2009, 20:13:38
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Hi all,Today i flushed my radiator through with holts speed flush.I washed it through several times afterwards .I now seem to be getting the "coolant level" message even though the tank looks properly filled.(Its just water at the moment.)I also noticed that there seems to be a hissing coming from the cap as if air is being forced out under pressure.
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First off, ditch the water and get a proper 50/50 mix back in the system. Running pure water will do the engine no favours at all from a corrosion point of view.
The hissing is more than likely an air lock in the system, run it with the cap off while you are doing the refill procedure.
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cheers mate,Ill do that first thing tommorow.i was holding off putting in the coolant till i find out if this will fix my over heating problem,but ill get that in there as soon as poss. Thanks again
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You might have a dodgey sensor for the coolant level. try giving it a clean and try again.
HTH
Paul :y
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im afraid i wouldnt know where to look for the sensor.
It only started giving the message after the flush today.
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im afraid i wouldnt know where to look for the sensor. .......
It's in the bottle/header tank! The float inside sticks! And don't worry about having just water in it for a day or two, but you do need proper anti-freeze in there sooner rather than later! :y :y
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Ahh i saw that thing!Ill try give a poke . thanks andy.Im really hoping that this will fix the overheating prob and if it does ill follow the excellent guide and put in antifreeze pronto thanks all
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Well it seems as though the car is still overheating and even worse than before.I noticed that the water in the tank had expanded and there was a very noticable hissing coming from the cap.I think a very small amount of water had leaked from it under pressure.It was a really bad day cos it was hot and i got stuck in a long traffic jam.I pulled over to let the car cool down for 20 mins, and when i looked the water in the tank was almost boiling.
into the bargain some guy in a taxi reversed into my drivers front wheel arch and left a ding.Should have stayed in bed today.
It seems as though flushing hasnt helped the problem, does anyone think its worth trying that again? or do i need to think about thermostats os something else?
thanks
shell x
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mine was boiling yesterday when i drove her..
she was flushed thru new coolant and same mesg up on the screen? tonight when i checked it grr
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Shane ,I did as Paul suggested and cleaned the sensor in the tank and the coolant message in now gone.
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Hi Shell.
Can I ask before you had this problem with your car what temperature did your gauge sit at? also when say the gauge got up to 97 degrees would the fans kick in to bring down the gauge again to say 95 degrees? Just trying to see if your fans are working plus what temp your car usually runs at :y
When you had the water boiling where was the temparature gauge then? in the red? had the fans not kicked in?
If you are trying to clear the coolant system out there is some brilliant stuff you can buy off ebay called "Forte Coolant System Flush" it is around £10 but worth every penny. After that spend a few days dropping the clear water (dont put anti freeze in yet) then refilling so you eventually dilute the Coolant Flush out, when you are happy that the water is coming out clean drop the water again Then pour 5litres of red anti freeze in, topping up with clean water so the reservoir is at its level. Start the car leaving the reservoir cap off (with your heaters on hot) until the thermostat opens then top up with clean water. By doing this you should get the air out of the system :)
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thanks for your reply loo-knee!Well the fans do cut in at just above 95..and the boinling water was at just that moment the fan cut in today..ive never let it go to 100 even -I always blow the heater at highest and that seems to slow down the temp increase.Even with the fan it seems to keep getting hotter.
This morning i did as you suggest and ran it with cap off and heater on full for about 15 mins, and because heater is on it doesnt start to get too hot.but 20 mins in the heat and traffic today, and it was boiling even though the temp gauge read just above 95.
thanks mate
shell x
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thanks for your reply loo-knee!Well the fans do cut in at just above 95..and the boinling water was at just that moment the fan cut in today..ive never let it go to 100 even -I always blow the heater at highest and that seems to slow down the temp increase.Even with the fan it seems to keep getting hotter.
This morning i did as you suggest and ran it with cap off and heater on full for about 15 mins, and because heater is on it doesnt start to get too hot.but 20 mins in the heat and traffic today, and it was boiling even though the temp gauge read just above 95.
thanks mate
shell x
Right I am not saying that I am right, but there could be a chance if you are going by your temperature gauge that it needs a chat with a tech2. Hotel21 himself had a similar problem when his temperature gauge was reading higher (I think I am right) than the actual water temperature was. (hope I am making sense). There will be a Meet in Scotland near Edinburgh next week on Thursday and with a bit of luck Hotel21 will be there armed with his tech2 who for a very small fee am sure will be able to syncronise (I think its called) the gauge with the actual temperature. :y
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Hey that sounds great. i can definetly get through to edinburgh and it would be great to meet some oofers.
Im really pretty woried about this problem and im sure the hissing coming from the cap is not right! It never used to do that and its happening constantly now! thanks for the tip, ill head over to the meets section and check that out!
I think ive been reading this forum too much and ive become a miggy hypercondriact!Before i knew of hgs and oil coolers and hbvs i never worried...
thanks shell x
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Shell, (feel like I am talking to my sister she is a Shell too :D) have a look at this link mate :y
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1209123017
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LOL... that was the very thing i was just reading!(with a feeling of dread!) Very informative and frightening...now that i think of it, im not sure that i like the look of that water in that tank.
shell x
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Why?
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Well first off ,i know very little other than what i have read on here,and am a self confessed miggy hypercondriact,but in answer to the why- the brand new clean water that went in yesterday (I poured many gallons through it) was looking decidedly bogging today and the pressure buildup i mentioned seems a bit worrying..its alot of pressure.
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Well first off ,i know very little other than what i have read on here,and am a self confessed miggy hypercondriact,but in answer to the why- the brand new clean water that went in yesterday (I poured many gallons through it) was looking decidedly bogging today and the pressure buildup i mentioned seems a bit worrying..its alot of pressure.
What do you mean? you don't mean oil is in there do you? looks like brown goo?
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No not brown goo...but scummy like..and little tiny bits of what looked like sour milk or sum such...maybe just the remnants of all the crap in there? Also some stuff on the plastic tank surface(inside) it used to look fairly clean.Makes it hard to see the water level cos of the staining...
But most noticable....the hissing from the cap and very small leakage...
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Shell can you please explain how did you clean the sensor in the bottle and what did you use?
Got to try to clean mine also
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Also that dirt you mention sounds like a headgasket has gone
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argh????
head gasket? wait ill have to sit down.I just read threads where they said 99.99 cases of that were something less nasty.
Mathew i used some water and a long thin pot cleaner..like a thick pipe cleaner...had it lying about..it didnt seem to need much cleaning .I just gave it a good poke up and down for a few mins!..(the floaty thing under the opening of the tank?) .anyway it stopped saying coolant level...(its poss that that coincidence)
which will be fine if the head gasket has gone.
ive already sniffed the tank for exhaust and didnt notice anything...and ive checked the dipstick and it didnt look like any water /coolant there.
I had hoped the stain in the tank was rust...or sum such. (scuse me for lack of terms and other tech knowledge)
im going to have to pour a large whisky now...
shell x
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Dont want to bring byd news
But problems in the water usually means two things.
Or dirt from driving very small distances or headgasket. But from what I saw on this forum headgaskets are not a thing usually broken easily on migs.
You could have my luck (snapped belt two months ago :()
Thanks for the info on the water sensor
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Mathew, i also thought hg was rare for 2.5 v6, from readings on here.at worst i was fearing oilcooler or something.Scince the flush didnt work i hoped maybe thermostat ,might be next step.i just read these things on here ,but i have no knowledge in reality.
As for the sensor...poked it with a furry stick for a min, not sure that realy is info...but good luck.
shell x ( suddenly feels more blonde than usual..dyed!)
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I wouldn't say its the head gasket quiet yet
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LooKnee I didn't say it is the headgasket but there is a big possibility it could br.
Hope for Shell it wont be.
Actually how much does the HG change cost in UK in a local garage?
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are you using water?
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ok darth thanks for a little hope..is it ok to drive till i find out? or do i need to find out as soon as poss?do i need to go to a garage and get really depressed?
thanks mate!
shell x
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not losing water or oil....
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Try changing the header tank cap !!!
If its hissing its leaking ... if its leaking its losing pressure, .... if its losing pressure the water is boiling off early.
The whole purpose of a pressurised system is to change the temperature at which the water boils.
:)
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Try changing the header tank cap !!!
If its hissing its leaking ... if its leaking its losing pressure, .... if its losing pressure the water is boiling off early.
The whole purpose of a pressurised system is to change the temperature at which the water boils.
:)
I have just read through the whole thread again and was going to say the same thing Nige :)
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thanks again folks..i know its hard to deal with some one with as little car know how as me!.
Entwood..i noticed if i push it down very gently it stops hissing..and i had wondered if it had lost its washer or somesuch..i thought maybe id dropped it when checking sometime.(there isnt a washer is there?)But as you say it is losing pressure from a failry low temp.Also the water seems to expand in volume till the tank is full.I never noticed this before..
sorry again for dragging it out
thanks mate
shell x
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REREAD..sorry...should i replace the tank stopper...(oops blonde!) the yellow thing.? it cant do anyharm and is a good first stop?
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There should be a rubber washer that goes around the edge inside at the top of the thread
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REREAD..sorry...should i replace the tank stopper...(oops blonde!) the yellow thing.? it cant do anyharm and is a good first stop?
They are around £15 from Vauxhall would be a cheaper way to start. :y
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If your losing no water, aint got any water in the oil, not spitting water like a fountain out of the exhaust I wouldn't say it was the head gasket. He says sticking his neck out :D
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Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OK..THANKS.i wouldnt be surprised if i had lost that washer cos i dont think its there now!(just the yellow cap but NO washer)ive looked in that tank so many times in the last month that it stands to reason that ive lost it!..and that would explain the hissing,,,and might also explain the daft cow!embarrassed and very gratefull for a first option not involving hgs...
thanks im going to get one tommorrow
this forum is amazing..you guys are great!
shell x
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Don't drink all your Scots Firewater save some for next Thurday ;D
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Well, i went to vauxhall parts today and got a new cap.Hey presto after the temp hit 95 no hissing!..2mins later i noticed a small crack had appeared just below the thread .Very subtle hissing now coming from that.I was SO carefull not to let temp go above 95 and the first fan hadnt even kicked in yet.It def wasnt there this morning.Oh i aslo put holts speed flush again(couldnt find forte).
(http://[IMG]http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u123/shell-lucy/IMG_6043.jpg)[/img]
shell x
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New header tank then ... :( Not too expensive I believe ... but a lot lot cheaper than a head gasket change !!! :)
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thanks Entwood! but stop saying headgasket!lol
Surely must have been alot of pressure to crack that?The guage didnt even show 95 is i said earlier,anyways still overheating badly i think, should i think about the thermostat?
cheers
shell x
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Like Entwood has said put a new reservoir on, should be around £30 I think.
You never know what Monkey has had the car before or done the repairs :(
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Cracks at the filler neck can be caused by simply overtightening over a long period. The stress would get worses as the pressure builds. The cap only needs to be on firmly, NOT tightly.
Once the crack starts to form any further overtightening just makes it worse.
The crack leaking has the same effect as the cap leaking, loss of pressure = overheating = loss of fluid
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Thanks mate, ill look into that. back to vauxhall tomorrow.Is that likely to just happen again with the new one? Do i need to get to a garage before i do some damage ?
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I see Entwood! well i guess its been screwed on really tight cos of leaking!that would explain it i guess many thanks.
shell x
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Replaced header tank today, after major flushing with holts speed flush.water now lovely and clean, so put in 4.5 litres of red coolant.(http://[IMG]http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u123/shell-lucy/IMG_6080.jpg)[/img]This has fixed the loss of pressure perfectly,and now it seems as though the system is nice and clean.(http://[IMG]http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u123/shell-lucy/IMG_6090.jpg)[/img]Could never have manged this without your help guys and im sure it would have cost me alot more!
Extemely gratefull!
shell x
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You don't realise how grubby & stained the header tanks get till you compare with a nice shiney new one!
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Damn I gotta get me a shiny new header tank too!
Good work Shell, just caught up with this thread and read through it as if I was watching a thriller
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well done shell now you can come down here and sort my lamda sensa out for me ?my mig failed mot to day on emissions !she is runnin rich its the short wire sensa going into the cat
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well done shell now you can come down here and sort my lamda sensa out for me ?my mig failed mot to day on emissions !she is runnin rich its the short wire sensa going into the cat
A bit far from Glasgi .... you need to speak to the MarksDTM guru in Notts.!!! ;D ;D ;D
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thanks andy already pm ed him she sailed through mot apart from emissions said it was the lamda sensa that goes into the cat! She was running rich
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thanks andy already pm ed him she sailed through mot apart from emissions said it was the lamda sensa that goes into the cat! She was running rich
Mark isn't often wrong!!!!!
But don't tell him that!!!! ::) ::) ::) ::) ;D ;D ;D
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mark is spot on everytime if you can get hold of him !great guy