Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Ewan on 28 March 2010, 13:40:05

Title: By pass heater?
Post by: Ewan on 28 March 2010, 13:40:05
My V6 Elite is losing a pint of coolant every 200 miles. I suspect a leaking heater. As the car is coming towards the end of it's life expectancy, and with summer aproaching, I want to clamp both feed pipes, rather than face a major operation to get at the matrix. My concern is that this might interfere with the circulation around the engine. Not a good idea? Any thoughts much appreciated.
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: tunnie on 28 March 2010, 13:44:41
heater matrix don't tend to leak, its much more likely a coolant leak else ware like HBV, check that first  :y
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 28 March 2010, 13:52:31
Quote
My V6 Elite is losing a pint of coolant every 200 miles. I suspect a leaking heater. As the car is coming towards the end of it's life expectancy, and with summer aproaching, I want to clamp both feed pipes, rather than face a major operation to get at the matrix. My concern is that this might interfere with the circulation around the engine. Not a good idea? Any thoughts much appreciated.

How old is your car and what is the mileage then? :-/

As Tunnie says it is far more likely to be the infamous HBV. ;) ;)
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Ewan on 28 March 2010, 14:00:13
14 years old with 130000miles.
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 28 March 2010, 14:02:07
Quote
14 years old with 130000miles.


If the bodywork is sound, the running gear all in order and well maintained, 130k is not old for a miggy.  The engine, if well maintained, can easily go to double that! ;) ;)
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: feeutfo on 28 March 2010, 14:02:10
Quote
My V6 Elite is losing a pint of coolant every 200 miles. I suspect a leaking heater. As the car is coming towards the end of it's life expectancy, and with summer aproaching, I want to clamp both feed pipes, rather than face a major operation to get at the matrix. My concern is that this might interfere with the circulation around the engine. Not a good idea? Any thoughts much appreciated.

why suspect the heater?
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Ewan on 28 March 2010, 14:07:39
I cannot see any water dripping underneath the car, and the oil and water are both clean. There is a tendency for it to mist up. I reckoned that at a that relatively slow leakage rate, it would just evaporate before showing up on the carpet.
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: tunnie on 28 March 2010, 14:09:36
Quote
I cannot see any water dripping underneath the car, and the oil and water are both clean. There is a tendency for it to mist up. I reckoned that at a that relatively slow leakage rate, it would just evaporate before showing up on the carpet.

Check the HBV, it could be weaping under pressure.
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Andy B on 28 March 2010, 14:11:56
Also check the heater by-pass with your heater it different setting & with a/c on & off. When I replaced mine last, it was OK with a/c off but leaked with a/c on  :y
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Ewan on 28 March 2010, 14:12:27
I have, and it's not.
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: tunnie on 28 March 2010, 14:32:56
check other cooling sections as well, rad, plastic pipe off rad to transfer pipe, assume you always run good coolant mixture 50/50 with anti-freeze?
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Ewan on 28 March 2010, 14:39:14
More like 70/30, as there has always been coolant loss since I got it a year or so ago, although it has got worse lately.
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: tunnie on 28 March 2010, 14:45:23
by any chance is it a 1998 3.0?
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Ewan on 28 March 2010, 15:13:13
It's 1976
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: tunnie on 28 March 2010, 15:16:25
Quote
It's 1976

Errr i guessing thats a typo and its a 1997? Could be 98 model year, so worth checking the core plug
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Ewan on 28 March 2010, 15:26:04
Sorry, I do tend to live in the past. I meant 1996. Core plug - interesting, but surely there would be drips in evidence?
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: dbug on 28 March 2010, 16:31:18
Quote
heater matrix don't tend to leak, its much more likely a coolant leak else ware like HBV, check that first  :y

Mine did  :(
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Bionic on 28 March 2010, 19:13:20
Same problem I had and I just pulled both pipes of the heater and joined them under the bonnet. Car then ran without any problems until I finally got around to checking the heater matrix itself months later and found its core to be leaking from its top tank seam joint. The leak was so small that although I could smell it I could not see any leak because the heat from the heater was drying it up before it could be seen.
New matrix and the heaters were back to what they were and no more smell. Lousy job to change though.
If it is leaking from the heater matrix you probably will not see it leaking under the car either.
Worth checking what the others suggest though but never think that it cannot be the heater matrix, mine was!
GudLuk
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Ewan on 29 March 2010, 10:53:14
Thanks. I have not noticed any coolant pong inside the car though. Maybe it's not potent enough to overcome that luxury leather upholstery smell. It's one of the best things about the car.
Title: Re: By pass heater?
Post by: Bionic on 29 March 2010, 13:15:22
My Elite, all the bells and whistles were fitted from new, is all leather too so it looks like it cannot be that that is leaking.