Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: SMD on 01 September 2010, 20:59:56
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I topped it up yesterday when I got the warning on the computer and twice today (roughly 2-3 litres total). As I drive up to my parking slot I can see a long trail of coolant left behind on the road. :-[
Whats the cause and whats the fix?
Cheers
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When you look underneath where is it dripping down?
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Investigate exactly where the coolant is leaking, and you'll have a much better idea of how to fix it. Could be anything.... even something as small as a split hose.
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Big loss is most likely the bypass valve....sudden spectacular loss, the helter skelter pipe from bypass valve to engine
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I can see it dripping from something thats behind the engine oil sump (if that makes sense).
Will check the passenger footwell but dont think there is any water there, heaters work fine although I am finding it difficult selecting gears since this happened (probably unrelated and coincidental)
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Bypass valve is favourite then.....
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So new bypass valve...how much is one of those and can it be changed at the side of the road?
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Best thing to do is look at it first, check for traces of water staining
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So new bypass valve...how much is one of those and can it be changed at the side of the road?
twenty to thirty quid, maybe not even that, and yes it can be changed without the need for shelter! :y
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guide here by the way:
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1193594464
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Sounds like HBV mate - ~£30 from Vx - don't get pattern get genuine Vx.
Bit fiddly to get at and remove hoses/clips - best to remove scuttle and plenum to make life easy. Altough I didn't remove skuttle last time I changed one.
HTH
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remove the scuttle and the black support plate
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I paid £36 for new genuine VX HBV valve. Only fit a genuine otherwise false economy!.
I am a novice mechanic but followed the excellent maintenance guide and it took about 2.5 hours. Most experieneced mechanics will change it in 30 minutes I guess. Definitely remove the scuttle for better access to the HBV....and do be patient...and expect a few skinned knuckles....plasters to the ready ! :)
Good luck.
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I paid £36 for new genuine VX HBV valve. Only fit a genuine otherwise false economy!.
I am a novice mechanic but followed the excellent maintenance guide and it took about 2.5 hours. Most experieneced mechanics will change it in 30 minutes I guess. Definitely remove the scuttle for better access to the HBV....and do be patient...and expect a few skinned knuckles....plasters to the ready ! :)
Good luck.
& a swearbox ;D
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I paid £36 for new genuine VX HBV valve. Only fit a genuine otherwise false economy!.
I am a novice mechanic but followed the excellent maintenance guide and it took about 2.5 hours. Most experieneced mechanics will change it in 30 minutes I guess. Definitely remove the scuttle for better access to the HBV....and do be patient...and expect a few skinned knuckles....plasters to the ready ! :)
Good luck.
& a swearbox ;D
Had to do mine a few weeks ago and my swearbox was full by the end.... Not a bad job with the help of the very good how to. As said it cost me £37 for a new one from the sellers.
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just noticed that my mig has lost a litre or so of water this last week which is unusual as I have never had to top it up before,turned the heater to hot and water pi$$ing down the back of the engine although strangely does not leak when temp set to normal so looks like I need to empty the swearbox in readiness :-X :-*
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Thanks for the comments and the link. I take it you dont need to access the underside of the car..?
Where is the drain off for the coolant? (or can it be done without draining?)
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Well I gave it a go and I gave up after a couple of hours! Its impossible to get to with the tools that I have (waterpump pliers). I moved the tubes and hoses I could out of the way and removed the breather tubes (?) although I couldn't get the black support plate off (don't have torx bits).
I didn't even get one hose off! The clip on the hose to the passenger side which is impossible to get to anyway, is facing downwards.
Any moral support and guidance would be appreciated.
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It is a bloody awkward thing to change, I did mine today and I removed the plenum but I did not touch the scuttle panel, I have set of remote hose clip pliers that made the job a little easier. If you can borrow a set of these it will help
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What part is the plenum? Why didnt you remove the scuttle?
I dont know anyone with remote hose clip pliers, wanna lend me yours? ;D
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The big silver bit in the centre of the v of the engine, I just thought it was easier to remove that bit instead of the scuttle, gave me a chance to clean the breathers out at the same time :y
Edit I would gladly lend you my pliers if you were closer,mine are made by snap on and were quite expensive but there are cheaper one available
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I changed mine last week whilst doing other work, so had the plenum and other bits off already. I would say to take the scuttle off, it takes 2 mins and is much quicker and easier than plenum etc.
Use a flathead screwdriver to prise caps off end of wiper arm fixing. Use 13mm socket undo nut on wiper arm. Spray a little penetrating spray on thread, it will be a little stiff. Ease your wipers off, best to keep threads parallel so comes off easier. I find it easier to do it with bonnet up. Undo fixings on scuttle, torx 25 or 27 IIRC. Move to one side. You should have access to your HBV. I used mole grips because they lock, long nose pliers and normal pliers to get hose clips off. Remember which order pipes connect (take pic on your phone). Tale vacuum pipe off, and coolant pipes. Fit new one. There is no need to drain coolant. But make sure it's not hot when you do it so you don't burn yourself.
I was doing mine as I say whilst doing other work, but individually I'd have thought it'd take no longer than half an hour.
If you can't get a purchase on the clips, I would try lubricating them and gradually moving them round so you can. Either with pliers or rotating HBV, or whichever you can.
In my (limited) experience, most jobs are awkward and fiddly, but straightforward. HTH
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Yeah I took the scuttle off and drained the coolant because I wanted to flush the system at the same time. The scuttle and the wipers are sitting in the boot so I hope it doesnt rain.
I think I will buy a pair of long nose pliers and some torx bits tomorrow and give it another go.
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I topped it up yesterday when I got the warning on the computer and twice today (roughly 2-3 litres total). As I drive up to my parking slot I can see a long trail of coolant left behind on the road. :-[
Whats the cause and whats the fix?
Cheers
I wonder if SMD has just overfilled it and the water was coming out of the expanson tank breather pipe. ::)
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You can get your hand in under the HBV to check for leaks without removing anything. It's a little tight but possible. Take your watch off! When mine went it wasn't gradual, one morning i'd lost a load of coolant and that was that. Don't put your hand in when hot!
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I wonder if SMD has just overfilled it and the water was coming out of the expanson tank breather pipe. ::)
I hope that is the case TBH but I remember it dripping after every journey before this incident, when I used to regularly look underneath the car for oil leaks. Just ignored it. :-[
As for overfilling, how would this happen? I always top it up to the mark on the expansion tank.
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I wonder if SMD has just overfilled it and the water was coming out of the expanson tank breather pipe. ::)
I hope that is the case TBH but I remember it dripping after every journey before this incident, when I used to regularly look underneath the car for oil leaks. Just ignored it. :-[
As for overfilling, how would this happen? I always top it up to the mark on the expansion tank.
Then ignore my comment. It was just a thought. :-X
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There isn't an overflow pipe! The coolant bottle is fitted with a pressure cap.
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There isn't an overflow pipe! The coolant bottle is fitted with a pressure cap.
Foot has now been removed from mouth. :y
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It was a pain in the arse but it got done in the end. Removing the support plate helped lots and no plasters required. It made sense to flush out the cooling system at the same time and put VX 5 year stuff in so thats another job out the way.
Cheers guys :y