Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: t5frankie on 06 November 2011, 09:48:16

Title: poor running
Post by: t5frankie on 06 November 2011, 09:48:16
The hotter my 3.0 elite gets the more it seems to struggle with power and really cant get up steep hills, i have a burning smell and the previous owner has put vectra cam covers on, i'm a newbie on these engines and i don't know whether my erratic gearbox changes are linked to this or a separate issue any ideas please?
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: ndmv6 on 06 November 2011, 09:53:19
the burning smell could be caused by leaking rocker cover gaskets,oil seeping down onto the engine,may also be worth checking to see if there is any oil in the plug wells,as this would cause poor performance,as the plugs dont really like being immersed in hot engine oil..
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: t5frankie on 06 November 2011, 09:56:34
but i was assuming that the vectra covers would cure this?
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: ndmv6 on 06 November 2011, 10:02:55
its the rubber seals that leak,not the actual cam cover.ive done the one on my 2.2 4 pot twice in 12 months now..luckily both weeped externally.its worth taking the dis pack out and having a look down the pots,at the same time check the condition of the dis pack rubbers... :)
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: RobG on 06 November 2011, 10:05:07
its the rubber seals that leak,not the actual cam cover.ive done the one on my 2.2 4 pot twice in 12 months now..luckily both weeped externally.its worth taking the dis pack out and having a look down the pots,at the same time check the condition of the dis pack rubbers... :)
Taking the plugs out. 3.0ltr so leads not coilpack ;)
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: TheBoy on 06 November 2011, 10:08:42
How hof is it getting, and are there any fault codes?
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: tunnie on 06 November 2011, 10:09:03
but i was assuming that the vectra covers would cure this?

Vectra covers are not good on the Omega, there is a reason they did not have them from factory.

Omega cam covers, rely on a rubber gasket, when crankcase pressure increases (usually from blocked breathers) this gasket blows, with Vectra ones fitted (Vectra has different breathing system) it won't blow here, but the crank case seal.

I'd rather replace cam covers  ;)  :y

Burning smell is likely to be oil on exhaust manifolds burning off. But won't really affect performance, its worth checking the plugs as suggested for oil.

Also worth papercliping it for any codes  :y
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: t5frankie on 06 November 2011, 10:33:04
ok so just pulled a plug out and it is covered in oil what does this mean? and what next?
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: RobG on 06 November 2011, 10:35:26
ok so just pulled a plug out and it is covered in oil what does this mean? and what next?
Change the camcovers for Omega ones (pm sent the other day) and renew gaskets with genuine VX and clean the breathers as per guide in maintenance, may need new plugs & possibly leads
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: albitz on 06 November 2011, 10:43:06
And possibly Dispack,depending how fried the HT circuit has become. ;)
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: t5frankie on 06 November 2011, 10:45:56
also not running any hotter than normal and no codes
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: albitz on 06 November 2011, 10:50:26
HT problems wont throw up fault codes as far as Im aware.
Need to clean breathers to stop cause of leak.
Fix leak - new genuine gaskets (and possibly change to original type camcovers)
Investigate and cure by elimination problems caused by leak - plugs,then possibly leads,then possibly Dispack. :y
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: TheBoy on 06 November 2011, 11:21:41
Right, you have discovered a fault, that needs to be resolved before going any further.

Forget the Vectra cam covers, Omega ones don't warp (thats a lie put about by incompitent mechanics), but you MUST use genuine GM gaskets. And clean the breather system.
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: fiend61 on 06 November 2011, 18:06:42
Quote
Omega ones don't warp (thats a lie put about by incompitent mechanics),
i beg to differ TB if they have been put on by a gorilla of a hamfisted mechanic who has done the bolts up with the aid of a scaffold pole, they do warp, why do i know because i had some  :( put them on a flat surface and they rocked  :( (no pun intended)  :)
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: Lazydocker on 06 November 2011, 18:23:28
Quote
Omega ones don't warp (thats a lie put about by incompitent mechanics),
i beg to differ TB if they have been put on by a gorilla of a hamfisted mechanic who has done the bolts up with the aid of a scaffold pole, they do warp, why do i know because i had some  :( put them on a flat surface and they rocked  :( (no pun intended)  :)
Indeed, but I think TB meant that they don't warp when fitted properly (8Nm) ;) ;)
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: t5frankie on 06 November 2011, 19:57:42
ok thanks for the replys ive half stripped the top of the engine out ready for the omega cam covers from "Robg" so i'll clean the breather system with carb cleaner replace plugs or will just a clean up do? as they were smothered in oil
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: Lazydocker on 06 November 2011, 19:59:18
TBH, for a couple of quid each (on Trade Club) I'd just change them... You've done the work to make it easy anyway :y :y
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: t5frankie on 06 November 2011, 20:15:51
is the V6 Cam Cover Gasket Kit  in the "shop the one that i need? seems expensive to me
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: Lazydocker on 06 November 2011, 20:26:27
is the V6 Cam Cover Gasket Kit  in the "shop the one that i need? seems expensive to me
It is, but I think it's out of stock. It may seem expensive but genuine Vauxhall parts is the way to go... The cheap ones are very hit and miss... Fit pattern ones at your peril as you may be doing it all again within months :o :o

Make sure you clean the breathers properly and follow the guide for correct fitting :y :y
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: Andy H on 06 November 2011, 21:03:40
andyc can provide genuine parts (at trade club price) by mail order.

I think mine turned up in a couple of days.

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1488 (http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1488)
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: albitz on 06 November 2011, 21:12:00
You could easily find 100 people on here who will vouch for the opinion that pattern camcover gaskets are false economy. Many pattern parts are fine,but camcover gaskets should always be genuine versions. :y
Title: Re: poor running
Post by: fiend61 on 06 November 2011, 22:07:47
Quote
but I think TB meant that they don't warp when fitted properly (8Nm)[/quote]
ahhhhh  in that case TB is exactly correct  :y  errm as he usual is  :P