Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: omega3000 on 27 December 2011, 16:07:54

Title: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: omega3000 on 27 December 2011, 16:07:54
Hi all , stripped the scuttle panel off to gain access to the heater bypass valve today but on further investigation after the car was fully warmed up i found the leak to be coming from the main coolant rad at the bottom left corner / not the condenser rad.
Question is can the coolant rad be removed without removing the condenser rad or are they bolted together ?

1997 3.0 Elite .
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: Andy B on 27 December 2011, 16:09:36
Coolant rad is completely separate from the a/c condenser.  :y :y
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: omega3000 on 27 December 2011, 16:11:58
Arr thats good then , thanks for the reply andy B  :y
Anyone know how much im looking at for a replacement ?
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: feeutfo on 27 December 2011, 16:13:16
Rad comes out quite easily in theory, practice is fiddly. Condenser stays put, they are not connected. Although my experience is with an 03 elite. Fairly sure pre face is the same.
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: omega3000 on 27 December 2011, 16:17:13
Just as well its only the rad , i took all the scuttle panel off to gain access the HBV  but cant see how you can get proper access to it unless you disconnect all the wiper motor assembly ? I was going to replace it while i had the panel off but dont like the idea of taking all the wiper assembly apart  :o
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: Andy B on 27 December 2011, 16:29:18
Arr thats good then , thanks for the reply andy B  :y
Anyone know how much im looking at for a replacement ?

around £200 from the dealers but I'm sure someone will post a link to a cheaper pattern replacement  ;) ;)
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: Andy B on 27 December 2011, 16:37:19
Just as well its only the rad , i took all the scuttle panel off to gain access the HBV  but cant see how you can get proper access to it unless you disconnect all the wiper motor assembly ? I was going to replace it while i had the panel off but dont like the idea of taking all the wiper assembly apart  :o

HBV replacement is best/easiest done with the wiper assembly removed. After the wiper arms are removed, it's only 4 long self tappers that hold the whole linkage assembly in place - just be careful of the top of your driver's side wing when you remove it. An hour is plenty time enough to do the HBV on its own.  :y :y
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: omega3000 on 27 December 2011, 16:45:36
Yes i see the 4 screws , didnt want to take them off in case something else fell off with it so might have a go at it . :y
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: RobG on 27 December 2011, 17:12:30
Arr thats good then , thanks for the reply andy B  :y
Anyone know how much im looking at for a replacement ?

around £200 from the dealers but I'm sure someone will post a link to a cheaper pattern replacement  ;) ;)
http://www.carcooling.co.uk/products/Radiator_Vauxhall_Omega_B_2962_cc_1994_99_03_94_09_99_3_0_i_24V_Automatic_vehicles_with_A_C_653_460_28mm_KZ_12OL456-85986-1245.html
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: Andy B on 27 December 2011, 17:15:21
Arr thats good then , thanks for the reply andy B  :y
Anyone know how much im looking at for a replacement ?

around £200 from the dealers but I'm sure someone will post a link to a cheaper pattern replacement  ;) ;)
http://www.carcooling.co.uk/products/Radiator_Vauxhall_Omega_B_2962_cc_1994_99_03_94_09_99_3_0_i_24V_Automatic_vehicles_with_A_C_653_460_28mm_KZ_12OL456-85986-1245.html

Linked to by no other than ......................  ;) ;) ;) ;)
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: omega3000 on 27 December 2011, 17:18:44
Seems a fair price , strange how the rad behind my condensor failed ...thought it would be the condensor first seeing as it sits in front  ???
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: RobG on 27 December 2011, 17:20:29
Seems a fair price , strange how the rad behind my condensor failed ...thought it would be the condensor first seeing as it sits in front  ???
Give it time and it`ll fall apart at the bottom ;D
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: omega3000 on 27 December 2011, 17:24:34
Seems a fair price , strange how the rad behind my condensor failed ...thought it would be the condensor first seeing as it sits in front  ???
Give it time and it`ll fall apart at the bottom ;D

 :o :o :o                          Looks like its falling apart from the top  ;D
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: Andy B on 27 December 2011, 17:26:20
Seems a fair price , strange how the rad behind my condensor failed ...thought it would be the condensor first seeing as it sits in front  ???
Give it time and it`ll fall apart at the bottom ;D

Agreed. It gets a good coating in salt, and being ally it eventually oxidises/rots (I fitted a new condenser for last summer)  :y
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: omega3000 on 27 December 2011, 17:34:45
Im thinking about doing the condenser rad as well seeing as it looks like its going to drop off any time soon  ::)
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: Andy B on 27 December 2011, 17:42:32
Im thinking about doing the condenser rad as well seeing as it looks like its going to drop off any time soon  ::)

If it needs doing it would make sense to do it when you do the cooling rad as the cooling rad needs to come out to gain access to the condenser/air con rad.  ;)
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: RobG on 27 December 2011, 18:38:10
Im thinking about doing the condenser rad as well seeing as it looks like its going to drop off any time soon  ::)
http://www.autoairconparts.co.uk/Car-Air-Conditioning-Condenser-(aircon-radiator)-for-Vauxhall-OMEGA-B-3.0-V6-Petrol-Man/Auto-from-Apr-94-to-/-Part-16-6554.html
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: omega3000 on 27 December 2011, 18:55:52
Thanks all for the links .

Some things you just cant repair ....santa needs to deliver some more parts .

Ill have another go at the HBV tommorrow ... swear box will be handy  ;D
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: omega3000 on 28 December 2011, 14:53:23
No swearing at the HBV  ;D but if your going to do this its quite easy as long as you take the wiper assembly out of the way as many have said on here .

Thanks for all the help chaps  :)
Title: Re: HBV / radiator investigation...coolent loss.
Post by: dbug on 28 December 2011, 16:00:43
Arr thats good then , thanks for the reply andy B  :y
Anyone know how much im looking at for a replacement ?

around £200 from the dealers but I'm sure someone will post a link to a cheaper pattern replacement  ;) ;)
http://www.carcooling.co.uk/products/Radiator_Vauxhall_Omega_B_2962_cc_1994_99_03_94_09_99_3_0_i_24V_Automatic_vehicles_with_A_C_653_460_28mm_KZ_12OL456-85986-1245.html

Have bought 2 of these (different cars!), and can recommend as ok.