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1

Omega General Help / Re: Oh Bugger - The END?

« on: 15 October 2006, 16:55:25 »

All smiles does not begin to describe it !!

The car is running as sweet as a nut!  

Will pop up some pictures when I get a chance.  But what can't wait is saying a massive thanks to Mark DTM, Matchless, TheBoy, Issunaz and Robin Hood.

Mark and Pete worked magic on the car, first turn of the key and the engine fired up.  No EML and once the oil got round the engine is really quiet.

[size=20]THANKS GUYS!  [/size]

Glad to hear all went well and you won't have to keep walking past your car on the way to work! Mine not so good it seems....Checked header tank after flushing one week ago, lots more mayo! Flushed it again to see if its just more left over residue but noticied water dripping from the exhaust pipe1? (Not good er?) No water in oil so wondered if it where I've been flushing, but don't sound too good. Can't believe the oil cooler gone this quick (8months)  

2

Omega General Help / Re: Oh Bugger - The END?

« on: 15 October 2006, 10:46:59 »

Well done to all that helped Allenm! It's been really interesting following this thread, I've learned quite a bit from this site, although I'm no mechanic, It has made me get my car back to some sort of normaility and saved me a forune in VX/Opel labour costs.

Great to see people showing real human spirit and not treating things as if it's all a 'black art'  

Mike

3

Omega General Help / Re: Oh Bugger - The END?

« on: 07 October 2006, 10:23:47 »

Hi Guys, been watching this thread for the last couple of days since I joined. It's addictive vieiwing, a bit like a soap   I think this site is great, being able to follow something and learn alot. Hi hope this sorts out for you Merv! I know what it's like going to work and leaving you meega on the drive every day

Good luck guys, I'm following this closely as in the next couple of weeks I'm going to be changing my cam belt and this is invaluable information - Thanks!!!

4

Omega General Help / Re: Coolant Flush What do you use

« on: 15 October 2006, 11:16:21 »

I always used Fortes on the rovers with Head gasket failure but it seems to have vanished locally.

What is the recommended product for flushing the mayo out of coolant pipes and radiator - say after oil cooler failure?

God i hate that bloody Mayo  

After the oil cooler failed on mine, I flushed the whole system, including taking the pipe off the heater matrix and flushed water round the system (Not under big pressure!!!) about 15 times in total. After 2 days there was still a fair amount of mayo in the header tank. The mayo just sticks everywhere so it's important to get as much out as you can. I'll probably be shot down in flames for this but I added 2 mugs of diesel in the final top up, no coolant....drove for about 30 miles, repeated the flush another 5 times and you can hardly see a trace of mayo now. Someone gave me the tip for using a little diesel as this has good cleaning agents in. Well it done the trick here ok, where as my average temp was 95/97C it now sits at 90C happily on tick over.

It's important to make sure the rad is fully discharged too, it didn't seem enough to just drop the lower hose. Get the engine upto working temp under pressure, take off the top rad pipe that connects to the expansion tank (Being very careful, watch the mayo scream out. Gradully keep filling the expansion tank untill the water runs clear. Do this as many times as you can. Rad flush didn't touch the mayo as well as the dielsel did. It spewed it out after a 30 mile run. Now, clean as a whistle!

Hope this helps  

5

Omega General Help / Re: Centre Instrument Console Removal

« on: 07 October 2006, 15:04:28 »

Ahhh, nice one, got it! That bar is a sod to find, especially if you've got fingers like Walls Sausages like mine. Blown the last remaining bulb in the process. Very delicate by the seem of things. Now with out taking the screws off of the back to access the clocks, the bulbs I presume pull out / unscrew with pliers? Everything looks so delicate I don't want to create more damage. Are these bulbs pretty much available anywhere or vx parts only. Would be nice to stick something a little brighter in there.  :-/

6

Omega General Help / Re: Centre Instrument Console Removal

« on: 07 October 2006, 14:24:41 »

Hi, is there an idiots guide to a prefacelift centre console, I've looked but can't find one. So far I've got as far as taking the screws out from behind the ashtray, removing the stereo and cage but can't find anu other screw or release.

Thanks

7

Omega General Help / Re: Cooling - 2.5V6 CDX

« on: 07 October 2006, 11:58:54 »

Thanks, the Mechanic told me there is a Vauxhall Spares shop here in Limassol (Omly one on the island) supplying genuine parts, so hopefull might get the kit there. Cetainly going to go there with a bit of a list at this rate. Also trying to find the plastic trim that goes under the drivers side headlight. Parked front end over a high curb some months back and ripped off the whole front end bumber - Ouch! Luckily, that piece of trim was the only major damage apart from a fog light wire got ripped off but now fixed.

This car has taken some punishment since it got shipped to Cyprus. When it arrived last year off the ship, the shipping idiots fork lifted the car!!!! Broke the whole exhaust system! An unmarked police car decided to ram me off the road smashing into the back offside door in February mistaking the car for a renowned drugs smuggler's car. How can you mistake an Omega for a Granada!? I took that as an insult   Servere sun fade damage on the bonnet, now got car port so ok. I'll take a pic of her today and compare it to one year ago and post it here, you'll cringe.

8

Omega General Help / Re: Cooling - 2.5V6 CDX

« on: 07 October 2006, 10:15:49 »

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies. Mechanic came again this morning, flushed the system out thoroughly with degreaser, got the engine up to running temp and drained thoroughly repeating the procedure 5 times. Stuck on new pipes, filled up and hey presto! the car is running back to normal, no more trace of oil in water, just the odd tiny bit. He recommended flushing it every week until all traces are completely gone.

I took it for a long run and everything seems normal now. So far looks like I've escaped the dreaded Head Gasket problem (Fingers Crossed). Just going to keep an eye on header tank for oil traces, the mechanic has stated that if the oil cooler was changed here in cyprus, it will most certainly be an el cheapo copy or oem version, not the vx part

Thanks for all your assistance guys, it's great listening to everybody's experiences on here. This site is a gold mine of meega info! especially for us novice mechanics.

Right, now just got to get my head round AC problem, Cam Belt Change (Well over), Light bulbs in centre console, change front stabilisers (Knocking), Rust bubbles on the two front doors by rubber seals and some other minor bits of body work and I'll be laughing  

9

Omega General Help / Re: Cooling - 2.5V6 CDX

« on: 06 October 2006, 15:38:55 »

Thanks Markiec, yes, been a lot of shoddy work done to this car. New oil cooler 7 months ago but don't know if genuine or oem. Trouble here is most mechanics say 'no problem' to everything when in fact take the opposite. The last mechanic who fitted the oil cooler said he had to take the engine out to do it, load of rubbish.

I'm convinced it's this pipe that is causing my current problem and the fact the system was not flushed after the oil cooler change, this has caused other problems.

I thoroughly flush the system yesterday, seems not too bad today, very small traces. Oil is fine, no trace of sludge / water in that. As a precaution, I'm going to flush it out a few more times, change all the water pipes and hope for the best.

Just a couple of questions:

• If the head gasket went, would the engine temp rocket up in the red pretty quickly even whilst idling? mine doesn't.

• Would you definately find traces of water / sludge in the oil? mine is clear.

Thanks,

Mike

10

Omega General Help / Re: Cooling - 2.5V6 CDX

« on: 06 October 2006, 15:15:11 »

Sorry, I know I'm probably boring your socks off with this preface lift omega, but I'm no mechanic.

Mechanic come again today, the pipe from engine to HBV burst again, says oil has softened the rubber. To the touch is was very soft. Hopefully get a new pipe tomorrow. I've ordered a full set of water pipes as it's cert that the others will fail too.

The mechanic says the head gasket may of gone, but I said that there was no oil in the water, he is under the impression this doesn't matter, depends on how mbadlt the gasket is damaged, is this true?

No return of sludge in the head tank so hopefully it is not a problem with the oil cooler again, just this pipe from the HBV to the engine.

I'd be interested in your comments with regards to the head gasket?  :-/

Thanks,

Mike

11

Omega General Help / Re: Cooling - 2.5V6 CDX

« on: 05 October 2006, 15:05:34 »

***UPDATE***

Ok, flush the system about 10 times. Water much clearer although still a little mush in there, not much. Noticed that the pipe I repaired it still leaking at the back, think it may be the HBV thingy? That'll be interesting trying to get one of those here in Cyprus, the Opel garage said there are only 5 registered V6 Omegas on the island.

I'm not writing off the oil cooler at this stage, i'll let it cool down and check again, but again could be still residue from where not flushed thoroughly in the first place. Ever elt like you are going round in circles?

Ok A/C....Gas Full, compressor on, the fly wheel is turning too, but no cold air. Any ideas or clues? Engines / Mechanics not my thing but if it's straight forward enough will look myself. Does anyone know which relay controls the A/C? this went beofre but someone cleaned it up and it kicked in? Is it a relay nect to the ECU? any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

12

Omega General Help / Re: Cooling - 2.5V6 CDX

« on: 05 October 2006, 13:14:02 »

Seem to recall that Ronnie McB had to flush one out recently (might find it under general chat - Ronnie project #14 or something like that) ,anyway seem to recall that he used a water soluble degreaser like Jizzer or gunk, diluted and runup to temperature and then flushed a few times to clean it out.

Semm to recall using that seem to recall phrase before?  Is senile dementia setting in?
Is that why i drive an Omega?

Don't worry Captain, I suffer from the same condition :-/ Ok, flushed the system through today until water totally clear. I've taken off the expansion tank and it's currently soaking in wash powder detergent, lots of it, and it works great, the oil (Sludge) is coming away. I'm going to refit expansion tank and reflush, give it a 30km run and see if the sludge returns. I've got a sneaky feeling, the guy here who fitted the oil cooler 7 months ago got an 'el cheapo' or non-standard oil cooler and it's failed again - worse case. No water in my oil so sounds like the head gasket is ok. BTW how much an oil cooler vx for in the UK?

Quick question, is there such a thing as a snide or cheap replacement oil cooler that is prone to failing as quick as 7 months, if not and this a genuine part, what else could cause this? take in to account a brand new rad system installed to around the same time as the oil cooler with brand new heat exchanger on ecc. Oil always continously checked and no major leaks.

Thanks,

Mike

13

Omega General Help / Cooling - 2.5V6 CDX

« on: 04 October 2006, 18:59:30 »

Hi Guys, new around here, great site.

I've had no end of problems with the cooling system on my meega, new rad, new oil cooler in the space of 7 months. Recently the pipe at the back of the engine split that feeds the heating system valve, Fixed that today. Now I'm preseuming since my oil cooler has been changed that the slimey deposits still in the expansion tank is whereby the guy who changed the oil cooler hasn't flushed the system out.

I'm based in Cyprus and just don't trust mechanics, especially after having a new heat exchanger fitted last year to find out it was a faulty compressor relay! So far parted with nearly £1100 quid this year on a '96 Model Omega! Yes, Ludicrous but second hand cars here are a fortune and the problems mostly with my car are only stupid things.

Two questions, can anyone recommend the correct way of flushing the water system thoroughly and anyone know where the aircon relay is situated. I'd prefer to have ago at fixing these myself and know it's been done properly. After all if I mess it up, I can only blame myself.  

Cheers Guys, Great Site

14

Omega General Help / Re: Plenum removal

« on: 04 October 2006, 19:34:03 »

After oil cooler failure, some of the rubber hoses will fail unless thoroughly flushed a few times (oil softens the rubber)...   ...that same short hose failed on one of mine after oil cooler failure...

You hit the nail on the head! The hose I took off today at the rear of the engine was very soft at the engine end of the hose. As a temporary fix, managed to get hold of some copper coated pipe inserts and put them both end of the pipe and reconnected with the clips. Should hold until I get a replacement pipe (Not easy here in Cyprus).

Still got deposits of oil, quite a bit, in the water. The so called mechanic who replaced the oil cooler didn't even bother fulshing the crud out! Had a load of oil in the expansion tank today which caused the temp to rise sharply. Let the stuff leak out, took the lower rad hose of and tons of the brown crap came out. Refilled system with water and seems better, stayed around 93 - 95C. Looking for a fail safe way to flush the system properly....any ideas?

Cheers, Mike.

15

Omega General Help / Re: Plenum removal

« on: 03 October 2006, 22:33:25 »

Hi guys, new to this site and been reading this as it's one of the jobs I got on my list. Since importing my Omega to Cyprus, it's been a bloody nighmare;

New A/C Heat Exchanger
New Radiator  & Oil Cooler

Now a hose at the back at the engine decided to burst from the back of the engine to the valve. I've got fingers like Walls Sausages, so its look like I'll be trying to take the Plenum off tomorrow too. Great advice on this site, wish I found it a while ago as some of the work carried out on cars out here is bloody awful. One mechanic out here decided to use cable ties instead of jubilee clips on the water hoses, hence the problem I face now.