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[coldanconversions]

Got my MV6 yesterday and have satrted stripping the engine down to get to the suspected head gasket problem...

Before I started, the car fired up each time and sounded really smooth. Although it did take some winding over before it fired(put that dowen to the gasket giving poor compression.

There was the give away white smoke too, and the header tank is clean, so I'jm ruling the oil cooler out completely.

There is however a HELL of a lot of brown sludge (obviously oil/water mixed) all in the inlet manifold, in the connection pipes onto it, and at the bottom of the pipes that connect to the air box?

I wouldn't have expected to see all this blathered up the inlet, any ideas? Is there a breather from the sump or something that's sending it all up there? Do you lot think it is the head gaskets?

Thanks in advance! Col.  

[Albus Dumbledore]

If it looks like mayonaise, I think that's normal. I have read here about other people wondering about the same thing, and if I remember correctly it has to do with if the car goes for alot of short runs. Someone here will know more about this then me, and can say if I am correct. I have also read here that HG failure is very rare on Omegas.

I would also think if the breathers are almost clogged, this would be the reason for the cars struggle to start.

Hope it helps

[coldanconversions]

Cheers, I try the search thing every time, but I generally end up lost in posts that are irrelevant!  

It seems that the cars been off the road 2 years now, but the last owner said that he did start it every once in a while (so that might explain the short run thing).

I've also heard that HG failure is uncommon, but I can't think of anything else I should be looking at. It seems like a dead cert.

I should know by tomorrow though as the heads will be coming off and hopefully it'll be clear to see where the gaskets gone... Hopefully!

[albitz]

mayo in the oil filler neck is normal due to short journeys,not sure about the places you have mentioned though. :-/

[Albus Dumbledore]

I'm crossing my fingers 8-)

What are the symptoms, since you think HG failure?

[feeutfo]

mayo under oil filler cap is normal for short journeys. Black gunk in plenum normal for blocked or un serviced breathers in my ltd experience. But did i read correctly sludge coming out the throttle inlet?
Whats the rule? Oil in water, oil cooler.
Water in oil, head gaskit. Whats dip stick like? Sludge in there, def head gaskit they say. But it runs smooth you say. Can white smoke be steam from cold? I not much help, you need a god, they will be along no doubt.


 

[feeutfo]

mayo under oil filler cap is normal for short journeys. Black gunk in plenum normal for blocked or un serviced breathers in my ltd experience. But did i read correctly sludge coming out the throttle inlet?
Whats the rule? Oil in water, oil cooler.
Water in oil, head gaskit. Whats dip stick like? Sludge in there, def head gaskit they say. But it runs smooth you say. Can white smoke be steam from cold? I not much help, you need a god, they will be along no doubt.


 

[coldanconversions]

The brown mayo Is in the filler neck, the inlet plenum, all over the throttle bodies, and down in the bottom of the plastic inlet pipe that connects the airbox to the throttle bodies.

Its everywhere!!!

There was no oil in the coolant, as there was all in all about 2-3 pints left in the whole cooling system.

You can tell it's not condensation 'smoke' once it's started as it lingers waaaay too long.

Basically symptoms seems to be;

Poor starting (winds and winds, then after 5ish seconds and using a bit of gas it catches).

Reluctant to idle (needs a constant pressure on the gas).

No coolant left!

The oil looks like a Hellmann's factory!

White smoke present out of the exhaust.

---------------

Those lot seem like classic HG symptoms.

I just can't place the mayo being everywhere on the inlet side of things into the equation, it seems like that might be an additional problem.  

[doz]

THe breathers travel along the plenum in the black plastic thingy to the throttle bodies. It would explain why you have chocolate mayo all over the inside of the plenum.

[feeutfo]

yeah, breaked then.
Breathers run from silver box behind left bank, up rubber pipes that connect to the back of the black plastic bit on top of the plenum with eco tech on it, then into plenum itself. Air/oil vapour coming up there with crank case pressure, as its ment to. But not with water in it. Guide on here how to clean, make sure you get em spangly when you re build it or head gaskit will blow by, leaking oil into plug holes buggering yous ht leads etc.
Guide on head gaskits as well,somewhere. Hope helps

[coldanconversions]

Cheers people... I'm disheartened today and have decided to break the car  

The engine is very poorly, and combined with the general tattyness of the car, it's just not feasible to put back on the road. It needs around £600 of bodywork doing to it, and the engine needs rebuilding.

So I'm selling a few bits off it (R28 box, Xenons being the main bits) and the rest is unfortunately scrap... I'm well gutted.

On the brighter side I've had a cunning plan, but I don't know if you Omega purists will approve ( ). I'm going to rebuild the engine with new rings, gaskets and bearings and stick the damn thing in my Corsa!

So, I've just stuck an order in at Chris Astley for just over £700 on conversion parts, and I'm going to the Motor Factors tomorrow to order the engines rebuild parts.

3.0 Corsa with an F28 6 speed box... Should be interesting if nothing else!

Here's pics of the poorly engine;

Yeah, that's right, there's oil sat in cylinder 6! Which has marked the bores, so I need to sort that out too! You can also see the 'mayo' in the water jacket.


What an absolute mess (note more 'mayo' all on the undersides of the heads)