Omega Owners Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Please check the Forum Guidelines at the top of the Newbie section

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Water loss  (Read 1269 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

ScottieMV6

  • Omega Knight
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Swinton, Manchester
  • Posts: 1140
    • View Profile
Water loss
« on: 18 March 2009, 14:46:50 »
My car has started losing water, not loads but it still needs looking at.

Its losing everything that is in the header tank(ie from full to warning message coming on) in around 500 miles. Is this a lot?

Also I have noticed that I tend to see a lot of smoke/steam from the exhaust even when up to temperature. Is this something to worry about?
Logged
I'd rather be scared to death than bored to death!!

ScottieMV6

  • Omega Knight
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Swinton, Manchester
  • Posts: 1140
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #1 on: 18 March 2009, 18:08:48 »
Anyone? :-?
Logged
I'd rather be scared to death than bored to death!!

bigdods

  • Intermediate Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Brackley
  • Posts: 461
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #2 on: 18 March 2009, 18:18:59 »
HBV would be my first port of call - look for water dripping down/off the back of the engine. Its quite common for them to fail.

Steamy exhaust ? Pretty normal for an Omega. Both my previous 2.5 and current 3.0 put out significant clouds of steam when sat ticking over in traffic, at the lights etc on a cold day, but I never lost any coolant.

ETA: guide to changing the HBV here http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1193594464
« Last Edit: 18 March 2009, 18:24:00 by bigdods »
Logged

david1

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • tewkesbury,glos
  • Posts: 22
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #3 on: 18 March 2009, 19:06:05 »
mine loses about the same. no external leaks, and no signs of leak from anywhere when engine warm ie expansion cap  - nothing. car runs fine and oil all ok . i just keep on topping it up.
Logged

miggcddave

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  •   south wales
  • Posts: 679
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #4 on: 18 March 2009, 19:08:59 »
any mayo in oil filler cap + oil dip stick ? maybe head gasket  :'(
Logged

Andy B

  • Get A Life!!
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Bury Lancs
  • Posts: 39731
    • ML350 TDM SmartRoadster
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #5 on: 18 March 2009, 19:31:40 »
Quote
Anyone? :-?

I'd agree with bigdods and the hbv £30 and an hour to change.
How's the water pump & header tank cap?

I don't need to top mine up at all.  :y  :y
Logged

Entwood

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • North Wiltshire
  • Posts: 19566
  • My Old 3.2 V6 Elite (LPG)
    • Audi A6 Allroad 3.0 DTI
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #6 on: 18 March 2009, 20:13:39 »
Quote
mine loses about the same. no external leaks, and no signs of leak from anywhere when engine warm ie expansion cap  - nothing. car runs fine and oil all ok . i just keep on topping it up.

I trust you top up with a 50/50 antifreeze/water mix ???

If you don't and just use water then your system is slowly getting nearer and nearer to water only, this can cause massive problems in the longer term due to corrosion within the system.. :(

HTH
Logged

ScottieMV6

  • Omega Knight
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Swinton, Manchester
  • Posts: 1140
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #7 on: 18 March 2009, 23:50:22 »
Quote
Quote
Anyone? :-?

I'd agree with bigdods and the hbv £30 and an hour to change.
How's the water pump & header tank cap?

I don't need to top mine up at all.  :y  :y

Changed the HBV when I did the cam cover gaskets. It seemed stupid not to do it while I had the access and it is only £30. :y
Logged
I'd rather be scared to death than bored to death!!

ScottieMV6

  • Omega Knight
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Swinton, Manchester
  • Posts: 1140
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #8 on: 18 March 2009, 23:51:44 »
Quote
any mayo in oil filler cap + oil dip stick ? maybe head gasket  :'(

Tiny bit of mayo in filler cap but I put that down to short journey dropping daughter at school every day.
Logged
I'd rather be scared to death than bored to death!!

Darth Loo-knee

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Death Star
  • Posts: 18826
  • Jammie smells of Pooh....
    • TIE Fighter
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #9 on: 18 March 2009, 23:54:15 »
Quote
Quote
Quote
Anyone? :-?

I'd agree with bigdods and the hbv £30 and an hour to change.
How's the water pump & header tank cap?

I don't need to top mine up at all.  :y  :y

Changed the HBV when I did the cam cover gaskets. It seemed stupid not to do it while I had the access and it is only £30. :y

If you can't see the water loss it could be the thermostat housing or oil cooler plate, water maybe evaporating with the engine heat. You could take the scuttle panel off and pressure the system slightly and see where the leak is coming from :y
Logged
Everything to do with Omega's. Breaking, Servicing from Cambelts to Oil Changes... Please Pm me for details...

Elite Pete

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chester
  • Posts: 19580
  • My spider senses are tingling
    • Audi SQ5 GSX1400
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #10 on: 18 March 2009, 23:54:56 »
Quote
Quote
any mayo in oil filler cap + oil dip stick ? maybe head gasket  :'(

Tiny bit of mayo in filler cap but I put that down to short journey dropping daughter at school every day.
Mayo in filler cap is normal when doing short journeys. I would look around the oil cooler plate and thermostat housing for any staining
Logged
Retired

Talk_Converter

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Watford, Herts
  • Posts: 11
    • View Profile
Re: Water loss
« Reply #11 on: 19 March 2009, 00:45:52 »
I just recently had this problem, topping up every few hundred miles but more frequently if I used the right foot more often than usual. Then suddenly the "Coolant Level" warning came much sooner, with steam clearly seen on the right hand rear of bonnet. A jet of hot coolant could be seen shooting from the HBV at high revs. When the engine was made accessible for the HBV replacement, it was soon evident that the jet was in fact coming from a 2mm slit in the lower pipe attached to the HBV.
On my Omega this was a short pipe carrying the clearly marked part number 90466229 but a replacement was much too long. It was later confirmed that these shorter pipes were incorrectly marked and should carry the correct part number 90466222. So be careful if you have a similar leaking pipe as quoting the number printed on it will get you the wrong replacement part :y The HBV was changed at the same time as a small hairline crack could be seen on one part of it.
I was quoted £250-£300 for replacement of the HBV + Parts  :o with the guy saying "It's a long job, we have to strip down all of the engine or maybe remove it to do the work". My trusty mechanic friend acquired all parts for under £25 and took him about an hour to fit  :D
Moral of the story? Yes, suspect the HBV but watch out for any failed pipes attached to it as well.

P.S. Length of the 90466222 pipe is 280mm when stretched out from its tight curl.

Oh! And find an honest mechanic ;)
« Last Edit: 19 March 2009, 00:55:40 by Talk_Converter »
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
 

Page created in 0.017 seconds with 17 queries.