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[Grrrrrr]

Saw an Omega today which I am interested in buying. Car wasn't cold but probably had been standing for an hour. Checked under the water and oil caps - nothing.

Took car for a spin. Ran nicely. Got back, opened water cap to see if anything shaken loose and it poured out all over the tarmac. Waited, tried again - same again. By the time I got the cap off it had pretty much emptied the reservoir onto the tarmac. This from a 2001 plate. Also, on the cap were brownish-grey flecks (oil I suspect.) Guy reckons the oil cooler was changed 4 weeks ago and maybe not all was flushed out of the coolant.

Question: should it do this? If not, could it be the oil cooler wasn't fixed properly or could it a head gasket going? Low mileage so wouldn't have thought so but you never know if they've not checked the coolant and cooked it.

Ideas anyone? Am I just overreacting or could it be more serious?

[Welung666]

Was it soon after you'd pulled up that you tried removing the cap?

[MutantCav]

Its a pressurised system...remove the water cap of any Omega when up to temperature and the coolant gushes out...

[stevie1976]

check from cold as pressurised

[NaughtyNigel]

Its a pressurised system...remove the water cap of any Omega when up to temperature and the coolant gushes out...

Correct. And if it looks OK under the oil filler cap there is not much moisture in the oil.

Flushing out the cooling system is a long and tedious job, so I wouldn't be too surprised to see a few drops of oil after an oil cooler change.

NN

[Grrrrrr]

Was almost straight after I'd stopped the engine.

Thing is, I drove my Omega back 40 miles and pulled the cap straight off and only a little spilt out but my one's a 1994 so figure things might have changed a bit.

Well, if the concensus is that it is probably nothing to worry about then maybe it is worth a second look.

Thanks for the advice!

[Grrrrrr]

Oh, both oil cap and dip-stick were clean. Oil felt OK too between my fingers.

Guess maybe I'm just worrying. Big purchase. And now I see a 3.2 for sale on here... although admittedly somewhat more expensive!

[feeutfo]

both my old 2.5 and 3.2 poor coolent out when still hot.

Personally(i have not had an oil cooler fail so not certain of the exact symptoms post and pre repair)i would be more concerned re oil in the coolent. Is it possible the cooler is in need of repair? Rather than been repaired? If your def interested in the car maybe insist they flush it in front of you until your happy its clear...? Can the garage show you receipts for the oil cooler parts? Cooler and grey sealent? They may be trying to hide something..."may"...
Would def flush it thoroughly, the oil will rot the rubber coolent pipes.

[mahony]

I thought that all omega's since mini facelift had stainless steel oil coolers fitted to stop them failing. :question

[Grrrrrr]

Seemed odd to me that it should fail as it hasn't done 40k yet. Still, not exactly an expert mechanically.

I'm told you can get a head testing kit for about £20. Some dye changes colous when you put it in the expansion tank or similar. So, will buy one and try it out. Assuming it passes that test I'll risk it, I think.

J

[albitz]

I would take chrisgixers advice and ask to see receipts for the oil cooler work,or if he did it himself ask to see the old cooler.and receipt for the new one.

[tmx]

yes your right my mini f/l has a s/s oil cooler as i checked it and its nice n shiny (when i dusted it)!


and ive got every single recipt for this car and its on its original cooler 130k still going strong

btw im fairly sure all vauxhalls have a pressurised cooling system every single one ive had has expelled loads of water when you undo the cap when its hot! Ashtray,Omega,Vectra

[feeutfo]

Seemed odd to me that it should fail as it hasn't done 40k yet. Still, not exactly an expert mechanically.

I'm told you can get a head testing kit for about £20. Some dye changes colous when you put it in the expansion tank or similar. So, will buy one and try it out. Assuming it passes that test I'll risk it, I think.

J

Dont even bother with coolent "sniffer" test as a means of checking head gaskit, for which it was designed. They are very unreliable. It detects exhaust gas in the coolent which, if its had an oil cooler failure, it will detect and fail the test, ie turn yellow. There have been several people on here worried about incorrectly diagnosed failed hg due to this test.

[JamesV6CDX]

Cooler in my Elite was still strong on 180k.....

Changing it with the rebuild for good measure - but it's ok!

[Grrrrrr]

Seemed odd to me that it should fail as it hasn't done 40k yet. Still, not exactly an expert mechanically.

J

Dont even bother with coolent "sniffer" test as a means of checking head gaskit, for which it was designed. They are very unreliable. It detects exhaust gas in the coolent which, if its had an oil cooler failure, it will detect and fail the test, ie turn yellow. There have been several people on here worried about incorrectly diagnosed failed hg due to this test.

Jeez. I'm stuffed! Just out of interest, why would leak from oil cooler cause false positive from test kit? Thought they just picked up carbon monoxide?

Brings me back to my conundrum: do I assuming the collant just gushed out because I caught it at the wrong moment or has some muppet baked the head with no coolant? This is going to sound REALLY sexist but previous owner was a woman and I don't think she serviced it once in the year or so she had it!