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[Peevee]

Morning All!

I'm a new Omega owner [after the 3rd attempt of trying to tempt my wife into one] and am already enjoying the fact of problems and an unhappy wife! So I'd like your guidance if possible please as I've only owned it [the car not my wife!] for the last 2 days...

The initial symptons...
1 - on start up, started fine but clicking sound near manifold
2 - bit smelly re: fuel as though it's unburned
3 - other than the 2 symptoms above, drove ok!

My initial thoughts... probably a leaky exhaust so was going to look into getting a new one.

The secondary problems...
4 - started it up yesterday, all 'normal' i.e. same symptons as described above in 1 and 2
5 - 50 yards down the road the car starts spluttering and sounding like a wet fart, lose throttle control [wont accellerate] and just rolls to a stop.
6 - button by radio that looks like a person running starts flashing.
7 - open drivers door to get out and alarm goes off!

Secondary thoughts... where can I get ear defenders to drown out the wife!

I've checked the battery and it's dead. Put in spare battery and turned engine over to check alternator. Alternator reads fine so no problem here.

When engine is running with the spare battery in it, it's still spluttering and there's no throttle control and by this I mean that when you push the throttle, nothing happens at all, the engine just remains exactly the same, idle and spluttery...

Exhaust temp at the rear end is very hot, even at idle...

So I'm thinking the following and am wanting your ideas or confirmation please...

... I wonder if:
a - my lambda sensor is faulty resulting in the car to run too rich which has burned out the catalytic converter?
b - my Catalytic converter's blocked [melted] as a result of the car running too rich?
c - that it's the blocked catalytic converter that's causing the ticking sound I heard on start up?
d - there's anything else I haven't thought of?
e - Any ideas on why there's no throttle control?

Thanks for your help folks regarding the above and sorry for asking for help on my first post outside of the newbies area!

By the way... in case you're wondering... I found some ear defender's so it's lovely and peaceful at home now... ha!

regards
Peevee

[Peevee]

I thought it might be important to add that my Omega is a 2001/51 plate 2.2 petrol automatic CD model

[Welung666]

Where are you Peevee?

[feeutfo]

Try unplugging the maf as a long shot, but it really needs tech 2 or a code reader on it to interrogate the engined ecu for errors.

And add yor rough location to your profile, we may be able to guide you to a tech 2 owning member on here, if your in the uk?

Although they may need to come to you by the sound of it....

[TheBoy]

As chrisgixer says and welung666 implied, I think it needs a code reader on it as a first point of call.  As the car is new to you, I'd recommend a proper Vauxhall specific reader that can read and reset all systems, so we know where we are starting from.

[Peevee]

Excellent. Thanks for the guidance. I'm based in Ely, just north of Cambridge.

Regarding the Vauxhall the 'tech 2' code reader item... what is that exactly and where would I purchase one?

Thanks
PVE

[Sir Sideways]

A tech 2 is a code reader Vauxhall dealers use. They plug it into the diagnostic port in the fuse box under the dash. It reads the ecu and tells of any faults the ecu has logged it can also make adjustments to certain things I.e turn on cruise control etc. A couple of members on here have one. If you could find one to buy, it would cost around £2000 maybe more.

[jonathanh]

agree this needs a full code reader but I think you can look at a few thinks without it.

first, does the engine management light come on and then go out when you turn ignition on?  second check that it does not do so exactly at the same time as airbag light ( as it is not unknown for someone to disconnect the EML and wire it to the airbag light)

with your problems I would expect EML light on.

Second you seem to have an electrical problem- the alarm coming on.  It could be unrelated  to the fuel smell and just be caused by the battery failure.

next move could be to unplug the MAF - there is no harm in doing so and you can clear the code from this yourself ( turn the ingnition on but do not start, for 20 clear cycles, i.e. wait until the self check completes). 

Good luck

[feeutfo]

Pm Marks dtm calibration, an admin here with tech 2' he is in Nottingham. Bit of a treck with a sick car though.

Avoid the dealers with tech 2, they are hopeless as a rule.

Have you tried unplugging the maf? Just to eliminate it. If the car runs better on it's default map then that's a clue, although I'm not overly hopeful it will make any odds, it's just a simple thing to try diy which may get you mobile and over to marks tech 2.

Other than that it could be number of things sadly, hence needs a diagnostic, which is what tech 2 does.

[johny5]

Clicking sound could be cracked manifold, would also giv u the strong fuely exhaust smell when its cold, i know this coz mines cracked too at the minute and it runs and sounds like a wet fart lol.

[feeutfo]

Tech 2 for sale here 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TECH-2-VAUXHALL-OPEL-SAAB-ISUZU-GM-/230499736754?pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment#ht_5142wt_1027

[PhilRich]

Tech 2 for sale here 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TECH-2-VAUXHALL-OPEL-SAAB-ISUZU-GM-/230499736754?pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment#ht_5142wt_1027

  definately strong grounds for Divorce in my case methinks! 

[Peevee]

Thanks for all the help... it is appreciated! So here's the latest...
1 - it would appear that all the original electrical issues were caused by a dead battery! Hah! How beautifully simple!
2 - it promptly died again after 30 odd miles - i.e. turns over but goes into limp home mode! [As a side issue... i originally nic-named the car Peevee but my wife has now renamed it Lemon!] Put the diagnostic machine on that my friends have [not a vauxhall specific one but a different one] and it came up with 'immobiliser'. One friend said they reckon it's the key that's at fault as no code came up with the 'imobiliser' fault. The other one said it might be the maf sensor? They both disagreed with each other [but both potential causes seem plausible] because the first friend said if it was the maf sensor surely a problem code would show up whereas in this instance it didn't?

So the symptoms are: might start 3/4 times and run terrifically. Then next time you turn it on, it automatically goes into limp home mode. Diagnostic machine says' immobiliser fault' without giving any specific code.

Over to you folks, 'cause this ones got me beat! Should I change the maf sensor, could it be the key itself... does it need reprogramming?

Thanks all!
PVee

[Peevee]

Also just thought i'd mention that the fuel smell problem earlier appears to be three things...

1 - manifold bolts loose! But on tightning these, 3 of them snapped! So 4 hours of labour to drill them out of the head... bummer
2 - rear exhaust is corroded through, so need new exhaust from cat back
3 - fuel cap... it doesn't fit [as the car came with a full tank of fuel I hadn't needed to check for this!] but didn't realise this.

[skyblue]

Could ya crank sensor be failing as I heard a story of someone having the same problems as you with the car going into limp mode.... they got home replaced the said sensor and never had  a problem again with it