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[ffcgary1]

I heard a whisper from a pal who is a mechanic at a vx dealer and is very up to spec with the omega engines, saying that there was a known problem with the oil pumps fitted to later v6 2.6 and 3.2 engines although they should have been sorted out by now if they were suspect. Sorry to hear that your engine has expired, did you have any service history with the car when you bought it? was it serviced to vx intervals, if so could be half the cause, to long between oil changed for my mind.
There are always cars on here being broken so look on the for sale/wanted/ parts sections .
Gary.

[Pip]

Ive removed the cambelt cover this evening and found the belt to be all tight and in order so that's that ruled out.

Next step to take the heads off I suppose :-(

The engine is a X30XE motor, so possibly not an oil pump issue? No warning about low oil pressure.  Anyway will update when Ive got the heads off..

[Pip]

Didn't quite get as far as taking the head off tonight but did remove the inlet manifold and two of the cams and can already see that at least two of the valves are bent and others are still open even though the cam is off them. So it looks like some of the tappets have seized in the head. I guess even though there was no oil pressure warning it dropped low enough to let them run dry.

[The Red Baron]

Didn't quite get as far as taking the head off tonight but did remove the inlet manifold and two of the cams and can already see that at least two of the valves are bent and others are still open even though the cam is off them. So it looks like some of the tappets have seized in the head. I guess even though there was no oil pressure warning it dropped low enough to let them run dry.

are you sure the cambelt hasnt slipped though, you may have bent valves due to pistons hitting them. i had the same problem on a 3.0 but managed to get away with it, if this is the case a pair of heads & valves would sort you out.  ::)that i have spare.

[Pip]

I am pretty sure it was properly tensioned up, couldn't turn it belt through 90° and was all nice and tight. You can tell its all pretty new.

I'm planning on rebuilding it now instead of doing an engine swap, gives me an excuse to use the Cortina for a while, but will I necessarily need new heads?

Ive posted a video of it just before it expired on Youtube now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kas1vVd90gE
Hopefully it may help someone else in the future.

[The Red Baron]

that IS noisey, top end deffo.
Tbh, if the lifters have seized in the head & the valves are bent then i would be swapping the heads & valves, you dont know what damage has been done to them.
But this begs the question, why has this happened?
lack of servicing..oil changes
or the oil pump has gone weak.

[Kevin Wood]

that IS noisey, top end deffo.
Tbh, if the lifters have seized in the head & the valves are bent then i would be swapping the heads & valves, you dont know what damage has been done to them.
But this begs the question, why has this happened?
lack of servicing..oil changes
or the oil pump has gone weak.

Equally, if it was lack of oil pressure it would have damaged the bottom end bearings before lifters siezed, IMHO, and the cause of the problem might well be in the bottom end. (oil pump / pickup strainer?).

Certainly warrants the sump off for a look. I'd be wanting to find the cause before throwing good parts at it.

Then again, I wonder if the timing had slipped. :-/

Kevin

[The Red Baron]

that IS noisey, top end deffo.
Tbh, if the lifters have seized in the head & the valves are bent then i would be swapping the heads & valves, you dont know what damage has been done to them.
But this begs the question, why has this happened?
lack of servicing..oil changes
or the oil pump has gone weak.

Equally, if it was lack of oil pressure it would have damaged the bottom end bearings before lifters siezed, IMHO, and the cause of the problem might well be in the bottom end. (oil pump / pickup strainer?).

Certainly warrants the sump off for a look. I'd be wanting to find the cause before throwing good parts at it.

Then again, I wonder if the timing had slipped. :-/

Kevin

i think i would look at this first tbh.
as the warning light didnt come on for low oil pressure.

[Pip]

Hmm, I know your right..  :-)

Do you want to sell your spare heads?

I reckon Ill change the oil pump too while Ive got it apart. Is it possible to do while the engine is still in the car?

[The Red Baron]

Hmm, I know your right..  :-)

Do you want to sell your spare heads?

I reckon Ill change the oil pump too while Ive got it apart. Is it possible to do while the engine is still in the car?

a right royal pain in the ass job. i think the engine has to come out. but dont quote me on that.

[The Red Baron]

quick question to kevin....are the 2.5 & 3.0l oil pumps the same do you know?
...just checked, they both come up with
 part/no. 9193203

[Andy H]

Hmm, I know your right..  :-)

Do you want to sell your spare heads?

I reckon Ill change the oil pump too while Ive got it apart. Is it possible to do while the engine is still in the car?

a right royal pain in the ass job. i think the engine has to come out. but dont quote me on that.

I think the only problem is that the crank pulley nut has to come off and it is torqued up to 250lbf (IIRC). I have read that the crank pulley is made from sintered metal and will disintegrate if that much force is applied to it. If the engine is out you can apply a lock between the ring gear and one of the bellhousing bolts.

[The Red Baron]

Hmm, I know your right..  :-)

Do you want to sell your spare heads?

I reckon Ill change the oil pump too while Ive got it apart. Is it possible to do while the engine is still in the car?

a right royal pain in the ass job. i think the engine has to come out. but dont quote me on that.

I think the only problem is that the crank pulley nut has to come off and it is torqued up to 250lbf (IIRC). I have read that the crank pulley is made from sintered metal and will disintegrate if that much force is applied to it. If the engine is out you can apply a lock between the ring gear and one of the bellhousing bolts.

thats right, made one up from a very large spanner i had. & bloody tight to get out.

[Pip]

Not going to be a quick job eh :-(  but its going to have to come off one way or another otherwise I am not going to be happy its been done right.

Ive an air ¾" drive socket gun which seems to move pretty much anything so Ill give that a whizz before going for the full engine out option.

Ill push on and update at a later date.

[Andy H]

Not going to be a quick job eh :-(  but its going to have to come off one way or another otherwise I am not going to be happy its been done right.

Ive an air ¾" drive socket gun which seems to move pretty much anything so Ill give that a whizz before going for the full engine out option.

Ill push on and update at a later date.

How are you going to torque it up again afterwards?

Omega owners have reported problems with crud blocking the strainer in the oil pick up pipe. I haven't read of any proven cases of oil pump failure :-/