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[jonboy429]

Hi all,

Am new on here and figured it best to ask all you knowledgable(!) people for help/guidance with my Omega problems!

I have had this car for around 6 months and the only problem I have had until now was the EGR pipe blowing.

Over a couple of weeks the cold starting has become worse. I have had to go to using the glow plugs twice before starting the engine.  Then, around a fortnight ago, as I drove to work, I started getting a really awful "grinding" sound coming from the transmission as I drove at around 25-30mph.  I stopped immediately and opended the bonnet to see nothing visible as to what the noise was. I also looked under the car and could see no fluid leaks, or anything fallen off & dragging(!) etc etc.

I slowly moved off again, and at around 20mph, shortly after changing gear, the noise stopped.  I kept at speeds of under 30mph until I reached my work (around 1/4 mile).  The car was then parked up for more than a week without being touched.

I started it mid-way through last week and it was awful to start, and when running, its tick-over is what I can only describe as "laboured". Myboss has a snap-on Ethos machine and said I could try that & see if any codes were thrown up.  It shows a "Cruise control high voltage" fault.......yet car doesn't have cruise control! It also shows "glow plug general fault" (which may explain the difficulty in cold-starting I have experienced.

The mechanic at our work  also got the Ethos to show up the gearbox/transmission codes, and it said "A/T range sensor fault"......not sure what that means though.

Lastly (as if I haven't mentioned enough!) there seems to be a pipe disconnected from the Vacuum Pump that sits just to the right of the engine, above the top hose that runs from the rad.  There's one pipe there which goes to a three way joiner sitting roughly above the injectors, yet there is a second connection on the underside of the vacuum pump which has no pipe on & we can't find it laying in the engine bay anywhere. If anyone can tell me where the pipe originates from then it would be a help in perhaps trackingmit down.

Any help I can get would be very welcome as I love driving this car and don't want to see it standing doing nothing!!

Cheers,

Jon

[TheBoy]

Glow plugs are easy enough to change from what I remember, front 2 bit more challenging. I've done them in less than an hour before.  Normally around £8 each, use decent quality ones like NGK or Beru.

AT code is the selector switch. Clear it, see what comes back.

Is it still making a noise?

I'm only in Brackley if you get stuck.

[jonboy429]

Thanks for your reply.

Will try your idea of clearing the code on the AT and seeing what happens after.

It still makes a noise but nowhere near as bad as before. Now it sounds a little like the noise u get when a brake pad is sticking to the disk. Once I reach a speed above 20mph and the box changes gear, the noise goes. However, if I reverse, it makes a sort of whining noise which I've never noticed before.

Been told to thiknk along the lines of the torque converter.......but I'm not clued up on auto boxes.

The other thing I forgot was that within a couple of weeks of getting it, it shed the serpantine belt for no apparent reason.  The mechanic at my company seems to think it may be that the power steering fluid is what also feeds the gearbox (not heard of this before) and if so, could it be something linked with this event?

[TheBoy]

If noise is gearbox related, first thing is to check the ATF level. Bit messy to do, as no dipsticks or drain plugs.

TBH, TD autos are known for shredding their gearboxes, esp if you chip them.  *IF* you do have to replace gearbox, use an AR35 (stronger), most people on here sell them for £75 ish. BUT you do have to reuse your Torque converter.

[TheBoy]

And where is Sassanach when you need him

[jonboy429]

Have found a gearbox but it's labelled a KZ?

Now I'm totally confused!

Will see whether anyone on the ooc has an AR35 for sale though.

[TheBoy]

Have found a gearbox but it's labelled a KZ?

Now I'm totally confused!

Will see whether anyone on the ooc has an AR35 for sale though.

Thats the Ident. On same plate (I think!) it should say AR25 or AR35.

[jonboy429]

Well he's asking £125 plus carriage, so I'll probably be better off asking around on here, and actually get what i'm looking for.

Is it a straight swap to the AR35? No difference between them mounting wise etc?

The annoying part is I need to obviously diagnose exactly what's at fault, and I'm not sure how easy that's going to be!

[TheBoy]

Well he's asking £125 plus carriage, so I'll probably be better off asking around on here, and actually get what i'm looking for.

Is it a straight swap to the AR35? No difference between them mounting wise etc?

The annoying part is I need to obviously diagnose exactly what's at fault, and I'm not sure how easy that's going to be!

You need to reuse your bellhousing and torque converter, as this are unique to the BMW tractors.  Whilst the bellhouseing is off, its worth changing the thrust washer.

Assuming it hasn't rubbed, torque converters are stupidly reliable.

[hoofing it]

Hi all,

Am new on here and figured it best to ask all you knowledgable(!) people for help/guidance with my Omega problems!

I have had this car for around 6 months and the only problem I have had until now was the EGR pipe blowing.

Over a couple of weeks the cold starting has become worse. I have had to go to using the glow plugs twice before starting the engine.  Then, around a fortnight ago, as I drove to work, I started getting a really awful "grinding" sound coming from the transmission as I drove at around 25-30mph.  I stopped immediately and opended the bonnet to see nothing visible as to what the noise was. I also looked under the car and could see no fluid leaks, or anything fallen off & dragging(!) etc etc.

I slowly moved off again, and at around 20mph, shortly after changing gear, the noise stopped.  I kept at speeds of under 30mph until I reached my work (around 1/4 mile).  The car was then parked up for more than a week without being touched.

I started it mid-way through last week and it was awful to start, and when running, its tick-over is what I can only describe as "laboured". Myboss has a snap-on Ethos machine and said I could try that & see if any codes were thrown up.  It shows a "Cruise control high voltage" fault.......yet car doesn't have cruise control! It also shows "glow plug general fault" (which may explain the difficulty in cold-starting I have experienced.

The mechanic at our work  also got the Ethos to show up the gearbox/transmission codes, and it said "A/T range sensor fault"......not sure what that means though.

Lastly (as if I haven't mentioned enough!) there seems to be a pipe disconnected from the Vacuum Pump that sits just to the right of the engine, above the top hose that runs from the rad.  There's one pipe there which goes to a three way joiner sitting roughly above the injectors, yet there is a second connection on the underside of the vacuum pump which has no pipe on & we can't find it laying in the engine bay anywhere. If anyone can tell me where the pipe originates from then it would be a help in perhaps trackingmit down.

Any help I can get would be very welcome as I love driving this car and don't want to see it standing doing nothing!!

Cheers,

Jon

Thats meant to be like that its the vacuum intake.also change the small inline filter there pennys to buy.
As for the power steering supplying the autobox it doesn't as TB says its a messy job and be careful not to burn your arms on the exhaust.
You should also consider taking the sump off the gearbox and removing and replacing the filter inside.
P.S if your going to change the glow plugs it's easier to remove the manifold you will need to replace the gaskets though I have a set here if you want them just PM me

[jonboy429]

Hi All

Thanks for the advice but I'm beginning to think this is going to become very expensive to sort out. By the time I;ve managed to find a replacement gearbox and anything else in relation to that, I'm going to have to fork out anything around £200 (plus fitting etc). Then there's the issue of its cold starting too. Even if that's just glow plugs, they'll be around £8-10 each minimum.

This is sounding way too expensive to be viable really.  Now deciding whether to cash in the remaining 4 months tax, remove the battery and the alloys (with good tyres) and send her to the great car park in the sky!

Cheers for your help though.

Worst thing is, I can't even advertise the car on here by the look of it as I've not posted 250 threads!

[Agemo]

Don't get downhearted, if you are after a cheap option, then an AR25 (identical to what you have now) can be bought very cheaply. Fitting doesn't take that long, even if you have to pay someone to do it for you, it's still little money. Glows are not expensive, if you test them, you may find some are fine. I am sure you will get a PM from someone offering you a price. Just compare that price with the cost of changing to another gamble motor.

[TheBoy]

Don't get downhearted, if you are after a cheap option, then an AR25 (identical to what you have now) can be bought very cheaply. Fitting doesn't take that long, even if you have to pay someone to do it for you, it's still little money. Glows are not expensive, if you test them, you may find some are fine. I am sure you will get a PM from someone offering you a price. Just compare that price with the cost of changing to another gamble motor.

Given the amount of faffing around, I'd replace all 6 together. Its a right royal PITA keep taking that inlet off

Its likely to cost more in ATF (£40) and fitting (guess at least 3hrs - although I've seen Sassanach remove, strip it to component parts, put back together, and fit a different box in that timescale before, as tractors are easier (exhaust can stay in place)), outweighing minor difference in AR25 to AR35 price.

[jonboy429]

Thanks for the extra info etc.

One more thing (!) is that once running (which is a mission as it has little/no glow function) is that the engine is constantly "hunting" on tick-over.

I'm sure this is nothing to do with the glow plugs as it behaves like this even when warm.

Tried using it today for work but couldn't get reverse at all so I gave up, surrendered, and got a lift with a friend!!!

 

[Omegatoy]

ouch!!! ony time ive known them to "hunt" is when the timing chans are worn or the engine has been turned backwards!! would also explain the poor starting!
hope its not though!!