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[terry paget]

2000 2.5 manual petrol estate
Pre MOT check on above car has revealed a blowing exhaust. Is ATE forum current choice? Can someone give me a reference please?

[Doctor Gollum]

You could wait until it actually fails and then buy the cheapest V6 estate one on eBay.

Saves fitting a new exhaust and then scrapping it because it's rotten

[terry paget]

I don't think it will pass MOT now. Here is the cheapest I can find on e-bay.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Opel-Vauxhall-Omega-B-2-5-2-6-V6-Estate-Silencer-Exhaust-System-352/261111236317?fits=Model%3AOmega+B%7CCars+Type%3A2.5+V6&hash=item3ccb7146dd:g:CN8AAOSw6iZcD5t

[dave the builder]

just whack some gum gum, bean can with jubilee clip,foil tape etc on to see how it fares at mot time ,if it passes, then spend money 

[Doctor Gollum]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-OMEGA-B-ESTATE-2-5-168HP-1994-2000-Silencer-Exhaust-System/150875259003?fits=Car+Make%3AVauxhall%7CModel%3AOmega%7CCars+Type%3A2.5+V6&hash=item2320ddc07b:g:wp8AAOSwsh5bSyDC

Free postage, so actually cheaper

What I meant was regardless of exhaust condition, what about the rest of the car... Don't spend money until you know the car is sound. Or scrap it now and buy a replacement car with a long MoT for three times that Astra...

[terry paget]

When I checked this car 2 weeks ago it wasn't blowing, so maybe some Gum gum, foil &  jubilee clip might get it through MOT, or, if it failed, I would learn what else it needed. This is my best Omega, second best is the V reg  2.5 estate, and the worst the 2003 3.2 ex-police saloon, seriously rusty.

[zirk]

If the Blow isnt serious my Mot Man normally just sticks a bit of sealant on it so it should Pass.

Take Him out for a few Beers the Night before the Re Test. 

[Enceladus]

"Pre MOT check" is usually a waste of time, unless maybe you mean that you did it yourself. Get the car MOT tested and decide what to about if it actually fails. It might well pass with just an advisory on the exhaust. Most MOT test stations allow free re-tests if the car is brought back within 10 days with the failures fixed. They don't re-test everything, just the failure points.

It's been suggested several times on other forums such as MSE that Council run MOT test centres, perhaps surprisingly, are good as they have no vested interest in failing your car as they don't do repairs for the general public. It seems that where Councils run MOT test centres to look after their own fleets they are also legally obliged to offer MOT test services to all. Not tried it myself however I did take an Omega to one a couple of years ago to have the emissions tested when they offered free tests. It passed.

Where is the hole in your exhaust? If it's the rear of the back box where it meets the centre pipes then it's well nigh impossible to weld or patch. Buy the system DG linked to and put that on. You'll have to drill out any broken bolts from the flanges on the cats. If they haven't been drilled out already. Or get a garage to put it on.

[terry paget]

"Pre MOT check" is usually a waste of time, unless maybe you mean that you did it yourself. Get the car MOT tested and decide what to about if it actually fails. It might well pass with just an advisory on the exhaust. Most MOT test stations allow free re-tests if the car is brought back within 10 days with the failures fixed. They don't re-test everything, just the failure points.

It's been suggested several times on other forums such as MSE that Council run MOT test centres, perhaps surprisingly, are good as they have no vested interest in failing your car as they don't do repairs for the general public. It seems that where Councils run MOT test centres to look after their own fleets they are also legally obliged to offer MOT test services to all. Not tried it myself however I did take an Omega to one a couple of years ago to have the emissions tested when they offered free tests. It passed.

Where is the hole in your exhaust? If it's the rear of the back box where it meets the centre pipes then it's well nigh impossible to weld or patch. Buy the system DG linked to and put that on. You'll have to drill out any broken bolts from the flanges on the cats. If they haven't been drilled out already. Or get a garage to put it on.
The hole is on the right hand centre section, where the input pipe enters the centre box at the top. I cannot see it but when I put my hand over it the sound disappears. The back box is stainless steel. The cat section to centre section bolts look very rusty and will need drilling out.

[terry paget]

By pre-MOT inspection I mean my own inspection of all bulbs, tyres, etc., and includes getting under the car to check exhaust and rust, and removing all the wheels to check track rod ends, gaiters, drop arms, oil leaks, etc, in fact all I can check.

[johnnydog]

You say that this is your best Omega, so from that you aren't expecting it to be destined for the scrap yard yet.
You say you have checked all likely components against possible MOT failure, so in my opinion, your options are -
1 - Take it for its test and hopefully drive away happy
2  - If it fails on your suspect exhaust, drive it away and repair / replace as necessary
3 -  Replace the exhaust before the MOT which will show good intent to the tester and again drive away happy.
It is pointless making a mountain out of a molehill; unless of course you actually know of other issues that may cause it to fail, but from you say, just take it and see what happens, and fix the exhaust prior to a retest. You'll worry yourself into an early grave otherwise!!!

[dave the builder]

By pre-MOT inspection I mean my own inspection of all bulbs, tyres, etc., and includes getting under the car to check exhaust and rust, and removing all the wheels to check track rod ends, gaiters, drop arms, oil leaks, etc, in fact all I can check.

That's great Terry 
gives you chance to check and clean up brake pipes and other little jobs too
(surface rust on brake pipes leads to many MOT fails because the tester sees rust and does not have time to inspect the pipework and ferrules in depth ,so fails them) plus bulbs etc are very common to fail a test,

Also , an mot tester may miss something ,so doing an mot pre check if you have the ability ,ramps/pit, axle stands to do one because then 2 sets of eyes have looked and checked the car.

but a minor exhaust blow can be patched , get an mot, then fit a new exhaust .
just be honest with the tester and say "i will replace the exhaust myself after the test" that way ,your also saying that any work will be done by you, and you will NOT be paying for the garages next Spanish holiday (or Butlins IF Brexit happens)

Good on you Terry for checking a car BEFORE MOT , rather than have a silly list of fails 

[Doctor Gollum]

If the back box is stainless, you could replace just the centre pipes... or better still, just the blowing section. Typically £42 a side.

[Enceladus]

In my experience the V6 centre pipes will outlast the back box. The back boxes rust through at the back where the stubs are that connect to the centres. The GM factory original centre pipes and back boxes weren't stainless but were much better quality than anything available now.

It's easier to drop the whole lot as one assembly from the cats back than to mess around trying to separate the sections.

And watch out for the rear box. If it's been on the car for a long time and an original, it might be unexpectedly heavy.

[Doctor Gollum]

In my experience the V6 centre pipes will outlast the back box. The back boxes rust through at the back where the stubs are that connect to the centres. The GM factory original centre pipes and back boxes weren't stainless but were much better quality than anything available now.

It's easier to drop the whole lot as one assembly from the cats back than to mess around trying to separate the sections.

And watch out for the rear box. If it's been on the car for a long time and an original, it might be unexpectedly heavy.

Back box is STAINLESS

[johnnydog]

Whether the back box is stainless or not, the pipes certainly won't be, and they corrode around the weld to the back box and on the lower side of the pipes where water sits.
In 2006,  I replaced an original back box (with the stainless angled exit tips) on my 3.2 due to excessive corrosion, with a genuine original again with the stainless angled tips on the the exit pipes ( VX aftermarket are mild steel with 90 degree angled steel tips, and they rust as any other exhaust component)
There different qualities of stainless though - 304 grade is pure stainless steel and will not rust, whereas lower grades such as 409 have an amount of mild steel in them, and although described as stainless, will still corrode away albeit at a slower rate than a mild steel exhaust.
However I have yet to see a stainless VX exhaust on an Omega apart from the exit tips on the original fitment. A magnet is the best test.

[biggriffin]

Stainless system
 http://www.venommotorsport.com/exhausts/jetex/stainless-steel-exhausts/vauxhall-omega/

[johnnydog]

Custom made stainless systems can be bought for the Omega, but as has been suggested, original exhausts from Vauxhall to the best of my knowledge have never been stainless.

[Doctor Gollum]

Custom made stainless systems can be bought for the Omega, but as has been suggested, original exhausts from Vauxhall to the best of my knowledge have never been stainless.

Terry's own words 'this car has a stainless back box'... 

[terry paget]

Custom made stainless systems can be bought for the Omega, but as has been suggested, original exhausts from Vauxhall to the best of my knowledge have never been stainless.

Terry's own words 'this car has a stainless back box'... 

I have the invoice from Longlife, Bristol, for £259, dated 2013-01-12, from the previous owner. I hope I can separate it from the old system without damaging it.

[Opomes]

I'm not going to create a new topic just yet, maybe some smart people can offer me some advice.
On my 3.2 saloon the silencer box is quite rusted away and needs to be replaced. If I were to get a used exhaust system from an Estate - can it be bolted right on or are the connections different? I've gone through some of the threads and they say that the length and what not are not the same. Also are the V6 exhaust systems all the same - is the 2.5 one interchangable with the 3.2 one and 2.6 with 3.0 and so on?

A second idea is to purchase a new system altogether: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Opel-Vauxhall-Omega-B-3-0-3-2-V6-Saloon-Silencer-Exhaust-System-351-/251165535819 - this would do, right?

Best regards.

[Doctor Gollum]

Saloon and estate exhausts for any given engine are different cat back for saloon and estate.

They are NOT interchangeable. Ever.

[Opomes]

Saloon and estate exhausts for any given engine are different cat back for saloon and estate.

They are NOT interchangeable. Ever.

Perfect.
What about a V6 2.5 vs V6 3.2 exhaust or V6 2.6 vs V6 3.2 - interchangeable or not?

[johnnydog]

All V6 exhausts cat back will fit, whether 2.5, 2.6, 3.0 or 3.2. As said, only saloons will fit all saloons, and only estates will fit all estates. However, the exit pipes on a 2.6 and 3.2 are longer than a 2.5 and 3.0. I have fitted a 2.5 back box to a 2.6, and just used stainless tips to extend the exit pipes to clear the bumper, and it also gives a nicer finish to the visable part off the exhaust.

[johnnydog]

Custom made stainless systems can be bought for the Omega, but as has been suggested, original exhausts from Vauxhall to the best of my knowledge have never been stainless.

Terry's own words 'this car has a stainless back box'... 

Unless I'm due for a trip to the opticians, nowhere in this topic can I see Terry stating the back box is stainless...until he later refers to having the invoice from Long Life at Bristol....

[Doctor Gollum]

"Pre MOT check" is usually a waste of time, unless maybe you mean that you did it yourself. Get the car MOT tested and decide what to about if it actually fails. It might well pass with just an advisory on the exhaust. Most MOT test stations allow free re-tests if the car is brought back within 10 days with the failures fixed. They don't re-test everything, just the failure points.

It's been suggested several times on other forums such as MSE that Council run MOT test centres, perhaps surprisingly, are good as they have no vested interest in failing your car as they don't do repairs for the general public. It seems that where Councils run MOT test centres to look after their own fleets they are also legally obliged to offer MOT test services to all. Not tried it myself however I did take an Omega to one a couple of years ago to have the emissions tested when they offered free tests. It passed.

Where is the hole in your exhaust? If it's the rear of the back box where it meets the centre pipes then it's well nigh impossible to weld or patch. Buy the system DG linked to and put that on. You'll have to drill out any broken bolts from the flanges on the cats. If they haven't been drilled out already. Or get a garage to put it on.
The hole is on the right hand centre section, where the input pipe enters the centre box at the top. I cannot see it but when I put my hand over it the sound disappears. The back box is stainless steel. The cat section to centre section bolts look very rusty and will need drilling out.

[johnnydog]

I think I should make an appointment then at the opticians
However,  my experience of mixing mild steel and stainless exhaust systems (albeit on classic cars), is that due to the differing expansion rates of mild steel and stainless, it isn't always easy to maintain a gas right joint, especially on male/ female sliding joints. A heat resistant red silicon allows for slight movement whilst maintaining a gas tight seal, and it also aids subsequent separation of the joint, whereas an exhaust paste sets rock hard, with no allowance for expansion movement, and is horrible stuff to remove if you need to separate the joint at a later date. Bolted flanges such as the cat to centre section as on the Omega stand a better chance between differet metals, but I would either keep to all stainless or all mild steel.
With the red silicon, there is also no need to overtighten the clamps - nip them up firmly to hold the two sections together, but overtightening only deforms the pipe, and makes later separation difficult. I would also try and source or reuse the original VX style D clamps, rather than use U clamps, as U clamps are more likely to put an indentation in the pipe it is clamping which makes life difficult when separating later.

[ronnyd]

I think I should make an appointment then at the opticians
However,  my experience of mixing mild steel and stainless exhaust systems (albeit on classic cars), is that due to the differing expansion rates of mild steel and stainless, it isn't always easy to maintain a gas right joint, especially on male/ female sliding joints. A heat resistant red silicon allows for slight movement whilst maintaining a gas tight seal, and it also aids subsequent separation of the joint, whereas an exhaust paste sets rock hard, with no allowance for expansion movement, and is horrible stuff to remove if you need to separate the joint at a later date. Bolted flanges such as the cat to centre section as on the Omega stand a better chance between differet metals, but I would either keep to all stainless or all mild steel.
With the red silicon, there is also no need to overtighten the clamps - nip them up firmly to hold the two sections together, but overtightening only deforms the pipe, and makes later separation difficult. I would also try and source or reuse the original VX style D clamps, rather than use U clamps, as U clamps are more likely to put an indentation in the pipe it is clamping which makes life difficult when separating later.

Whats as gas right joint?

[dave the builder]

I would also try and source or reuse the original VX style D clamps, rather than use U clamps, as U clamps are more likely to put an indentation in the pipe it is clamping which makes life difficult when separating later.

If Terry gets a ticket on it ,I doubt he'll worry about "what if i need to remove the back box in another 5 years "

cheap aftermarket exhausts are shyte but cheap enough to stick on an ageing 15 year old beater ,in the hope of a couple of MOT passes   

[johnnydog]

Are you talking about Terry seeing out 5 years or the car??!!??
I'm looking at all mine being still around long after that - with the right care! My oldest car is 51 years old, so what makes you think an Omega won't make it to past 50?!? . I might struggle to see it get to 50, but you never know....

[johnnydog]

I think I should make an appointment then at the opticians
However,  my experience of mixing mild steel and stainless exhaust systems (albeit on classic cars), is that due to the differing expansion rates of mild steel and stainless, it isn't always easy to maintain a gas right joint, especially on male/ female sliding joints. A heat resistant red silicon allows for slight movement whilst maintaining a gas tight seal, and it also aids subsequent separation of the joint, whereas an exhaust paste sets rock hard, with no allowance for expansion movement, and is horrible stuff to remove if you need to separate the joint at a later date. Bolted flanges such as the cat to centre section as on the Omega stand a better chance between differet metals, but I would either keep to all stainless or all mild steel.
With the red silicon, there is also no need to overtighten the clamps - nip them up firmly to hold the two sections together, but overtightening only deforms the pipe, and makes later separation difficult. I would also try and source or reuse the original VX style D clamps, rather than use U clamps, as U clamps are more likely to put an indentation in the pipe it is clamping which makes life difficult when separating later.

Whats as gas right joint?

Same as a  'as gas right joint'

[ronnyd]

I think I should make an appointment then at the opticians
However,  my experience of mixing mild steel and stainless exhaust systems (albeit on classic cars), is that due to the differing expansion rates of mild steel and stainless, it isn't always easy to maintain a gas right joint, especially on male/ female sliding joints. A heat resistant red silicon allows for slight movement whilst maintaining a gas tight seal, and it also aids subsequent separation of the joint, whereas an exhaust paste sets rock hard, with no allowance for expansion movement, and is horrible stuff to remove if you need to separate the joint at a later date. Bolted flanges such as the cat to centre section as on the Omega stand a better chance between differet metals, but I would either keep to all stainless or all mild steel.
With the red silicon, there is also no need to overtighten the clamps - nip them up firmly to hold the two sections together, but overtightening only deforms the pipe, and makes later separation difficult. I would also try and source or reuse the original VX style D clamps, rather than use U clamps, as U clamps are more likely to put an indentation in the pipe it is clamping which makes life difficult when separating later.

Whats as gas right joint?

Same as a  'as gas right joint'

Note to self. Before and when taking the pish, please ensure that spelling is correct. 

[dave the builder]

Are you talking about Terry seeing out 5 years or the car??!!??

poor choice of words on my part   
I expect Terry will last well beyond the Omega in question  he keeps active fixing cars 

I'm looking at all mine being still around long after that - with the right care! My oldest car is 51 years old, so what makes you think an Omega won't make it to past 50?!? . I might struggle to see it get to 50, but you never know....

I hope my 79k miles 53 plate omega lasts for many years yet, BUT.......
 I've spent a fair bit of time cleaning it's belly ,treating surface rust etc ,galv paint,supertrol etc etc to deter tinworm 

Terry's omegas have done more miles and have not had much rust prevention IIRC (other than the factory piss poor effort of rust proofing  )

[cam.in.head]

Omegas and most other modern cars rust relatively little compared to cars from the early 80,s and older. Anything is repairable if you want to.
Classic car enthusiasts have brought back complete rusty wrecks found in damp fields to as new condition .
Of course omegas will be around to reach 50 years old.
Bread and butter everyday cars from years ago were thought of the same as modern cars now and become the classics of the future.