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[firstomega]

Hi Guys
Once again I need to ask for your help and advice. I have an Omega 2.2 diesel 2001...my first Omega and I love it! Anyhow I parked it pu fine yesterday with no issues. Today I started the car and there was no power steering.....and the battery light was up red - so I turned off engine and opened bonnet. I saw that the alternator belt (I believe it is?) has come off its seating and a big cog or wheel, that has an outer metal and inner rubber centre, that sits in engine at front below another cog / wheel. I think this is the crank pulley. The centre rubber bit has sheared off come away completely. I have attached four photos if this helps. Can anyone advise me please? Thanking all of you in advance.    OK I have four photos to attach to this post but I cannot see how to attach them here - if anyone can advise me on that too please...I have them jpegged on my laptop that I am using to post this here. I have tapped on the left hand button up top that says it is for insert image and all it gives me is so I dont know what I am doing wrong here. I am pretty new to this forum is my only feable excuse. Thank you for all of your help.

[Andy B]

pictures need to be hosted else where .... used to be Photobucket for many until they started to charge

sounds like the crank shaft pulley has failed. the two parts should be 'glued' together with the rubber in between

[TheBoy]

Does indeed sound like crank pulley has separated. Replace this before using again

[firstomega]

Thank you AndyB and TheBoy....for your prompt replies. I really love this forum!! I only had one problem before and members replied just as quickly back then as now....by the way if any one remembers my fault back then it was that the air con and fan hot cold manual and demisters on front and back window all failed simultaneously. Well I couldnt find the fault nor understand the electrical wiring  so I ended up at a car electrics guy who fixed it in five minutes. It was a plug which is situated at the back of the fuses (ie take out all the fuses first) and the plug in wire had come out of the plug. He simply replaced it back in and voila! all worked (works) fine. Cost me 30 quid and the fuel there and back but hey it was worth it as it all works now and he didnt lie about what he did either. So anyway it is the crank pulley then that has come apart. Is this a common problem with the Omegas does anyone know? Or does someone in the heavens simply hate me lol...? Is it an easy fix? Do I have to take out what to get to it? Reason I am asking is not because I will do it (probably best not lol..) but because I dont have much faith in the integrity of the garages round here so if i know what is going on and how it is fixed then it gives them less opportunity to stitch me up and rip me off.....just to reiterate I have an Omega 2.2 diesel year 2001 and saloon. I love my car and want it back on the road as soon as possible.....I call it the Presidents car......apparently the Queen used to have one back in 2002 or thereabouts. Thank you everyone so much!!! oh and thanks for the info re the photos....so I cannot post any and it is not me being particularly daft....ok.

[Andy B]

as best as I can see, it's one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&mvsub=1&_mcatda=true&selfil=2%2C3%2C1%2C9%2C8&selvel=Vauxhall~Omega~2003~B%2520%255B1994-2004%255D%2520Saloon~2.2%2520DTI%252016V&_nkw=crankshaft%20pulley%20Vauxhall%20Omega%202003%20B%202.2%20DTI%2016V  Not sure why there's such a huge difference in price though 

The centre bolt will be FT ie very very tight, but other than that, replacement should be pretty straight forward.

[VXL V6]

It's the harmonic damper (the rubber bit of the crank pulley) that cracks and separates. Need to lock the crank to remove the bolt 

[firstomega]

Once again i would like to say a huge thanks to members of this forum. AndyB and XXL V6 have both posted really useful information. Thank you both so much!!!! I shall look at the parts on the ebay link a bit later on - maybe I can get them from ebay france....
 I should add that I am in France (with right hand drive Vauxhall Omega). I have found the following parts online but if the written description comes out in French and you possibly dont understand it then hopefully the picture will be enough? It is quite difficult for me to find the technical names in French and that is after I have discovered what it is in English.....here is one link.....  https://www.yakarouler.com/poulie-damper-vilebrequin-mga-dp137      and here is the second     https://www.yakarouler.com/poulie-damper-vilebrequin-febi-bilstein-33620     Do these pictures look like I have found the right parts here please? and what is the difference between the two as it is stated that they fit the same models cars including mine. Many thanks again for all of your very kind help.....dont know where I and my Omega would be without this forum.....oh yes and so glad to hear that it is a straightforward job to change these parts....one last question if I may please? Should I remove the radiator before I do this work....maybe my friend (a man lol) who is quite handy could help me with this and save me a fortune at the rip off garages round here.....

[firstomega]

Ok I have had a look at the ebay uk link that Andyb kindly sent me.....I am shocked at the difference in prices in ebay uk but also at the difference between the prices in the uk and france. They are practically double in france!!! Will have to do a search on ebay france....does anyone know whether I should be buying the more expensive ones as opposed to the cheaper ones or is it all the same thing....? thanks again.....looking like what was a total disaster when it happened to the car today is now turning out to be not such a tragedy thanks to you members on this forum. Thank you!!

[TheBoy]

It's the harmonic damper (the rubber bit of the crank pulley) that cracks and separates. Need to lock the crank to remove the bolt 

I recall you had this happen to your old DTI, or did I dream that?

[Mr Gav]

It's the harmonic damper (the rubber bit of the crank pulley) that cracks and separates. Need to lock the crank to remove the bolt 

Not if you grind the head and shoulder off you don`t but you do need to lock it to tighten the new bolt.

[Andy B]

.....
Need to lock the crank to remove the bolt 

I've found that a very large knocking stick will release a crank pulley without the need to lock the crank 

and it's usually only a problem on an auto ..... you can stick a 3 pedal car in gear 

[firstomega]

Hello everyone! Again thank you for your replies. No Andyb you must have dreamed this. The Omega that i have now is my first Omega....was I young and beautiful in your dream too lol.....    Mr Gav your repl.y: ''Not if you grind the head and shoulder off you don`t but you do need to lock it to tighten the new bolt.'' Sorry but  I dont understand what you mean. Please could you explain to me? Thank you.....    Andy B  - Your reply       ''I've found that a very large knocking stick will release a crank pulley without the need to lock the crank and it's usually only a problem on an auto ..... you can stick a 3 pedal car in gear''   Ok so as I have a manual Omega then I understand that it has to be in gear to release the crank pulley....? When I can find someone to do this for me....first I need to buy the parts. Does anyone know if this is a common problem or a problem that happens at a certain mileage? Mine has approx 280k miles on it....does that mean that things are going to start falling apart now - it was looked after very well by the previous owner.....

[firstomega]

I just found this on the old site....details how to fix this problem. Same model as I have as well...a DTI 2.2 diesel 2001.....is this what you remembered Andy B? If yes you have an excellent memory as it is from 2008!!!

http://oldsite.omegaowners.com//forum/YaBB.pl?num=1200133053

It sounds daunting! AND I cannot get Plus Gas here anywhere - only WD40!!! Help!   I am now very worried again!

[Andy B]

Hello everyone! Again thank you for your replies. No Andyb you must have dreamed this. .....

It was The Boy ..... not me 

[Andy B]

........Thank you.....    Andy B  - Your reply       ''I've found that a very large knocking stick will release a crank pulley without the need to lock the crank and it's usually only a problem on an auto ..... you can stick a 3 pedal car in gear''   Ok so as I have a manual Omega then I understand that it has to be in gear to release the crank pulley....?  ......

On an automatic car, you can't lock the engine to stop It turning over when you try to undo the crank pulley,  whereas on a manual, you can put the car in 1st gear, put the handbrake on firmly & that is usually enough to hold the engine still while the bolt is undone.

[Andy B]

.....    Mr Gav your repl.y: ''Not if you grind the head and shoulder off you don`t but you do need to lock it to tighten the new bolt.'' Sorry but  I dont understand what you mean. Please could you explain to me? Thank you..........

When any bolt is tightend up, it tightens by pulling the sides of the thread against the back of the bolt head ...... if you grind the bolt head off   

[firstomega]

Thank you so much for your replies. Sorry Andy B I got it wrong...so The Boy I meant lol....yes I understand everything you have said Andy B except for the part of grinding the bot head off.....I dont know about that as dont have a grinder....I have found a friend who has a garage who is English and very trustworthy....and he has an air compressor and says he will do the job for me....and I am sure he will understand what you mean but if you can explain it further (if you have the patience with me lol) - only problem now is getting the vehicle to him as he is 33kms away from me with no rigid tow bar....a piece of rope wont do...so now trying to locate a rigid tow bar.....any ideas where I can get one cheap please? Looks like I am getting somewhere...I have the part on ebay uk which is 36 pounds or on ebay france 39 euros with 10 euros delivery so not too bad...thanks to all the help I have received from members of this forum who gave me the link also for the part on ebay....I have spoken with them and checked and it is the correct part for my car! Brilliant!  One thing I dont understand is that I was told that I should have felt a vibration long before this thing broke but I didnt feel any vibration at all..it just went. Why is that? Any ideas anyone? Looks like hopefully my beloved Omega may be back on the road again within a couple of weeks once the part arrives (takes 10 days to france). Thanking you all again....you have all be stars!

[VXL V6]

It's the harmonic damper (the rubber bit of the crank pulley) that cracks and separates. Need to lock the crank to remove the bolt 

I recall you had this happen to your old DTI, or did I dream that?

Happened to both of them, caught it just in time on the estate as was nearly cracked all the way round but then the replaced Febi one failed about 10K later... moral of that story is don't buy a Febi one - GM only. Tensioner often fails as well which doesn't help the issue much!

[firstomega]

XXL V6   Hi....thanks for your post.  I dont know whether it is worth putting in a GM damper (crankshaft pulley) as my vehicle is a 2001 with 280k miles on it.....I love it to bits but it can only last so long surely.  I have a link here sent me by another member on here and it is very cheap on sale at ebay. I have spoken with the seller and he confirms that it is correct for my vehicle..... is it not okay?  - before I order it? Please can you have a look?  Dont know if it is a febi or what....

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/VAUXHALL-2-0-2-2-DIESEL-TORSION-VIBRATION-DAMPER-CRANKSHAFT-PULLEY-TVD-55351711-/132117518527?hash=item1ec2d158bf:m:mlliapg9IjC5fJj0nDuz1SA#shpCntId

Many thanks....

[Mr Gav]

.....    Mr Gav your repl.y: ''Not if you grind the head and shoulder off you don`t but you do need to lock it to tighten the new bolt.'' Sorry but  I dont understand what you mean. Please could you explain to me? Thank you..........

When any bolt is tightend up, it tightens by pulling the sides of the thread against the back of the bolt head ...... if you grind the bolt head off   

You just wind it out with your fingers 

[Entwood]

.....    Mr Gav your repl.y: ''Not if you grind the head and shoulder off you don`t but you do need to lock it to tighten the new bolt.'' Sorry but  I dont understand what you mean. Please could you explain to me? Thank you..........

When any bolt is tightend up, it tightens by pulling the sides of the thread against the back of the bolt head ...... if you grind the bolt head off   

You just wind it out with your fingers 

"If" it's not corroded in place, if it is .. hopefully you have enough of a "stub" left to get some grips on it .....   

[Andy B]

....
I have found a friend who has a garage who is English and very trustworthy....and he has an air compressor and says he will do the job for me...

Doesn't he have a recovery vehicle? 

[VXL V6]

XXL V6   Hi....thanks for your post.  I dont know whether it is worth putting in a GM damper (crankshaft pulley) as my vehicle is a 2001 with 280k miles on it.....I love it to bits but it can only last so long surely.  I have a link here sent me by another member on here and it is very cheap on sale at ebay. I have spoken with the seller and he confirms that it is correct for my vehicle..... is it not okay?  - before I order it? Please can you have a look?  Dont know if it is a febi or what....

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/VAUXHALL-2-0-2-2-DIESEL-TORSION-VIBRATION-DAMPER-CRANKSHAFT-PULLEY-TVD-55351711-/132117518527?hash=item1ec2d158bf:m:mlliapg9IjC5fJj0nDuz1SA#shpCntId

Many thanks....

Personally I would only fit a genuine one if i'm honest. Maybe I was just unlucky with the Febi one but because of it's early failure I wouldn't recommend that manufacturer or any 'cheap' versions on Ebay if you rely on the car.

[firstomega]

Thanks for all your replies guys.
Yes Entwood...this is what I am  afraid of - it being corroded in place.
No Andy  B - my friend does not have a recovery vehicle. Down to money and all that as they are not cheap to buy.
XXL V6 - would you have a link to the GM part perhaps please? so I can see the difference in price?
thanks ever so

[ajsphead]

XXL V6   Hi....thanks for your post.  I dont know whether it is worth putting in a GM damper (crankshaft pulley) as my vehicle is a 2001 with 280k miles on it.....I love it to bits but it can only last so long surely.  I have a link here sent me by another member on here and it is very cheap on sale at ebay. I have spoken with the seller and he confirms that it is correct for my vehicle..... is it not okay?  - before I order it? Please can you have a look?  Dont know if it is a febi or what....

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/VAUXHALL-2-0-2-2-DIESEL-TORSION-VIBRATION-DAMPER-CRANKSHAFT-PULLEY-TVD-55351711-/132117518527?hash=item1ec2d158bf:m:mlliapg9IjC5fJj0nDuz1SA#shpCntId

Many thanks....

Personally I would only fit a genuine one if i'm honest. Maybe I was just unlucky with the Febi one but because of it's early failure I wouldn't recommend that manufacturer or any 'cheap' versions on Ebay if you rely on the car.

At the price you suggested above the ones on ebay will be solid, without the rubber insert. The engine will shake it to bits in next to no time, there's a reason it has the rubber damper in it. Get a genuine or OEM one, Febi Bilstein I think were one of the OEM suppliers and see another 120K miles rather than about 120. My Febi one is still fine 20K miles later but clearly there's some variability.

[firstomega]

XXL V6   Hi....thanks for your post.  I dont know whether it is worth putting in a GM damper (crankshaft pulley) as my vehicle is a 2001 with 280k miles on it.....I love it to bits but it can only last so long surely.  I have a link here sent me by another member on here and it is very cheap on sale at ebay. I have spoken with the seller and he confirms that it is correct for my vehicle..... is it not okay?  - before I order it? Please can you have a look?  Dont know if it is a febi or what....

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/VAUXHALL-2-0-2-2-DIESEL-TORSION-VIBRATION-DAMPER-CRANKSHAFT-PULLEY-TVD-55351711-/132117518527?hash=item1ec2d158bf:m:mlliapg9IjC5fJj0nDuz1SA#shpCntId

Many thanks....

Personally I would only fit a genuine one if i'm honest. Maybe I was just unlucky with the Febi one but because of it's early failure I wouldn't recommend that manufacturer or any 'cheap' versions on Ebay if you rely on the car.

you XXL V6 for your message on this.
and

XXL V6   Hi....thanks for your post.  I dont know whether it is worth putting in a GM damper (crankshaft pulley) as my vehicle is a 2001 with 280k miles on it.....I love it to bits but it can only last so long surely.  I have a link here sent me by another member on here and it is very cheap on sale at ebay. I have spoken with the seller and he confirms that it is correct for my vehicle..... is it not okay?  - before I order it? Please can you have a look?  Dont know if it is a febi or what....

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/VAUXHALL-2-0-2-2-DIESEL-TORSION-VIBRATION-DAMPER-CRANKSHAFT-PULLEY-TVD-55351711-/132117518527?hash=item1ec2d158bf:m:mlliapg9IjC5fJj0nDuz1SA#shpCntId

Many thanks....

Personally I would only fit a genuine one if i'm honest. Maybe I was just unlucky with the Febi one but because of it's early failure I wouldn't recommend that manufacturer or any 'cheap' versions on Ebay if you rely on the car.

At the price you suggested above the ones on ebay will be solid, without the rubber insert. The engine will shake it to bits in next to no time, there's a reason it has the rubber damper in it. Get a genuine or OEM one, Febi Bilstein I think were one of the OEM suppliers and see another 120K miles rather than about 120. My Febi one is still fine 20K miles later but clearly there's some variability.

I am getting the hang of this forum now and am able to insert the quotes yeh!!
Sorry but dont understand....the one on ebay for 36 pounds is with the rubber insert......in the middle. Or I can get a febi more expensive...but it looks to be exactly the same to me. Is there not an argument that the parts that are sold cheaper is because they are bought direct and are passing through less hands so end up cheaper to the consumer rather than it being poor quality? Just a thought and wondered what you guys thought about that? So for example I bought an exhaust from Poland a couple of years ago, excellent quality, great delivery, packaged well and arrived on time. Service was impeccable. The exhaust is still going strong and it was a quarter of the price of others obtainable from UK or France or in Western Europe. Am I wrong re the damper as it is not the same as an exhaust IE vibration issues? Such a maze these days to know what is the right or wrong thing to buy.
Please may I ask another question? Re removal of the damper.....Do I need to remove the radiator first? Can I get to the bolt and get it off without removing the radiator? Is it absolutely necessary to have a gas compressor or is it possible to remove the rest of the damper still in the engine without the compressor? Wondering if my mate here can do it for me gratis or do I have to send it to my other friend whereby it needs towing to him and of course involves labour charges. Money is tight so we are both looking on if possible to do it ourselves...so hope you understand that money is a bit short these days. Hence trying to find out if poss to do ourselves. I am so grateful to the members here for advising me through this.....so love my Omega though. We both love the Omega!!  (oh yes nearly forgot, one mobile mechanic said to me that the power steering fluid could get into the radiator which has to be removed.....we dont understand that at all....how does the power steering fluid pass through the radiator?..anyway his charges were really high...is he trying it on?) Thank you again for all of your help with this.

[Andy B]

Auto transmission fluid often passes through a matrix inside the side of a radiator. Your mechanic is either confused or trying it on. Assuming your power steering cooling is the same as my v6 was,  then it passes through a simple pipe in front of the main rad 

[raywilb]

 same happened to me a few months ago. I did have to remove crank sensor & use locking pin to lock the crank. a breaker bar with my 10 ton jack handle slipped over for extra purchase cracked the bolt quite easy.  on ebay  you can buy the pulley for around £45. the shop that I used it was £41 free del with a time slotted next day delivery. I incidentally used the same bolt using a locking liquid

[firstomega]

Auto transmission fluid often passes through a matrix inside the side of a radiator. Your mechanic is either confused or trying it on. Assuming your power steering cooling is the same as my v6 was,  then it passes through a simple pipe in front of the main rad 

Yes Andy B you are absolutely correct! Same as your V6. My mate who (the one who has no recovery truck)  told me this evening about 2 mins ago on the phone the same thing that I just saw you have replied. He has told me that he may be able to do it without taking the radiator out if he has enough room and once he has it at his garage and up in the air.  Definitely going to let him do it and pay him for the work....he has an air compressor too. 

same happened to me a few months ago. I did have to remove crank sensor & use locking pin to lock the crank. a breaker bar with my 10 ton jack handle slipped over for extra purchase cracked the bolt quite easy.  on ebay  you can buy the pulley for around £45. the shop that I used it was £41 free del with a time slotted next day delivery. I incidentally used the same bolt using a locking liquid

Thanks ever so Raywilb....excellent info However I have decided that best to let my friend do it ....as he has everything at his garage and of course he needs to earn a living too but he wont charge more than is fair nor try it on...unlike many other mechanics round here who I wouldnt touch with the proverbial barge pole....