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[terry paget]

The steering box is the last place I would be looking.
Has it had new struts, strut tops and bearings yet? That's NEW, not used-up bits from your stash.
Then a proper alignment, as it does make a big difference.

No, I have not changed front struts, nor did the previous owner. Until today I never considered front struts as being the problem. Short of replacement with new, is there any way I could test them?

[Doctor Gollum]

Given that they support the full weight of the front of the car, I would suggest that the proof of the pudding is in the eating... Assuming the brakes aren't binding, then changing the struts, ie front shocks and top mounts, and report back...

I would politely suggest that a proper alignment would improve matters without changing anything else... Renewing the suspension and a proper alignment will make it a completely different car

My current car rides OK, and drives well enough to get me around without crashing, but it handles like a drunk spaniel on tiles so in due course, ie the week before the MoT, I intend to replace springs/shocks/wishbones/diffmounts/donuts and track rods. I expect this to cost something in the order of £750 but I know that the car will then drive, and handle like new

[ajsphead]

Just as a general point it's worth remembering the just because the struts/dampers aren't leaking doesn't mean they aren't knackered. Changed the rears on mine last month and I think my granny (if she was still alive) could pump the old ones in and out.
Also worth remembering that rubbish tyres can make a car wander too. Inherited cheap "chinese" things on so many cars I have bought and had an instant improvement when anything from a reasonable midrange tyre upwards has gone on instead. I have found the Omega particularly sensitive in this way.

[Lazydocker]

The steering box is the last place I would be looking.
Has it had new struts, strut tops and bearings yet? That's NEW, not used-up bits from your stash.
Then a proper alignment, as it does make a big difference.

This. Steering boxes are pretty robust. Clearly there’s play somewhere to have so much movement so start with simple stuff

[terry paget]

Gentlemen, I thank you all for your wisdom and advice. I am now in no hurry to change the steering box. I am startled to learn that this car has a history of wandering steering, which a full alignment did not rectify in 2012. The feel is indeed of something moving in the steering/running gear. Soft front wishbone rubbers can cause a similar sympton.

This car has a fault like no other Omega I have ever owned. It has clearly been there a long while. My stepfather-in-law had a similar problem on a Ford Escort which no garage could cure, occasional loss of power until engine stopped. He would get out, look around, ring the AA, have a cigarette or two, AA would turn up, engine would start, and run well. He eventually scrapped the car. Carburettor icing, I suggested.

I had a Citroen CX 2.4 family estate with a similar fault. It would start cold, it would immediately restart hot, but after 10 minutes it would not restart without a minute cranking the thing. On the Isle of Wight ferry it was a nightmare.

Knowing my luck, replacing every suspension and steering component with new might cure it, and if it did a rear shocker turret would fail and write the car off, or my daughter would crash it. I currently own older Omegas, and Omegas wiith higher mileages, but they are OK. This one is wierd.

[TheBoy]

I feel your pain TP.  As long timers here will know, TBE is very highly strung when it comes to handling, as is ultra sensitive to anything, even NSF being 2 PSI down (I run at 34 at front, so 32 PSI is "correct")

[terry paget]

I feel your pain TP.  As long timers here will know, TBE is very highly strung when it comes to handling, as is ultra sensitive to anything, even NSF being 2 PSI down (I run at 34 at front, so 32 PSI is "correct")

Thanks for your thought, TB. I have read before on this forum of rogue Omegas, with unusual  and worrying steering/handling characteristics. I hzve learned that XJAT is such a car. The previous owner knew, but never cured it, despite 4 wheel alignment and other expenditure. Forum advice is change all the steering and suspension components for new, fit 4 new decent tyres, and let WIM Chesham do a full wheel realignment. That would cost about £1000. There is a 2002 manual 2.6 CDX Omega estate on e-bay at £590 today, a similar car sold for £460 last week..

[Lazydocker]

..... That would cost about £1000. There is a 2002 manual 2.6 CDX Omega estate on e-bay at £590 today, a similar car sold for £460 last week..

But what do you get mechanically?

Unfortunately Omegas are now of a value where it is either Bangernomics or an enthusiast who is willing to spend more than it’s worth. Not saying either camp is right or wrong but....

[Doctor Gollum]

Both of those cars will either need suspension work done or bodywork, or both... same goes for pretty much every used car for sale...

It could be argued that a cambelt, service, discs/pads and a set of tyres would cost more than a cheap Omega...

Only you can make the decision... if the car is otherwise sound and presentable then it is probably worth spending on. But, if it has accident history causing the issue, then no amount of suspension work will solve anything

Having scrapped a mk2 Granada for £50 of welding and spend £££ keeping a thrice written off plod Omega estate on the road long after most would have given up, the only advice I can give is this:

 Any sub £500 car should last until the next MoT... Any sub £1,000 car should be capable of passing the next MoT.

Taking my current Omega as an example... '52 manual 2.2 Gls estate with 102k. Bought for £350 in October, Mot until April. The bodywork is rough, rear arches and tailgate starting, all four doors are dinked and rusting at bottom. So far I have spent £500 on it: new tyres, cambelt, service items, thermostat and rear pads... of which, only the tyres have been fitted (rest is a job for this weekend.) It is showing various codes including both cam and crank sensors and the suspension leaves alot to be desired and will likely cost it the MoT.

I could not spend another penny on it, and save the money instead, or I could collect the parts ready for sorting the suspension in time for the MoT... I haven't actually decided yet, and all the while it gets me to and from work, I won't worry too much. Point is that there is no right or wrong answer. 

In your shoes, with that car, I would suggest making sure that the track rods are all free, and take it to a decent alignment place such as WIM or a local independent Porsche specialist (I have had good results from one locally once the revulsion of having an Omega on their ramp wore off ) and get it set up 100% using the previously published settings. If that improves it, then consider renewing components to bring it back to new. If it doesn't, then run it to the MoT and break it as there's clearly something fundamentally wrong with the chassis...

[ajsphead]

I feel your pain TP.  As long timers here will know, TBE is very highly strung when it comes to handling, as is ultra sensitive to anything, even NSF being 2 PSI down (I run at 34 at front, so 32 PSI is "correct")

Thanks for your thought, TB. I have read before on this forum of rogue Omegas, with unusual  and worrying steering/handling characteristics. I hzve learned that XJAT is such a car. The previous owner knew, but never cured it, despite 4 wheel alignment and other expenditure. Forum advice is change all the steering and suspension components for new, fit 4 new decent tyres, and let WIM Chesham do a full wheel realignment. That would cost about £1000. There is a 2002 manual 2.6 CDX Omega estate on e-bay at £590 today, a similar car sold for £460 last week..

Sorry Terry, I didn't make myself clear, the 4 wheel alignment did sort out the wandering, hence why I directed my thinking towards dead springs and dampers.

[terry paget]

Thanks for your thoughts, gentlemen. It's not the end of the world, just that as this car is rust free I thought I would get it tip top and enjoy it. It's still driveable, and has done 177,000 miles without being crashed. I agree it sounds like a chassis fault, but I cannot find one, nor could any MOT tester. It's a mystery.

I have been running Senators, Carltons and Omegas for 20 years, fleet growing from 4 Senators to 6 Omegas as the family grew. They have all seemed very tolerant of settings and tyres, all drove, steered and handled  well, the chassis sound and needing little attention.

 XJAT came with a pre-MOT declaring it needed new wishbones and track rods, but that was all. For £302 that was a bargain. Apart from tyres, that is all it needed thereafter. Looks like new, no rust.

In contrast, VKOV, a pfl 2000 2.5 manual CDX estate, bought 2 years later, cost £257, and promptly needed a new exhaust,  clutch slave cylinder and rear doors; now drives, handles and steers beautifully, ny favourie car, though tatty.
 
Such are the joys of running 16 year old cars.

Sorry I misunderstood, ajsphead. Since, apart from right toe (12', not 10'), car was within spec on submission, and little was changed, I presumed the re-alignment did not improve matters.

[Andy H]

I got a new MOT on the project MV6 last week (it used to be Mr Rog's)

The MOT lists advisories on the wishbone bushes and the rear doughnuts

Code: [Select]

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement front bush (2.4.G.2)
Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement front bush (2.4.G.2)
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement both inner bushes (2.4.G.2)
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement both inner bushes (2.4.G.2)
It is really difficult to check the bushes on an Omega by prodding and poking. Mine has an MOT but I know the bushes are shagged and the steering is horrible as a consequence.

If it was my car I would change the bushes and check that the subframe bolts are all present and torqued up correctly....

[TheBoy]

They have all seemed very tolerant of settings and tyres

I have found quite the opposite . They seem ultra sensitive to wheel balancing, ultra sensitive to thrust angle, ultra sensitive to camber differences (and sensitive from tyre wear to camber), and good grief, man, don't get me started on the tyre sensitivity of the bloody things


However, when you have it sorted, its a lovely car to both drive and be a passenger in. And cheap, and reliable, and well worth the effort


I think we are all sensitive to different quirks of the Omega. I was chatting to that Gixer fella the other day about similar, and nobody is as sensitive to tramlining as he is - something, that while it annoys me, I'm clearly less sensitive to.

[Andy H]

Something has puzzled me for years - I have never heard or read of anyone changing the bushes on the rear suspension arms.

Presumably the bushes must fail eventually

[terry paget]

The steering pulls left on stopping, though not at speed. Steering wheel effort on turning varies unevenly. It's hard to imagine how the steering box could cause that, though I do not understand how the variomatic system works.
I have changed tyres and wishbones to little effect. I have set up camber and front wheel alignment myself, not precisely, but well enough for all my other Omegas to drive normally. There is no sign of accident damage, no has any MOT picked up anything amiss.
As suggested by others, I now suspect McPherson strut top bearings. Any comments?