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[Bent valve]

i know some say repair as vaux intended.. but my opinion is that the gasket design is crap.

plenty of quality sealant all the way around.

my edges dont leak but a couple of the bolt holes do.

The design is fine if the correct parts and the correct procedure is followed. Simples

Design is CRAP. I wouldn't have another Omega is it was free. I like the forum. I like the people - even those who haven't bothered to say hello again - I like the banter, but the cars. No. Never and I do mean NEVER again.

I love playing around with cars or at least I did. But there is no small coincidence that since selling my last omega I also sold all my tools and haven't needed them since either.

Right. That should get the tongues wagging a bit.

Too right the design is crap! OK, it might be possible to to fix a leaky V6 with a breather clean and some extortionally priced GM gaskets, but it is going to leak again at some point, in some cases sooner rather than later as you have found out
My advice is to stick some some aluminum Vectra covers on and you will have no further trouble.
Some people point out that doing this will cause your crank seals to leak,as the engine will be over pressurised and the cam cover seals act as some sort of primitive pressure relief valve,but in reality the only reason Omega cam cover seals leak is because they are a crap design that cannot cope with the inevitable increase in crankase pressure that occurs as an engine ages.(I bet theres not many Vectra owners that have fitted Omega covers to avoid blown crank seals )
Nevertheless, it is still good advice to keep your breathers clean whatever covers you have fitted, and remember  that even if your crank seal blows(which it wont)it is better to have a few drips on the drive than have your plug wells full of oil and a smoke cloud eminating from your exhaust manifolds

I would urge anyone NOT to fit Vectra covers. They are a shite design. Ever wondered why v6 vectras suffer crank seal problems?

The standard Omega ones do seal perfectly fine. Its likely they may fail once at some point in the car's life. I would be surprised if they fail a 2nd time if the correct parts are used and correctly fitted.

The things seal properly if done properly, plain and simple.

Please explain why vectra covers are a 'shite design' Is it because they dont leak?

[TheBoy]

Please explain why vectra covers are a 'shite design' Is it because they dont leak?

Not quite. Remember, Omega ones don't leak either if done properly.

Vectra ones are bad because if (when!) the pressure does build up, there are 2 places which will then blow - the front crank seal (PITA), or rear crank seal (utter PITA).

[Jinglemaster2]

AND IIRC the vectra ones are metal and the filler cap is on the wrong bank for the Omega. Can't access it with the plenum on or something. Lond time since I looked into it.

[Bent valve]

AND IIRC the vectra ones are metal and the filler cap is on the wrong bank for the Omega. Can't access it with the plenum on or something. Lond time since I looked into it.

Access to remove oil filler is easy without removing anything, but you do need a funnel to add oil.

[24_Valve]

Posted by Marks DTM Calibration Today at 11:03

The fault here may be one of the following:

Poor quality gaskets (are they Vx ones)
Fitting faults
Damaged cam covers
Breathers not fully clean

i) Supplied by Vx, manufactured by elring...
ii) fitted properly by someone I trust, using Vx black sealant (sparingly) on half moons...
iii) both covers inspected & both good...
iv) fully cleaned including the awkward tiny hole, with drill bit...
but maybe they've blocked up again? passenger side was still fine and was also least affected first time round  :-/

cheers, steve

On a positive note the engine seems much quieter & smoother since putting NGK plugs in 

[Phil]

Not all V6 Vectras use metal cam covers, some use the same plastic ones as the Omega BTW 

[Marks DTM Calib]

AND IIRC the vectra ones are metal and the filler cap is on the wrong bank for the Omega. Can't access it with the plenum on or something. Lond time since I looked into it.

Correct, there is a further issue to, the cam covers do not sit totaly perpendiculer to teh plugs and hence the plug bores in the covers are sloped.

By fitting them on opposite banks this slope no longer corrects this and actualy works against you.

The result is poor plug lead fit.

The ideal would be to move the filler cap on the passenger bank alloy cover but....my welding is not upto that sort of challenge

[Marks DTM Calib]

Not all V6 Vectras use metal cam covers, some use the same plastic ones as the Omega BTW 

Yes, certainly the 3.2 ones did

[Sixstring]

Design is CRAP. I wouldn't have another Omega is it was free. I like the forum. I like the people - even those who haven't bothered to say hello again - I like the banter, but the cars. No. Never and I do mean NEVER again.

 

[aaronjb]

On a positive note the engine seems much quieter & smoother since putting NGK plugs in 

NGK good  Bosch bad  [smiley=thumbdown.gif] (I wouldn't fit them if someone gave them to me for free!)

P.S. I told you before, if you really want to swap I have a nice 2.5TD here you can have.. I'll even wash it before you get it!  The only bad points are.. the heater doesn't blow cold properly, the vacuum system is a bit knackered, the passenger door doesn't always lock, since this morning the drivers door doesn't always lock, and it's got all the power of a stoned slug, but aside from that.. 

[TheBoy]

Posted by Marks DTM Calibration Today at 11:03

The fault here may be one of the following:

Poor quality gaskets (are they Vx ones)
Fitting faults
Damaged cam covers
Breathers not fully clean

i) Supplied by Vx, manufactured by elring...
ii) fitted properly by someone I trust, using Vx black sealant (sparingly) on half moons...
iii) both covers inspected & both good...
iv) fully cleaned including the awkward tiny hole, with drill bit...
but maybe they've blocked up again? passenger side was still fine and was also least affected first time round  :-/

cheers, steve

On a positive note the engine seems much quieter & smoother since putting NGK plugs in 

Didn't know Elring supplied rocker gaskets to GM

I know the Elring 'genuine' (which very obviously aren't) ones supplied by Autovaux are every bit as naff as the other pattern ones

[24_Valve]

Posted by TheBoy Yesterday at 18:31 I know the Elring 'genuine' (which very obviously aren't) ones supplied by Autovaux are every bit as naff as the other pattern ones

there the one's 

Oh well, mystery solved 

Elring 'genuine'... hmmm... dodgy scammers

[davethediver]

On a positive note the engine seems much quieter & smoother since putting NGK plugs in 

NGK good  Bosch bad  [smiley=thumbdown.gif] (I wouldn't fit them if someone gave them to me for free!)

P.S. I told you before, if you really want to swap I have a nice 2.5TD here you can have.. I'll even wash it before you get it!  The only bad points are.. the heater doesn't blow cold properly, the vacuum system is a bit knackered, the passenger door doesn't always lock, since this morning the drivers door doesn't always lock, and it's got all the power of a stoned slug, but aside from that.. 

Vauxhall seem to rate them as thats who make there own

[scimmy_man]

so while the engine is out, I should change them?

[Bent valve]

so while the engine is out, I should change them?

Yes. Slap a pair of Vectra covers on, you know it makes sense