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1

Maintenance Guides / HOW TO: Remove / replace the centre console trim

« on: 04 June 2008, 08:02:47 »

Step 1

Lift out the rubber cup holder and the handbrake gaiter






Step 2

Slide both front seats right forward and undo these bolts



Step 3

In the place where the rubber cup holder was undo these 2 bolts



Step 4

Lift out (up and backwards) the central arm rest



Step 5

Undo these screws and then lift out the rubberised slotted cover that usually clamps the handbrake gaiter



Step 6

Now you have removed the rubberised handbrake gaiter clampy bit you'll see 2 more bolts; undo these



Step 7

Gently prise the gearshift gaiter out and then prise up the plastic surround that contains the gear indicator lights. You will not have to disconnect the wires as the console trim will eventually lift over all of this.

Then undo the screws as indicated in the picture below and then slide the, now free, trim forward slightly.



Step 8

The wooden trim now having been moved forward should expose these 2 bolts; undo them



Once you have all of this undone you will find that you can (with some force) manage to start to move the whole central console back in the car by about an inch. Once you have done this you should find you can lift the trim out.

Replacement is the reverse.

Hope that helps ;y

2

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Electric window issue

« on: 12 October 2008, 15:28:12 »

Drivers door window stuck in the closed position.

Checked swich PCB: All looks good. I can still get the same behaviour closing he switches by closing the circuits on the board.

The window motor clicks as though it is trying, but not doing anything.

Here's the odd thing I've just spotted...

If you put the key into the ignition far enough for that continuous warning high pitched beep then this happens.

A working window when trying to be closed when already closed causes a slight drop in note. A closed window being opened no change in note. An open window being closed, no change in note. An open window trying to be "forced" further open by the switch causes drop in note.

All of this leads me to reason that a motor under strain causes a drop in note as it drains power.

The window in question that is stuck in the closed position. Pull the switch up (facelift) to close further and you get a drop in note which makes me think that the motor is working in that direction against the mechanical resistance of the top of the door.

Push the switch down to open the window and no change in note leading me to believe that the motor is not even trying (depsite the click from the motor which makes me think it is engaging.)

I have rummaged around inside the door for anything mechanical and there is nothing that I can feel that would be getting in the way of the mechanism from taking the window down.

All of this appears that:

The motor can go in the direction to take the window up (it drops the note when forced), but can't go in the direction to open the window (no drop in note).

Does anyone understand electric motor enough to understand why the above might be the case and offer a diganosis?

I have cleaned all contact at all plugs between the motor and the switches to be sure with Maplin contact cleaner.

3

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / What are these?

« on: 12 October 2008, 11:53:53 »

I just found this wiring in my spare tyre well just next to the NSR light cluster in the boot. (2001 Elite Saloon)

What are they for? They aren't connected to anything.



The pink foam wrapped bit seems to have a very small resistor in it.

4

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / SatNav (What is TMC?)

« on: 21 March 2008, 21:53:29 »

I just upgraded my SatNav disk from the 2001 disk which came new with the car to the latest NavTeq 2007/8 disk and there are a couple of neat new features. I love the "Intersection Zoom" for example; that'll stop me getting confused at big complicated roundabouts.

One of the items on the list is "TMC" which when activated states that "The current station does not suport TMC".

It lets me select a station which does; in my location only 1 comes up on the list which is "Classic".

I've tuned it to that and got TMC active. What is it doing and when will I notice it doing something if at all?

Also, does anyone know which stations do support TMC with perhaps a more appropriate type of music than Classical (OK sometimes, but not my general cup of tea)

5

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Rear window won't close

« on: 10 March 2008, 20:49:12 »

My rear window won't close automatically. It gets to about 3 inches from the top of the opening and then bounces back as though the invisible man's arm was in the way.

I can close it by dabbing the switch incrementally until the window is shut.

I have held the switch in the "close/up" position for a good 10 seconds with the window fully closed (both the driver door switch and the switch on the same door), but it won't "re-learn" where the top of the opening is.

An ideas? :-/

6

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Another SAT NAV question

« on: 03 February 2008, 19:18:03 »

Sorry if this has been asked before; it seems such an obvous one I'd be surprised if it hadn't, but I can't find any sign.

I've just (today) bought an Elite 3.2 (2001 Y plate) which has the amber top-half screen SAT NAV system and all seems to work just fine. The disc is abit out of date and I'll have to work out how to register for new a disc I suppose.

Is it possible to upgrade it from teh amber half screen jobby to the colour SAT NAV system and is this a big job? What needs to be done if this is possible?

I have a TrafficMaster (Tm) button on the right hand side of the dash, if I press it twice it tells me I need to re-register it. Does this inegrate with the SATNAV so that the route is updated around bad traffic jams automatically?

I've never had either SAT NAV or Tm before so I'm sorry if these are really stupid questions.

7

Omega General Help / Error codes 0170 & 0173

« on: 25 August 2008, 22:19:54 »

0170 & 0173

I used to get the old chestnut 0420 code and then moved the secondary lambda sensors to behind the main CATs which has resolved that, but now I have the 0170 & 0173.

Why? Are these for the front lambda sensors or something?

What do I try now?

8

Omega General Help / Instant death

« on: 12 July 2009, 18:33:43 »

I was driving along this afternoon and the car just died instantly.

I coasted to a halt and tried to start, but no go.

Symptoms:

• Dash lights come on when the main beam lights are switched on.
• Indicators work and the little green lights work on the dash when they flash. The same for hazard lights.
• Stereo works as does the colour sat-nav screen.
• When I turn the ignition on there are no dash lights coming on that would normally come on when the ignition is switched on (Ignition, ABS, EML etc.)
  
  
• Engine turns, but does not fire (similar to the crank sensor symptoms), but there are no lights on the dash that you'd expect.

RAC came out, tried all fuses in dash and near battery. Retested and reconnected all earths, including those under the battery.

Any ideas?

9

Omega General Help / re-mapping & tuning

« on: 03 May 2009, 09:39:06 »

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good remapping company that can be trusted to map & tune an Omega 3.2 engine?

10

Omega General Help / Problems with Lucy's diamonds (LSD)

« on: 25 April 2009, 14:07:26 »

I just had the LSD fitted to my car (finally) and it works well, you can really feel the difference on roundabouts and pulling out of side streets etc., but I do have a slight niggle:

When traveling at low speeds (5 - 20mph) which is often the case around town when you lift off the gas to coast into a junction/roundabout and then put the foot back on the gas there is a slight "thump" sound and feel. It feels almostas though the LSD "re-engages" after a very slight delay. It isn't a serious "bang" or anything like that and it all works absolutley fine above 20mph, but I wanted to ask about it to see if anyone had any ideas.

11

Omega General Help / Exhaust configurations

« on: 29 November 2008, 10:11:44 »

I have a 3.2 which has 4 cats; a pre-cat and a main cat, and 4 O₂ sensors. this is 2 of each per bank.

There is a known issue on the 3.2 and 2.6 DBW engines that codes 0420 and 0430 come up to tell you that the pre-cats are "tired", this is a measurement of the difference of the exhaust mixture from the primary O₂ sensors in the series to the secondary.

Moving the secondary O2 sensors "tricks" the ECU, by cleaning the air through the main cats.



I have done this. When I had my stainless steel "cat-back" exhaust system fitted I had them add some O₂ sensor bosses behind the main cats and blanked out the original bosses with plugs. This has solved the initial problem of the 0420 and 0430 codes.

My question is this:

My car effectively no longer needs the pre-cats; would I gain much, if anything, in the way of power by replacing the front section with those from a 3.0 thereby removing the pre-cats?

My thoughts are that the pre-cats must be causing a degree of back pressure and I would have a freer flowing exhaust system without them. That is ultimately why people de-cat track cars and fit "sports cats" to their cars isn't it?

12

Omega General Help / Far from home - Oil levels

« on: 17 December 2008, 22:52:05 »

I've just driven from Bolton to Bedford at a steady 95 70. Once I dropped off the motorway and was driving through Bolton I had my 1st experience of a new colourful picture on my CID.

An oil can and "Check Oil Level" came up. There are no warning lights on the dash, but I just wanted to ask. Do I drive home and crack open another one of the sixteen 5 litre Vauxhall oil cans I have at home in the garage, or do I hot foot it to my nearest Vx garage in Bolton rather than risk it?

If the latter, does anyone know where it is and can someone remind me what type of oil I need?

13

Omega General Help / What's the trumpet?

« on: 15 December 2008, 21:50:45 »

In the top of my air-box is a trumpet shaped tube that affects (restricts?) the air-flow out of the air-box to the elbow before the MAF sensor.

It is very easily removed by disconnecting the hose from the outlet on the air-box and sliding the "trumpet" outward.

It has 3 small air holes (roughly 7mm) on the top and another 3 on the bottom, these are in addition to the trumpet ended large hole at the end.

Anybody know what this is for? I have just removed it and driven the car as an experiment. The car feels a bit more responsive so I can't see the point of it personally.

14

Omega General Help / Error code 0100

« on: 11 December 2008, 21:36:15 »

I had an issue with my MAF sensor, which was indicated by 0170 and 0173 and a high "long term fuel trim".

I changed my MAF sensor, and the EML light cleared of its own accord. I did not clear the DTC codes with a Tech2 so they are still stored historically.

I have driven the car with no EML light for about 500 miles now and there have been no problems until about half an hour ago when teh EML light came back on.

I have just done the pedal diagnosis and teh codes 0100, 0170 & 0173 have come up.

I assume that the latter 2 codes are the historical codes from the previous problem.

I have looked up the first code, 0100, up on the OOF's "Technical Information" section and have seen this:


P0100 Mass or volume air flow circuit high input
P0100 Mass or volume air flow circuit low input
P0100 Mass or volume air flow circuit range/performanceProblem

Bugger!

What now?

Kevin?

15

Omega General Help / Brake (upgrade) advice

« on: 08 November 2008, 11:57:35 »

My car is getting to the point where I really should be thinking about new disks all round (it's a facelift, so has vented rears).

I am seriously considering the upgrade to the Monaro/Commodore/GTO brake calipers at the front as CateraMV6 has done and talked about often, but my main question at the moment is this:

If I wanted to replace my disks (all round) with vented, drilled and grooved disks will this be wise and, if so, what source/manufacturer would people recommend?

EDIT: Things I've found thus far...

Starting point as they need doing anyway (Standard on TC from local Vx stealers):

• Fronts: £72.83+VAT (Pad and Disk set)
• Rears: £81.30+VAT (Vented Disks only)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EBC-Vauxhall-Carlton-Omega-Uprated-Front-Brake-Discs_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQitemZ250309922806
Bloody hell that's expensive! £170 per pair of disks just for the front. Marketing words look good though.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320281071004&cguid=db57131611c0a0aad3e34bc3ffdeae13
These seem more reasonable at £165 all round, but would you trust the web-site?

EDIT2: I just called them and they seem pretty professional. Apparently standard disks with drill holes and grooves machined in. They are "handed" too for left and right sides so seem to be OK.

The key difference here is that these are:

• a) not EBC
• b) drilled all the way through rather than "dimpled" as the EBC claim improves things

http://brakepartssuperstore.org.uk/contents/en-uk/d12255.html
£43+VAT per pair for the fronts from here, but I think they relatively "standard".

http://brakepartssuperstore.org.uk/contents/en-uk/d12256.html
£61+VAT per pair for the rears from the same place, again relatively standard (vented for facelift).