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181

Omega General Help / Re: Steering Idler Arm removal - help please!

« on: 23 April 2007, 08:58:43 »

Thanks for your replies - much appreciated.

Mark, if I understand correctly, I need to turn the steering gear to the right, wedge a block of wood between the idler and the centre tie rod and hammer both sides by the balljoint.......  Is this right?

Thanks again everyone

182

Omega General Help / Steering Idler Arm removal - help please!

« on: 22 April 2007, 19:18:30 »

Well, the car is still on the axle stands



Yesterday, I made a start on the Steering Idler.  Got the nut undone fine, in spite of the lack of room.  The end that connects to the chassis come off no problem.  Can I get the ball joint end to come off?  No I can't.  I have followed the guide on here and just want to check that I am doing this right.

I have posted a pic or two.

Here is the bar to apply downward force (which is a stout screwdriver):



and here is where I am hammering, upwards:



I started with an ordinary hammer as I did not want to cause damage to the steering tie rods etc.  The joint has not even moved.  Hence the club hammer in the pics.  So, am I doing this right or am I way of track?  Any advice, comments etc. welcome.


Incidentally, I have three ball joint splitters, two of which are the tighten nut type and one is the hammer type.  None fit.  As a last resort, I may be forced to get a centre steering rod from Vaux, another idler for the drivers side and fit the whole lot.

183

Omega General Help / Re: Strange Noise from Back Box

« on: 20 April 2007, 17:34:07 »

Just two thoughts - probably way of track though

With air con on, the engine is under extra load causing more vibration than normal.  If the exhaust system has been moved then it is highly likely that it is resonating against something like a heat shield, handbrake cable etc.

Don't really know why it disappears with a door or boot open - maybe (and this is a long shot) with the door or boot open, the "box" effect of the car is removed and hence the sound is no longer amplified?

184

Omega General Help / Re: Rear box... opinion which to buy

« on: 20 April 2007, 05:23:47 »

Well, for interest, this is what I paid for mine:

93181162 RH Centre Silencer £95.26
93181157 LH Centre Silencer £92.76
09157100 Rear Silencer (Single Pipe) £86.02
24434133 Exhaust Bolt £0.55

These were the trade club prices, Ex VAT, using an Autobahn Stormers Club Membership card.

The retail prices are:

93181162 RH Centre Silencer £112.00
93181157 LH Centre Silencer £109.00
09157100 Rear Silencer (Single Pipe) £107.00
24434133 Exhaust Bolt £0.63

I don't know why one centre box is more expensive than the other though.

Like you Jon, I wondered if I was getting the corect level of discount and I am pleased to note that I did, even if my prices are a few pence more here and there.

185

Omega General Help / Re: Rear box... opinion which to buy

« on: 19 April 2007, 12:48:51 »

GM boxes are the best that is true and TC prices are a good deal lower than retail.  However, if price is an issue than this makes the GM option more difficult.

I bought an exhaust recently on TC, I will check the prices that I paid later.  The two middle sections are priced differently, but I can't remember which way round they are at present.

186

Omega General Help / Re: Rear box... opinion which to buy

« on: 18 April 2007, 12:31:57 »

From what you have said, I would simply go for what you can afford.  If buying the rear box from e-bay, have a look at the bolts on the box that is on the car at present.  Do the nuts look as though they will undo?  If so, then go ahead - you will save on both the box and fitting.  If not, then I have always found ATS good in the past.  Plus, if you are in the AA you get 10% off.

There is a another thread on here discussing pre MOT checks.  Have a look at this prior to your test and check what you can.  Could save you a retest fee if nothing else!

Hope this helps and good luck with the MOT.

187

Omega General Help / Re: Exhaust and MPG

« on: 20 April 2007, 12:24:07 »

I don't know for sure if it does although I suspect that it would.  I am hoping for an increase when I get my new system fitted.  I will let you know the outcome.

188

Omega General Help / Re: steering idler

« on: 20 April 2007, 05:26:43 »

I managed to get mine on TC:

09195731 Steering Idle Arm £48.60.

If they are generally not available on TC, I don't know how I blagged this one!

Dearer than Vauxhall Parts Warehouse though.

189

Omega General Help / Re: engine service parts

« on: 10 April 2007, 17:43:51 »

Hi Bear33

I have just joined this club and used the yellow card that Tunnie mentions in my local dealership.  Joining is easy, just go to the autobahnstormers web site and download the membership application pack (or follow this link which will take you straight there) http://www.autobahnstormers.co.uk/club_information/Club_Information_Pack.pdf.

I found that the membership pack was sent very quickly, around 3 days.

Your dealer will need to register the card so go in the week when the parts manager is there.  I went at the weekend and the manager was not.  Still the dealer phoned me on Monday (as promised!) and said that the card was valid and then ordered up the bits for me.  As Tunnie said, Oil and filters are dirt cheap and I reckon that I saved around £120 on the parts that I purchased.

Highly recommend that you join.  It is the member, not the car that belongs to the club.

Also, as others have already said, DO NOT use a flushing oil in the engine - just do short changes.  I have done this myself and found it to be most effective.  What Tunnie recommends is good

Hope this helps

190

Omega General Help / Re: 02 Sensor

« on: 16 April 2007, 13:21:20 »

all he said was i can still use my car!!

And this is wrong as if the engine is running too rich for a period, the catalytic converters will be damaged.

Another bit of advice - try not to go for cheap ebay items nor after market as apparently they fail quite quickly after fitting - go for genuine sensors.  People on here, myself included, have a trade card which gets a discount on parts so no need to pay retail prices!  Just ask.

Good luck with getting it sorted.

191

Omega General Help / Re: Help! Project TB2 - Update 6

« on: 12 April 2007, 11:18:00 »

Taxi Driver, I don't think that new bottles come with the cap.  It is silly not to provide a new cap I think.

192

Omega General Help / Re: Help! Project TB2 - Update 6

« on: 11 April 2007, 16:40:51 »

OK

Another thought - you have replaced the original expansion tank with one from a V6.  A further long shot - I wonder is the design pressure for the expansion cap is too low?  If it is this would explain the cap blowing off and loosing water.  It would also explain the overheating as, when the pressure is released by the cap, the boiling point of the coolant is reduced.

As I say, another long shot, but worth considering.

193

Omega General Help / Re: Help! Project TB2 - Update 6

« on: 11 April 2007, 15:55:52 »

Just a wild idea / long shot / stab in the dark etc. - and probably wrong - but is there a hose that is collapsing when hot?  This would either severely reduce or even stop the flow of coolant.  It would also increase the pressure................  Are any hoses pinched in some way i.e. caught between ancillaries / engine components etc?

It is possible I suppose that the 3 caps are damaged in some way due to excess pressure but somehow I doubt it.

Finally, sorry if the above is plain stupid but it is all I can think of!

194

Omega General Help / Re: Need Exhaust - Plymouth Trade Club? AirCon off

« on: 10 April 2007, 19:02:47 »

Jaw W is from Plymouth i belive....

Your autobahnstormers card should arrive within 3 days or so...... they are usually very quick.

Mine arrived in 3 days.  Very quick turnaround I thought.

195

Omega General Help / Re: General help please.

« on: 13 April 2007, 11:00:23 »

Sounds like a plan - when changing the Antifreeze, make sure that you use soft water.  If the water in the taps in your area is hard, then get a big bottle of bottled water from Sainsbury's etc.