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[Wayne]

Hi everyone - just signed up to this great Forum

i have a few Probs and sorry to say im NOT mechanically minded, sorry!
my car is a 1998 S Registration Vauxhall Omega 2.5 V6 CDX Estate
i use my car for about 3000 - 4000 miles per year, if that!
its done 60480 miles and is in very good condition, i may even flog it soon and upgrade to something else, but no idea as to what its worth..
im based near Wheatley in Oxford, just off of Junction 8 of the M40 if anyone wants to help me with these problems  

anyway, my probs are as follows

1: My Air-Con doesnt feel as cold as it used to, a simple re-gas? or something more major?
obviously knowbody can tell without seeing it, but just thought i`d ask anyway

2: when i get out of my car, i can smell a slight burning smell, mainly from the drivers side towards the front of the bonnet towards the windscreen..
i have checked oil levels and they are fine, also have plenty of water and coolants etc
my mechanic friend has looked thoroughly and cant see any leaks anywhere, and nor can i
its only started doing it in the last 3 - 4 months. should i be worried?

3: my temperature gauge always seems to display as fairly hot, its 1 - 2 notches below the mark of 100
is this normal? my radiator is working ok and so is the fan,  thoughts as to why?
it never used to get this hot, so of course i have noticed the increase and im slightly concerned  

4: what are your thoughts on REDEX fuel additives or similar?
i put some in my car for the 1st time last night with a full tank of unleaded, dont know what improvements i will see?

5: what is the BEST oil to use in this car?

many thanks

[Jimbob]

1. Probably just wants a regas, but thats the 1st step anyway and they do check for leaks when this is done.

2. My guess is your camcover gaskets are starting to leak, Clean the breathers and replace if further investigation reveals this to be the case.

3. I would run a coolant flush though, then all new coolant for starters.

4. Additives are generally liked, although with these big fuel tanks, a lot of us add a bottle to 1/2 a tankful.  Order of preference seems to be Forte Gas Additive (ebay normally), STP 2nd, Redex 3rd choice.  but probably not a lot in it.

5. Dont mention OIL here, dirty subject, but most people use Vauxhall's own Semi Synthetic.  If bought using a vauxhall trade card, then it is also very cheap.

Hope this helps.

Jimbob

[hotel21]

As above.....

1)  The quick Fit offer of a £40 or so regass, some folks have used this to good effect but not all places really clear the system out properly first.  If its leaking, should show out on the vacuum test and may give a pointer to whats actually leaking?
2)  Burning is most probably leaking rocker covers.  Pull the plug leads one at a time to check for oil down the plug wells or on the bottom of the leads.  Howtoo on forum on method.
3)   Coolant flush (Forte from E-bay works well) then carefull refill with 50/50 coolant/water and a carefull airbleed.  Search of forum will track down recommended method!  
4)   Either additives or the various super unleadeds on the forecourt.  Optimax or Ultimate have cleaning additives in already.
5)  A matter of personal choice.  semi synth seems the popular vote, VX because its cheap when purchased with a trade discount card.

HtH

B    

[Wayne]

thanks so much guys

as i told you, im useless with ANYTHING to do with cars
i have printed out your suggestions to show my village mechanic
i did already ring him tonight after reading your comments and he said that it all sounds straight forward
he did ask me to ask you IF theres a diagram anywhere for my Omega of exactly where the breathers are and how many there are..seems he hasnt done an Omega before! but he does do 95% of the villages cars and never had any complaints, so i aint too worried...

1 more thing, i ordered a K & N Replacement Air Filter this morning for my car, its to replace the paper mesh and just slots straight in, i dont know much about "air filtering"
what benefits of this new filter will i find when its put in? and have i made a good choice?
it was £38!

cheers

[hotel21]

Doing cam cover gaskets
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1152564281

Cleaning breather system
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1152598350

Loads more in Maintenance guides section.......  

use the search button for the replacement air filter.  Been a few threads on it....  

[Wayne]

Thanks again

i just looked at BOTH them maintenance links you sent me
i almost had a heart attack!

no way in hell i would even attempt it
hope my mechanic knows about all this?
unless anyone wants to do both jobs for me?
i can pay !!!!
what we looking at for labour and all parts?
im based in Oxfordshire

[TheBoy]

Mrs TheBoy is from Horspath. Small world.

That engine is too hot.  Flush through with Forte cooling system flush (the Forte is so much better than the other stuff).  Check plug wells for oil. Vx Semi Synth is about £30 for 4 x 5l on TradeClub.

[Wayne]

oh

i just read on one of these threads somehwere on this forum that my temperature is ok?

i will see if i can find it again and post the link back

[hotel21]

I understand your hesitation in doing the jobs but your mechanic should manage without too much difficulty.  Print the guides off and give them to him.  He should, if he is as competent as you say, welcome experienced advice as a means to reduce working times.

As to someone to do the job, no doubt someone will post up and may be able to offer their services.  I do know that user JamesV6CDX does travel and do jobs and prices are competative......  

[Wayne]

well, thanks buddy!

heres the post on IF my car is running too hot or not

after reading it, im confused! lol

is my car running too hot?
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1189192444

[TheBoy]

well, thanks buddy!

heres the post on IF my car is running too hot or not

after reading it, im confused! lol

is my car running too hot?
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1189192444

It should cruise just below mid point on gauge, creeping up to just over midpoint in traffic before fans drag it back down...

[Wayne]

all this is depressing me  

i hardly use my damm car and it seems i need loads of work doing to it
it sits on my drive 4-5 days a week, only done 60k
regularly serviced every 6000 miles, and yes i know thats probably over doing it, but i love the car and want to keep it maintained etc

my engine runs at 1 - 2 notches below 100 on the temperature gauge

what is mid point? sorry!

so i need to get the buring smell sorted, looks like a HUGE job.... AND a coolant flush etc etc etc
wonder if my radiator is ok ? i can hear the fan kick in when it has too though
i also dont have any leaks coming from radiator, so wonder IF and WHY its running hot....... if it is?
and also get Air Con done aswell!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrr my head hurts!

theres me thinking an Omega is Reliable  

[TheBoy]

all this is depressing me  

i hardly use my damm car and it seems i need loads of work doing to it
it sits on my drive 4-5 days a week, only done 60k
regularly serviced every 6000 miles, and yes i know thats probably over doing it, but i love the car and want to keep it maintained etc

my engine runs at 1 - 2 notches below 100 on the temperature gauge

what is mid point? sorry!

so i need to get the buring smell sorted, looks like a HUGE job.... AND a coolant flush etc etc etc
wonder if my radiator is ok ? i can hear the fan kick in when it has too though
i also dont have any leaks coming from radiator, so wonder IF and WHY its running hot....... if it is?
and also get Air Con done aswell!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrr my head hurts!

theres me thinking an Omega is Reliable  

On a prefacelift, midpoint is 95C (Facelifts have different gauges, so midpoint is 90C).

The burning smell, is it burning oil?  If so, check plug wells for oil - this would indicate rocker gaskets are shot. Whether you change these yourself or get others to do it, use genuine gaskets!

6k service overdoing it? I do mine every 3k

A 'service' by a local mechanic will likely be nothing more than an oil change.  That is not a service.

Feel free to pop it up (I'm 6m further than Jnc 10) - I can show you what you need to do...

[Dazzler]

Your car should run between 92 and 97 on the guage, mid point is 90.
The K&N airfilter is not recommended to much on here as the oil coating on the filter sometimes causes trouble with an air sensor in the air ducting.

[hotel21]

Here is the temp guage on my 1998 MV6....



Mid guage is 95 or the larger line between 90 and 100.

Preferred area for needle on normal cruising, not hammering the car, is just below mid point i.e. halfway back towards the short line above 90.  Or upwards towards the short line short of 100 if stuck in traffic.

[Wayne]

my car looks the same as yours mate

so the mid point is what for my car did you say?

and you wanna fix my car for me?  

[Wayne]

Hi mate

well, that puts my mind at rest then!

my cruising temperature is just above the small notch after 90
and when stuck in Traffic, it hits just under 100

so that sound ok ?

Phewwwwwwwwwww  

[TheBoy]

Hi mate

well, that puts my mind at rest then!

my cruising temperature is just above the small notch after 90
and when stuck in Traffic, it hits just under 100

so that sound ok ?

Phewwwwwwwwwww  

Mine never goes to the smaller line just below 100C  :-/

[Wayne]

reckon its worth doing a coolant flush anyway?
or am i chucking money away?
not sure its even had one...ever
i have had the car for 5 years and covered 14000 miles in total, lol

as far as oil goes for my V6, whats the best for it?

[Wayne]

oh....and how do i put a picture into my message?

i dont know how to do it!  doh !!

[TheBoy]

Vauxhall's own semi synth (4 x 5l is £30 ish on Tradeclub).  If you do not have access to tradeclub, I can get them for you and drop off in Horspath.

[Wayne]

just took some pics of me car on the drive

how do i get em on here, im very proud as i just washed it!! ha ha ha

[Wayne]

in reference to the AIR CON problem i have

read this,  i think i may have the same problem!

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1152739389


i got my air con re-gassed last year and it didnt make that much difference to be honest, the guy who done it said i MAY have a leak or faulty condensor

its a bit cold, but not as much as it should be

[hotel21]

just took some pics of me car on the drive

how do i get em on here, im very proud as i just washed it!! ha ha ha

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1152786884

[hotel21]

in reference to the AIR CON problem i have

read this,  i think i may have the same problem!

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1152739389


i got my air con re-gassed last year and it didnt make that much difference to be honest, the guy who done it said i MAY have a leak or faulty condensor

its a bit cold, but not as much as it should be

Absolutely no offence intended, but this is a thread run forum, not a chatroom???  

If you wish to resurrect an old thread and refresh with a current problem thats the same, fair enough.

If you want to post up a new problem, thats also fine.    

Either way, please do not post new probs in an existing thread such as this.  It only confuses things as the content of the thread can easily become way different to that posted initially in the header and, as a result, you will not get a response from those who can assist??

If, after having done a search, you find a similar problem to one you curently have, then perhaps the solution to the old problem is going to be the same for your current one??

Sorry to be a tad obtuse, not meaning to dampen your enthousiasm, just trying to ensure you get the same enjoyment available from this site that others have also found by following a few simple steps.....  

[Wayne]

SORRY MATE

wont happen again.......im New so point taken


nighty night  

[hotel21]

Not quite what was intended....

PM sent.