Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: car-nut on 15 November 2011, 02:46:07
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Yesterday I felt really stupid. But finally resolved my brake light fault which after the faulty bulb holder was replaced I assumed the bulb was ok, but as it turned out, the brake filament was in fact broken. So now new bulb in and all working,
(http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m624/crowej1/Omega/141120111968-001BlankReg.jpg)
However I got in my Omega at about 9pm and after the brake light check message went out, Coolant Level came up on the screen. So I immediately switched the engine off and opened the bonnet.
I checked the coolant level and found it was below half. But there is no obvious leaks, no patches on the path etc... The only thing I haven't checked is the oil cap to see if there is any chance of it being the head gasket.
This happened once before about 3 months ago but I topped the coolant up and never had the issue until now.
I am going to fully investigate tomorrow. But am very worried now.
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It may simply be you've had an air lock that has worked it's way up to the expansion bottle. Check the dipstick for water droplets, as well as the filler cap for signs of 'mayonaisse'. HG failure on the 4 pot is usually found on cylinder 4 (nearest the windscreen) and a good way to check is to run the car upto normal temperature last thing in the evening & then leave it to stand overnight. Next morning whilst still cold, remove No.4 plug & either shine a bright light into the cylinder bore or else dip a long thin stick with absorbent material firmly fastened to it until it hits the piston head, then remove & check for wetness. If it is wet, smell it to check whether it is petrol, although any fuel in the bore should have evaporated overnight. If No.4 is dry, repeat for the other cylinders. Also remove the expansion bottle cap & do a 'sniff test', can you smell exhaust/petrol fumes? assuming the bottle & coolant is/was clean, is there any discolouring going on that you haven't noticed before? Hopefully, it is just air been displaced. Good Luck :y
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The water colour and smell hasn't changed since I have had her, I have been under the car, in the engine bay etc... checked under the oil filler cap and the dipstick and no obvious signs of why the coolant level dropped. So I topped it up with a 50 50 mix of anti freeze that I had in the cupboard as I know it doesn't matter what I put in right now as I am planning a complete coolant change in a couple of weeks, but made sure the level was full according to the marker, I then took it for a 4 mile round trip and parked up when I got back and immediately popped the bonnet open and checked the coolant level and it was still where it was when I left. So am very very confused. I have checked the spark plugs and the holes when it was cold as well and nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. I even checked my footwell in the car both sides and bone dry!
So fingers crossed about the air lock theory. All I can do is keep any eye on it.
(http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m624/crowej1/Omega/141120111980-002BlankReg.jpg)
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Hi,
I think I have a similar thing on my 2.2
I have had it since July, and in August did a complete flush of the coolant and filled it up to the correct level with the correct mix of antifreeze. Over the next couple of weeks kept an eye on it and topped it up as necessary as it was removing air bubbles (a very tiny amount!)
However, since August (about 3months) and about 3.5k miles, I have noticed the fluid is steadily going down, only by a very tiny tiny amount (I check all levels each time before I drive it), but enough to bring the level about 1cm below the correct cold level line (seam on the bottle). I topped it up yesterday and checked it again after another 400miles this weekend, but no level change.
The oil cap is clear, the coolant has not discoloured at all, so not going there.
I have noticed that when the vehicle is left idling once warm, it tends to produce a bit more white fumes out of the exhaust than I would expect from a warm engine, might be because it is running on LPG, not had a chance to try it warm on petrol yet.
Also, in August when I did the coolant and service, noticed that the coil pack & plug on cylinder no4 had a rusty brown coloured deposit all over it. Totally bone dry so I assumed it was old, and cleaned it all off. Not checked it since but will soon hopefully.
I know this might not have helped but seems like we are having the same thing? I wonder whether it is as a result of the car overheating after a run. I have noticed that if you park up after a run, temp at normal range, then go back out to the car about 10mins later, the temp needle will be over the 100C. The 2.2s do not have the electric recirculate pump like the v6s, and I wonder if it is worth fitting something?
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My 2.2 leaked coolant water when air con was on, and that was the hbv valve leaking, at back of engine, replaced it no problem now.
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I used my aircon today, I will check my coolant in a minute.
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I think you have a head gasket problem
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I had exactly the same problem with my wife's Vectra and it turned out to be the HBV, easy fix (on the Vectra at least)
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have just been reading the post on water loss,
mines a 2001 2.2 it does exactly the same,have owned it now for approx 2 months,wheni got her home noticed the header tank was half empty, no obvious signs of water loss anywhere to be seen, cold or hot ,topped up no problems since,
just hope it stays that way
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Sounds like classic HBV symptoms to me ;)
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If you can see no coolant leaks on outside of the engine
it must be going past the head gasket
you said there are white exhaust fumes head gasket again
bubbles in coolant bottle head gasket again
do you top up your coolant weekly
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Sounds like classic HBV symptoms to me ;)
Does the 2.2 have the HBV in the same place as described for the v6?
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If you can see no coolant leaks on outside of the engine
it must be going past the head gasket
you said there are white exhaust fumes head gasket again
bubbles in coolant bottle head gasket again
do you top up your coolant weekly
Can't speak for Jiffy or car-nut but seeing as our symptoms are all very similar, I do not think it is head gasket. The water loss is very very minimal. There is no coolant in the oil, or oil in the coolant, and only I mention the white smoke which I think is as a result of running on LPG.
Cheers
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If you can see no coolant leaks on outside of the engine
it must be going past the head gasket
you said there are white exhaust fumes head gasket again
bubbles in coolant bottle head gasket again
do you top up your coolant weekly
Sorry, but no. There are many, many places you can get a very slight coolant leak on the Omega and not be able to see it. The HBV starts failing by only leaking under certain conditions and is 95% of the time the problem.
The white smoke on the car with LPG is quite normal, one of the largest by-products of burning LPG is water vapour ;) the other possibility on the lpg vehicle, although unlikely with no other faults showing, is a perforation in the vaporiser diaphragm.
A quick compression test will confirm HG integrity, nothing else would lead me to start ripping the heads off ;) The symptoms do not point to HG failure IMO... Check everything else first ;)
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where does it say in the post that this car runs on LPG
I dont see it
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Apologies, my fault for hi-jacking the thread! My car runs on LPG, 4th post in, same place where I talk about the white smoke from the exhaust.
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where does it say in the post that this car runs on LPG
I dont see it
As above, not the op ;)
Still stands though, even running on petrol you get large amounts of water vapour showing under certain conditions. HG is, IMO, the last on a long list of possibilities when the fact that there is no oil/water mixing taking place. A compression test is the only thing that I would consider to rule it in/out of the list of possible faults as if there is water getting into the cylinder then it will show reduced compression ;)
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The mystery leak may have been found!
I started the Omega up lunch time and there was a horrible noise coming from the engine bay which sounds like a loose flywheel. So I turned the engine off, tugged all the pulleys, checked the tension of the belt, and no problems, I then noticed my coolant bottle is below the minimum but it was full yesterday.
I took the Saab down to GSF down the road from me as I don't want to risk anything with the Omega, and described the noise, they said it sounded like the water pump bearing has gone, and that the water is probably being forced out the breather on the water pump.
I am going to call my breakdown service out on Monday and get a definite diagnoses and if they confirm that the water pump has gone, I am going to get the car recovered to my local garage and get the cambelt and pullies etc... all done at the same time as it is due within the next few thousand miles.
Any of you guys got any thoughts on this. Does the noise description sound like it is the water pump or could I be barking up the wrong tree?
All and any opinions and advice is much appreciated. Cheers.
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Could well be the pump! :)
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Will look forward to hear the result.
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Tuesday, I am being lazy and calling my breakdown service out, and getting them to properly diagnose it, then get it towed to the garage that has given me the best quote for the job, As on Monday I will be calling all my local mechanics and seeing how much they would charge for this particular job. I would call breakdown on Monday but I can't leave the house as I am waiting for couriers to deliver things for Christmas.
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Not sure I would trust a breakdown service to diagnose it properly, also unless you have home start its not really a breakdown is it?
You can tell if the water pump is leaking, take the cam belt cover off. Lift loom out of the tray & unclip it, 15mm on the aux belt and a series or torx bolts around the side.
You can also crank the engine by hand, forget which size socket is need. While rotating it, check list for noise/play
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Lucky for me I do have homestart lol. But I will dig my tools out in the morning and do what you say and see if the pump is leaking, however, I am thoroughly confused again.
I unlocked the car and popped the bonnet, opened the window and started the engine, the noise was still there but slightly quieter from memory, the header tank is still half full, I opened the oil cap with the engine running and the noise seemed louder, I only opened the cap for about 2 seconds and of course it changed the sound of the engine, So I closed the bonnet and decided to go for a 3 mile round trip run, Drove perfect, when I got back I parked up, popped the bonnet and the engine was idling perfectly and quietly (No noises as all), coolant still at same level, no obvious signs of anything.
Any Idea's please? I am desperate!
Cheers.
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Not sure I would trust a breakdown service to diagnose it properly, also unless you have home start its not really a breakdown is it?
You can tell if the water pump is leaking, take the cam belt cover off. Lift loom out of the tray & unclip it, 15mm on the aux belt and a series or torx bolts around the side.
You can also crank the engine by hand, forget which size socket is need. While rotating it, check list for noise/play
Thanks I will explore this option. Cheers.
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Just change the Heater Bypass Valve and be done with it. :y They're only £25ish from Vauxhall, and usually in stock. That should tell you how often they fail ::) They generally last between 70k and 100k.
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Thanks taxi al. Will defo look into it. :y
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Not sure I would trust a breakdown service to diagnose it properly, also unless you have home start its not really a breakdown is it?
You can tell if the water pump is leaking, take the cam belt cover off. Lift loom out of the tray & unclip it, 15mm on the aux belt and a series or torx bolts around the side.
You can also crank the engine by hand, forget which size socket is need. While rotating it, check list for noise/play
with tunnie on that one...all of the breakdown companies are for towing you home only in my opinion..last time my dad called for a home start they claimed the alternator had gone...me and a mate turned up 20 mins later (who was/is a mechanic) and found out fan belt was slipping...tightened it up and too this day it is fine....4 years after :y
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I have placed on order for click and collect with Eurocarparts an order for the Heater Bypass Valve, I ordered a 90p Bulb to push the price over £20 as they currently have one of their many 25% off deals and got the bypass valve and bulb for under £16. I would have opted for free delivery but my nearest store is 2 miles from my house, but still got to wait for the courier for other stuff lol. I have asked a mate of mine to pop over in the morning if he has got time as he is much more mechanically minded than me, and can do more physically with cars lol.
I have breakdown through Asda with homestart, and lucky for me they use my favourite recovery company down the road from me, some of the workers are ok others are only recovery drivers and the rest are mechanics so it is hit and miss who I get but they always seem to bend over backwards to try help me fault find at the side of the road at home. They came out 3 times to help try and get my Vectra 150 Sri Estate going again, but on the 3rd call they said to me I can't call again for the same fault on the same car, so it was recover it to a local garage or leave it lol. And in the past they spent ages helping me bleed the coolant system on my BMW 728i. I wouldn't trust AA or RAC as far as I could throw them though from experience.
But I am DETERMINED to get to the bottom of this. Just wish it wasn't sooooo flaming cold lol
I will update the situation in the morning after my mate has been if he comes lol.
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I have placed on order for click and collect with Eurocarparts an order for the Heater Bypass Valve, I ordered a 90p Bulb to push the price over £20 as they currently have one of their many 25% off deals and got the bypass valve and bulb for under £16. I would have opted for free delivery but my nearest store is 2 miles from my house, but still got to wait for the courier for other stuff lol. I have asked a mate of mine to pop over in the morning if he has got time as he is much more mechanically minded than me, and can do more physically with cars lol.
I have breakdown through Asda with homestart, and lucky for me they use my favourite recovery company down the road from me, some of the workers are ok others are only recovery drivers and the rest are mechanics so it is hit and miss who I get but they always seem to bend over backwards to try help me fault find at the side of the road at home. They came out 3 times to help try and get my Vectra 150 Sri Estate going again, but on the 3rd call they said to me I can't call again for the same fault on the same car, so it was recover it to a local garage or leave it lol. And in the past they spent ages helping me bleed the coolant system on my BMW 728i. I wouldn't trust AA or RAC as far as I could throw them though from experience.
But I am DETERMINED to get to the bottom of this. Just wish it wasn't sooooo flaming cold lol
I will update the situation in the morning after my mate has been if he comes lol.
Not genuine then. As for it being the HBV, why post a thread with this text "I started the Omega up lunch time and there was a horrible noise coming from the engine bay which sounds like a loose flywheel. So I turned the engine off, tugged all the pulleys, checked the tension of the belt, and no problems, I then noticed my coolant bottle is below the minimum" ???
Never known an HBV to make that noise????????????
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Not sure that I would want to hear a loose flywheel... Intermittant coolant loss is most likely the HBV, it's certainly the cheapest place to start :-\ Could possibly be leaking elswhere. Noise could be caused by anything from cold oil upwards :-\