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121

Omega General Help / Re: Major engine death

« on: 04 July 2010, 15:10:23 »

Hmmm an interesting positive spin . If you look at the pulleys on my photo you can see the timing marks are not where they should be - so good chance that side contains bent valves. As an engineer with a good degree of mechanical sympathy, the noise when it stopped made me wince . I think it's not gonna be pretty. You're right though there's a good chance the other bank is OK. Will turn it over by hand and see if things line up.

Anyone got a head lying around?

I was just looking at the condition of the pulley teeth and the timing belt.  Is there also scraped rubber residue, to indicate belt slipping?

You certainly more qualified in this case, I am Electrical Engineer myself?

Cheers and I still kind of think glass is half full.

122

Omega General Help / Re: Major engine death

« on: 03 July 2010, 21:43:12 »

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Meggy has committed suicide - why would she do this??

Was cruising down to London when the wife noticed a funny sound (she's pretty good at noticing odd sounds/smells/sights before major failures ). Open the windows and wow! Nasty scraping metal sound totally rev related so definately the engine, but still running fine. Parked asap figuring bearing of some auxiliary belt item self destructing. Just decided to keep it running to have a little look/listen to identify the cause. Noise was deafening but couldn't see anything amiss. As soon as it occured to me 'oh sh*t it could be the cambelt tensioner - switch off NOW' the noise got briefly worse and the engine stopped .

Had to be the cambelt I thought - it's just gone over 40,000 and was top of list of things to do, but given that vaux thought they could get away with 80,000 for a while I didn't think I was sailing that close to the wind, but was cursing my stupidity all the same. Got recovered home and started to survey the damage.

First thing I noticed was that the belt was intact but fairly slack around the cam pulleys and a nice covering of fine metal shavings everywhere which wasn't quite what I was expecting...



Belt tensioners and idlers all seem fine - not loose at all. Then I notice this...



Yup - those pulley are touching!! That's the source of the shavings...



So what in the name of greek bu**ery can cause that to happen??!!  The camshaft must literally have eaten it's bearings and moved over 5mm or so! How could that possibly happen?? Never run it low on oil, though that bank does have a bit of a gasket leak which was also on the list of things to do. Never seen anything like it in my life - anyone else??

Totally gutted - love the car and just treated it to new lemforder wishbones and new rear springs . 98 Elite and only done 125,000. Weighing up my options now - repair, engine swap, break, or sell/scrap in one piece. Couple of years ago I'd have jumped straight into the repair, but freshly married and renovating a house I have very little spare time right now. What does anyone else think - worth the work, or maybe the Omega dream is over

Oh well - just wanted to share the misery. Sympathy and e-pats on back please! Maybe there'll be a project or breaker for sale on here soon (though I probably dont have enough posts for that do I - sigh).

Liam

Sorry to hear but I see less than disastrous situation.

From the picture at least it appears that cam teeth were grinding but you may not have necessarily any bent valves, etc., or a crashed head.  May be just replacement of both the damaged cams or that head if it is likely cheaper.  If the belt slipped which the way it appears seated it may not have with the tensioner saving your engine.

I am a newbie but been reading a lot so may be it is the rosiest of all observations and perhaps unrealistic.

Good luck.

PS:  Meggy has attempted suicide - why would she do this?? Cry Cry Cry

123

Omega General Help / Re: Rear Suspension - inner tyre wear - solution?

« on: 05 July 2010, 02:15:53 »

Not the thread starter but mathewst from Croatia asked for information where it appeared you were directing them to a WIM centre in UK, you actually were not ... a bit of a trip that would have been from a guy in Croatia 

124

Omega General Help / Re: hb valve

« on: 26 June 2010, 23:16:20 »

Wouldn't just clamping the hoses going to and from the valve to each other with a little plastic tube and clamps stop the leak other than you might empty out the heater core.

Who needs heat right now.

Merci I am newbie!

125

Omega General Help / Re: Sequence for cooling fans ?

« on: 30 June 2010, 02:01:46 »

Take with a grain of salt write-up about my car's operation (a wrong wheel drive version of the Omega, 2001 Cadillac Catera ).  Here goes and you have to abridge and possibly use own relay numbers,

Auxiliary Fans Low Speed: Electric Cooling Fan Low Speed Battery voltage is supplied to heater water auxiliary pump whenever ignition switch is on. When engine temperature reaches 212°F (100°C), primary cooling fan temperature switch stage 1 will close, enabling fan control relay K26 to energize. When fan control relay K26 energizes, battery voltage from fuse 52 is applied to auxiliary coolant fan 1 (auxiliary engine coolant fan 1 is wired in series with auxiliary engine fan 2, through normally closed contacts of fan control relay K52. This will cause auxiliary coolant fans 1 and 2 to operate at low speed. Fan control relay K26 will also supply battery voltage to engine coolant fan resistor, voltage passes through resistor to electric coolant fan. Engine coolant fan resistor will cause engine coolant fan to operate at low speed. Primary cooling fan temperature switch stage 1 contacts will open when coolant temperature reaches 203°F (95°C). This will turn all 3 fans off, unless air conditioning system is on.

Auxiliary Fans High Speed: When engine temperature reaches 221°F (105°C), secondary cooling fan temperature switch contacts will close and energize fan control relays K52 and K28. When fan control relay K52 energizes, it will ground terminal "B" of auxiliary engine coolant fan 1. Terminal "A" of auxiliary engine fan 1 still receives battery voltage from fan control relay K26. Auxiliary coolant fan 1 is no longer in series with auxiliary engine coolant fan 2 and will now operate at full speed. When fan control relay K28 is energized, battery voltage from fuse 40 will be applied to terminal "A" of auxiliary engine coolant fan 2. Auxiliary coolant fan 2 is no longer in series with auxiliary engine coolant fan 1 and operates at full speed. Terminal "B" of auxiliary coolant fan 2 is permanently grounded. With stage 1 contacts of primary cooling fan temperature switch closed, electric cooling fan will continue to operate. Secondary cooling fan temperature switch contacts will open when coolant temperature reaches 212°F (100°C). This will cause auxiliary engine coolant fans 1 and 2 to operate at low speed.

Electric Coolant Fan High Speed: When engine coolant temperature reaches 230°F (110°C), primary cooling fan temperature switch stage 2 will close energizing fan control relay K67. When fan control relay K67 energizes, battery voltage from fuse 42 will be applied directly to terminal "A" of engine coolant fan (bypassing engine coolant fan resistor ) and engine coolant fan will operate at full speed. All other operations that were taking place before coolant temperature reached 230°F (110°C) will remain in effect. Primary cooling fan temperature switch stage 2 contacts will open when coolant temperature reaches 221°F (105°C) and primary engine coolant fan will shut off. At coolant temperatures above approximately 230°F (110°C), all 3 coolant fans are operating at full speed. Only 5 of 6 relays operate at this time, unless air conditioning system is turned on. In this case, fan control relay K87 and A/C compressor relay K60 will also operate.

Engine Cooling Fans (A/C Operation): When A/C compressor is turned on, fan control relay K87 is energized and auxiliary engine coolant fans 1 and 2 will operate in low speed. In order to prevent inadmissible high refrigerant pressure in refrigerant circuit, auxiliary engine coolant fans 1 and 2 are switched from low speed to high speed at refrigerant pressures above approximately 275 psi. When pressure drops less than about 217 psi, auxiliary engine coolant fans 1 and 2 are switched back to low speed.

Water Auxiliary Pump: When ignition is off and engine coolant temperature reaches 212°F (100°C), primary cooling fan temperature switch stage 1 will close, enabling fan control relay K26 to energize. When fan control relay K26 energizes, battery voltage from fuse 52 is applied through normally closed auxiliary water pump relay K22, allowing water auxiliary pump to operate. Fan control relay K26 will also supply battery voltage to engine coolant resistor, allowing voltage to pass through resistor to electric cooling fan. Engine cooling fan resistor will cause engine cooling fan to operate at low speed. When engine coolant temperature reaches 203°F (95°C), primary cooling fan temperature switch stage 1 will open, de-energizing fan control relay K26. This will turn water auxiliary pump and engine cooling fan off.

The above is not my original write-up but an excerpt that I saved.

Regards.

126

Omega General Help / Re: caliper question

« on: 30 June 2010, 18:46:39 »

Just to add, the noise stops when the foot brake is applied so i guess the piston is working correctly.?

I noticed when I was checking my brakes that sometimes the backing on the pad that the piston pushes on to pops either fully or partially.  You may want to check the back of the pads too even though from wear indication one may think these are good.

We have assumed all along that your wheel bolts are tight to spec and the rotor is mounted properly and you cannot move it laterally (pulling out or pushing in with your hand).

Good luck.

127

Omega General Help / Re: caliper question

« on: 29 June 2010, 00:38:28 »

it knocks in and out, not up and down if that makes sense?

No expert let me describe what I think,



1.  Lower  marked "x" either side, pins are broken or stuck inside on one side or both.
2.  Upper "x" mark on both side, the pin tightening bolts are not properly engaged or broken or in a condition not to be able to securely tigthen.
3.  Middle "x" the piston is stuck or not moving properly.

Hope it triggers some ideas.

PS:  Hope not that the rotor is not seated properly and vertically, little likelihood though.

128

Omega General Help / Re: 3.0l v6 idle speed

« on: 25 June 2010, 02:50:42 »

I thought 500 was a little low for tickover when I first got my 3.0 Mv6, it does add to the smoothness though...

Pretty shoddy for an engine/car loaded with accessories specially the electric cooling fan in front and the cabin air blower.  The alternator is basically doing squat at 500 engine RPM based on Bosch performance curves.

I believe one of the drivers has been the fuel efficiency regulations and the ways to pass these to the point that some parts in the USA have set an idle tick value in this range.

Cheers.

PS:  I put a 1.7" pulley to replace the 2.21" standard bosch pulley with a suitably short serpentine (auxiliary drive belt) and my idle is a lot better. This ensure that the alternator is actually producing into the battery at 500 RPM.  May be placebo 

129

Omega General Help / Re: shock absorbers

« on: 29 June 2010, 14:44:16 »

I am sorry overzealous drive to help and not read properly, apologies.  I recently changed coils on my car and that was uppermost on my mind.

Apologies for the clutter post and is there a way to delete your post if there is I can delete it too.

130

Omega General Help / Re: shock absorbers

« on: 29 June 2010, 14:38:30 »

hi i am looking for rear shock absorbers for y reg omega the self leveling ones can anyone tell me where i can get them from please thank you

Wouldn't these work,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370392931427&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Cheers.

131

Omega General Help / Re: V6 EGR - Can it be left off.

« on: 28 June 2010, 20:05:52 »

"5p" is a British coin (GBP 0.05)
It is used in lieu of a thing drinks can which might burn through
I'm sure that there is Canadian coinage out there in the colony of a suitable dimension (with or without some filing)

Thanks pitchfork I will find a suitable coin.  You know how times change, when I was in England, I could put a penny in the gas meter and take a nice hot shower a while back 

For crying out loud, 5p to plug an EGR ... wow.

Any insights on the rest of the questions welcome.

Regards.

132

Omega General Help / Re: V6 EGR - Can it be left off.

« on: 28 June 2010, 17:14:02 »

I did this mod when i had my V6 vectra using the "5p" trick! Worked very well and more robust than a piece of coke can! It passed its mot like it too...happy days.

My friend can you explain what the "5p" trick is as I am across the Atlantic in Canada with the same engine (Ecotec V6 3.0L in a Cadillac Catera, a cousin of the facelift Omega) and have lumpy idle?  So at idle the air going to the engine will be only coming through the breather tubes with the throttle closed.  Is this correct?  Say the breather system is less than 100%, what will be the impact?

Just trying to understand not poking any holes as I may try to do the same thing.

Regards.

133

Omega General Help / Re: Cambelt change: Unexpected issue

« on: 27 June 2010, 16:05:47 »

All went according to plan ..........

Worth getting the OOF Cambelt DVD also.

2nd half started now 

I tried to buy the DVD and willing to pay appropriate shipping but the webmaster did not reply.  If you can help it would be great.

If you don't need your DVD and willing to sell and ship to me I can pay with Paypal.

Regards and good luck England even though in any soccer games I watch, I want the hungrier team to win!

134

Omega General Help / Re: Cambelt change: Unexpected issue

« on: 27 June 2010, 15:55:38 »

Yup I got the official locking kit brand new complete with all parts.

So I assume you used the existing spacers and new pulleys on your existing bracket.  If you came across issues or McGivered anything appreciate a note or two.

What a football game and what tragedy for the denied brilliant goal Eh!

Cheers.

135

Omega General Help / Re: Cambelt change: Unexpected issue

« on: 27 June 2010, 13:58:58 »

I've also just realised that as your car is a 2001 model that you wont have this problem. The car I'm having the problem with now is a '98, but I also have a '99 which is ok. So, a 2001 model will not be a problem in the lower idler area and will have an 01 casting. 

I just bought the following from a gentleman in UK for shipping to me and a note in his clarification to me when I asked what was printed on the cast,

"EB, it was on my 1994 model though i believe the pulleys were modified and this is the modified one Thanks"

The actual description is in this eBay listing that I bought from,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320552080800

He had just installed and taken it after 300 miles after his gaskets blew so it was listed as near new.

Any comments appreciated in case I bought the wrong piece.

Regards.

I really, really wouldn't use a secondhand cambelt kit. How do you know he's telling the truth, it could be 10 years old.

Elite Pete thanks.

I actually have all 3 brand new pulleys (Flennor) and a genuine GM timing belt.  The reason I was trying to buy this was in case I would not be able to renew pulleys on my original bracket once I open things up.  The pulleys I got are marked Flennor.  Are these OK or I should use Gates only?

By the way I am a little trusting type and so far I have been very lucky on eBay except for couple of crooks.

Regards and your time advice appreciated.