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[Markjay]

....Wouldnt be cam belt has slipped or tensioner failed??  :-/

As TD says.... These engines are VERY prone to cambelt tensioner failure if neglected (need to be replaced every 40k/4y no ifs and buts...), so if you told any of the members here that your V6 'stopped with a clonk' the immediate reaction would be 'ahh, another tensioner...'. This will also explain the rattle noise - the tensioner is rather high-up at the front of the engine towards the left hand side when viewed from the front. If the rubber bit or bearing started failing, it will omit mechanical noise and eventually either seize and snap the belt, or it will let go and the belt will jump a few teeth. Either way this means valve/piston damage and practically a new engine.

[Markjay]

6 years ago on my previous Omega, I heard the rattle noise from the top of the engine coupled with some loss of power (though the car was generally drivable), I was not ware of the tensioned issues then and my first though was a broken lifter/follower, I actually drove the car to the Vx garage and they told me the tensioner started failing and I was that close to losing the engine… I guess I was lucky. Thinking back the lose of power was probably due to the cambelt coming a bit loose or even jumping a tooth - 'minutes from disaster'.....

[madmatt]

Hello everyone, perhaps I should have made things a little clearer,

The car had started to rattle from the left hand bank(facing the car), I posted on VXON about this and they suggested that an oil change may help with this.

Anyway, the cam belt and tensioner had been changed 9k before this all started happening and the car was running sweetly (until the rattle started)

Oh yes and the oil warning light went out immediately after starting and temps were always normal.

I was driving to work in the morning and the car just stopped, I called a more techincally able mate who came out and started the engine again, (first turn of the key) but didn't like the sound of the rattle and we shut it down and towed it into work.

The mechanic at work who mainly works on the sprinters and 7.5t trucks we use had a look over it and reckoned that Cam belt had jumped!

I had the car collected by a recommended garage and they reckoned that the engine had compression on all cylinders but it had low oil pressure (but it's only the left bank that rattles??) the mechanic at work now denies that he had told me that the belt had jumped!!  (and he is known as a useless t&^t)

I hope that this helps clarify things and I really appreciate the kind help from everyone here

[Markjay]

...I hope that this helps clarify things...

Err…not really

Sorry, butrattle from top left of engine sound like a tensioner to me. If the car started you may be lucky that you have no valve damage yet (see my own post about similar)! When the cambelt was done 9k ago, did they change both the cambelt AND the tensioner as a kit? Even so, new tensioners have been known to fail! Not sure about the low oil pressure probelm if it is actaully there (as Mark DTM says – what was the pressure they measured?), sounds like a Red Herring to me, especially as the warning light does not come on…

[Markjay]

Location of tensioner on the V6:



Is this where the noise was coming from....?

[madmatt]

following on I can confirm that afer reading posts in VXon, I did have the full belt and tensioners kit changed by a Vaxhall main dealer (for what thats worth)

didn't get the water pump changed tho (which is also making me worry a bit) after reading what can happen when the pump goes wrong!


edited by matt I didn't type the dark side!!!! is something here having a laugh? (now confused???)

[Markjay]

following on I can confirm that afer reading posts in VXon, I did have the full belt and tensioners kit changed by a Vaxhall main dealer (for what thats worth)....

Sorry to keep pushing the cambelt angle, but again - new tensioners do fail!

[hotel21]

........edited by matt I didn't type the dark side!!!! is something here having a laugh? (now confused???)

Howdoo Matt.

If you type V X o n without the spaces, the censor filter changes it to VXon.

Without dredging up days gone, loads of clever peeps on here regularly posted on VXon but, after a tiff, this site was created and loads of people migrated.  As a result, conversely, if you quote OOF on VXon there is a similar censor and, if you force the issue over there, you will be banned there.  

If you use the 'quote post' option, you will see whats meant.

Its normally used as a swear filter.  Type a common sweary word and it gets changed, hence sometimes you get words like t*ts!  

HtH

B

ps - hope you get things fixed on the car!

[Taxi_Driver]

following on I can confirm that afer reading posts in VXon, I did have the full belt and tensioners kit changed by a Vaxhall main dealer (for what thats worth)....

Sorry to keep pushing the cambelt angle, but again - new tensioners do fail!

I do agree MJ.....i had new cambelt and tensioner......then went back a few k miles later for water pump bearing failing.....then a few weeks later for tensioner bearing failing......but this was done at vx dealer and they did tell me they put on a cambelt kit originally.....but I know how vx dealers lie  

[madmatt]

Thank you everyone for all the help you have given me, it appears that the mechanic that I've used either

a) Just wants to make a quick buck
or
b) Doesn't want to investigate this problem correctly

I think therefore that I'll get the car back to my house and work on it myself over the next month or so

keep you posted

Once again, thank you all very much for your help and valued opinions

[Eliteman Steve]

Hi Matt , Sorry to hear of your problems  . Think you mentioned in one of your previous posts that the belt and tensioners were done at VX main dealer , in which case , I'm sure its been said on here that the belt and tensioners will be under warranty . Might be a thought to go back to them?

[madmatt]

Yeah, thanks for that, the problems started 1 Yr and 3 weeks after the work was done, I have spoken to them but they seem very dis-inclined to do anything

[Markjay]

Madmatt, forget the car, come join us, 41 more posts and you are a fully qualified Junior Memeber...

[Marks DTM Calib]

PM Robin Hood and buy a copy of the cambelt change DVD (its only 3 quid delivered), it explains how to strip the front down to the cambelt and change the belt (if needed, strip it down and inspect it first)