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1

General Car Chat / Re: Anyone need a cambelt, etc?

« on: 13 June 2024, 23:21:58 »

Hi Folks,

As people are aware, I have on occasions over the last decade (or two!) offered mobile servicing to members for their Omegas.

If anyone has been considering having any jobs done, I am available, usually weekends and Mondays. Financially I am not really looking to gain much, other than to cover my expenses and a contribution to the holiday fund, it's more about me getting back out there in the summer months and re-igniting the passion I have for these cars / helping fellow enthusiasts.

I can also host in Oxfordshire.... the last member who came here for a cambelt stayed for a pub visit, BBQ, Beer, fire-pit, and Breakfast the next day 

I suspect this was my good self!! In June last year James very kindly fitted a complete VX cambelt kit, cam cover seals and fitted a new water pump on my 3.2 saloon. I fortunately had all the parts in for the cambelt kit and cam covers, but he went out for his way to source a quality water pump at short notice the following morning before reassembly. Not only that, it was apparant that on a previous cambelt kit change the lower idler had been fitted the wrong way round, and had worn a near  circular hole in the cambelt cover ! James duly found a good used one to complete the job. Needless to say, his mechanical skills are impressive, and the hospitality efforts of both James and his partner were superb!
Combined with the lovely weather, the good food and the quality of his work, I cannot thank James enough for his help and would have no hesitation in recommending that other OOFers take up his offer with the more intricate Omega repairs if they felt they weren't up to it themselves!
It's great to have people willing to help out if needed - many thanks James

Are you coming back for a BBQ / few beers this summer? 

2

General Car Chat / Re: Anyone need a cambelt, etc?

« on: 11 June 2024, 09:59:41 »

Hi James, will definitely keep you in mind next time I need something fixing as I'm not far away. Unfortunately when I first bought my Omega my requests to join the forum didn't get approved for months and months, which led me to doing my cambelt by myself which was quite a steep learning curve (I'd only done 8v engines before!) and took me 2 whole weekends (although that included changing the water pump, thermostat, heater valve, etc.
The car is still going strong and I have just replaced all the suspension front and back but lately it seems to be losing coolant. So my next bit of work is to see where that is going.....

Brilliant effort. So satisfying when you do it yourself 👍🏻👍🏻

3

General Discussion Area / Change of Career

« on: 05 June 2024, 19:17:07 »

Members / Friends,

I've kept it under my hat whilst I've been dealing with / processing it, but after approximately 17 (mostly) amazing years in the old bill, I have been given a medical retirement as from July 2023.  All good things have to end at some stage, and that was the right time for me.

In 2016 I was on the traffic unit, and broke my spine and neck as a passenger in a head on whilst pursuing suspects who wouldn't stop. Although I have a reasonable quality of life (I can do a bit of DIY, etc) I am no longer in physical shape to be rolling around on the ground with drug fueled criminals. Additionally, my mental resilience was reduced to a fraction of what it was, and I was getting vivid flashbacks from a decade and a halves worth of death, gore, and often pure evil (and watching the joke sentences given by the judiciary).

It sounds a bit gay (I can say that now!) but I was essentially at the point of being broken - which is the explanation for why it took me a year to even do a basic omega project.

On a brighter note, it's something I've now fully accepted. My quality of life is tenfold, I have reconnected with people I didn't see for years, see more of my family, have better friends. It is now time to rediscover my love of old cars - and the recent V6 rebuild has gone a long way towards that, especially now I know it was all worth the effort

It is early days, but I'm now working 4 days a week, mostly from home, investigating naughty employees within the local government. I am really enjoying it, the work life balance is exceptional and it's way more interesting than I thought it would be.

4

General Car Chat / Anyone need a cambelt, etc?

« on: 05 June 2024, 19:16:02 »

Hi Folks,

As people are aware, I have on occasions over the last decade (or two!) offered mobile servicing to members for their Omegas. I probably have 50+ thank you posts on here over the years, and my work is always meticulous. I know the V6 and it's quirks intimately, including how to set up the cam timing perfectly using the correct setting tools.

If anyone has been considering having any jobs done, I am available, usually weekends and Mondays. Financially I am not really looking to gain much, other than to cover my expenses and a contribution to the holiday fund, it's more about me getting back out there in the summer months and re-igniting the passion I have for these cars / helping fellow enthusiasts.

I can also host in Oxfordshire.... the last member who came here for a cambelt stayed for a pub visit, BBQ, Beer, fire-pit, and Breakfast the next day 

5

General Car Chat / Re: 3.2 Project - Engine Repair Progress

« on: 05 June 2024, 17:38:23 »

Excellent work 
another one saved 
did you have spare heads to replace the u/s valves  or buy new valves 

Thanks

I completely junked the heads from the 3.2 after robbing the manifolds. Junked them with the valves still in.

The heads (and valves) I fitted were from a 2.6

6

General Car Chat / Re: 3.2 Project - Engine Repair Progress

« on: 05 June 2024, 17:18:30 »

Notes -

1) Extensive restoration done just before my ownership - sills etc replaced.

2) She passed her MOT first time after the work on 25 April with only very minor advisories

3) I had to fit the cats from the 2.6, because I weighed in the 3.2 ones 

4) Genuine GM cam cover gaskets were used but I had to use pattern O rings for the bolt holes

5) I couldn't get the O ring from VX for the rigid, rear-to-front coolant transfer pipe. I reused the old one with grey goo.

6) I fitted the stat and link pipe from the 2.6 as they were almost new. Again, I re-used those seals with grey goo.

7) I re-used the old water pump, and refitted an old (not the existing) cambelt kit from a V6 I'd recently worked on. Yes I know that sounds crazy but with my confidence levels low, I didn't want to fork out for a new kit if it ultimately didn't work. Now it runs and has passed the MOT, I'll pop a belt kit and pump on there before it's used again.

8 ) When I do that, I need to helicoil one of the cambelt backplate holes. Unbeknown to me, the thread was damaged (I had never refitted it, only removed it) so didn't know until it came to fitment. Thankfully access is good and this shouldn't be an issue. It's currently held with two, loctited bolts just for the purposes of testing and MOT etc.

9) I've actually now done about 900 miles in it. No loss of fluids and no issues whatsoever.

10) I haven't lost it. I remembered all of the torques, identified all of the bolts, knew the fitment of all of the vacc pipes and electrical connectors off by heart still.

11) There were no problems lining up the bridge or divider. They fitted fine.

12) Compression is high.... currently running on 99 ron super unleaded only.

13) It goes like it's been stung.... easily the fastest Omega I've ever driven (not that I like to drive flat out, I prefer to nurture it!)

14) I'm starting to fall back in love with driving again now I have this. I grin every time I drive it, hear that V6 burble (with the stainless exhaust) and crank up that unrivalled bose!!!

15) There are a few more jobs to do. There's a pull to the right under braking. Some cosmetic small rust areas to get treated. And some plonker (me) scuffed the front bumper.

16) Also need to fit the proper bootlid with the Irmcsher spoiler etc. But it needs a respray first as there's a big rust patch where the Griffin goes.

17) It's debadged, and has already embarrassed some much newer, sporty looking cars!

18) I needn't have worried about the bores. It's not using a drop of oil (which I am frequently changing due to the work done).

7

General Car Chat / Re: 3.2 Project - Engine Repair Progress

« on: 05 June 2024, 17:17:31 »

I decided to junk the heads - the valve guides were broken.

So, I used the heads from an old 2.6 which I knew had cooked on the motorway. (Controversial I know)

I know 2.6 heads on a 3.2 raise compression quite a bit. I also know that the 2.6 heads were warped, and would need skimming - and, that skimming heads on the 54deg V6 is not a good idea due to alignment issues with the inlet divider and coolant bridge. But, it was that or nothing. I knew they also had leaky stem seals, but that's an easy fix. As I clearly don't have a lathe and can't skim myself, I decided to take the 2.6 heads to an engineering shop for a chat.

The bloke was exceptionally enthusiastic about my project, and offered to remove the valves and stem seals, skim and professionally clean both heads, and do a full valve job. He quoted me £120 per head.

In times gone by I would have just paid for the skim, and done the valves and cleaning myself, but motivation was still lacking, especially to grind 24 of those buggers in, with the messy paste and fiddly colletts.

So I got him to crack on - and this was the end result:






Inspired by how good these looked, I started ordering more parts, and just doing an hour here and there to get it back together.

One afternoon I cleaned the block, and here are the two head gaskets ready for fitting:



It's noteworthy they say X30XE but are multi layer steel. The 3.0 only ever used a composite gasket to my knowledge. Anyway, I knew they would be fine.

What excited me more, was that I managed to get some Genuine GM multi layer steel manifold gaskets. The ones that came in the head-set were composite, and they are absolute crap / don't last (They went in the bin, the only place for them)



After fitting the manifolds and heat sheilds etc, It was time to start getting the heads on the car. I noticed at this point that (due to my procrastination) the bores looked quite rusty inside. I used some fine wet and dry and some oil to clean them up. I know it's not the best way but it's all I really had available, and although I was working to a high standard, I was still in a "it's got two chances" kind of mood. It didn't look too bad once done, and was smooth to touch / with a fingernail.



So, on with the heads. The Haynes book of lies always states to refit the 1-3-5 head first (to allow better access to refit the rigid coolant pipe that runs alongside it) - but I tend to fit the 2-4-6 head first. I don't know why, I just have.

Here we are with the 2-4-6 head fitted:



And, both heads:



Now with the camshafts in, with new cam seals. I used the original 3.2 cams for the correct lift, but used the 2.6 bearing caps, because they were lined bored to those heads. Additionally they have to be fitted in the same places (and rotations) as per their markings.

Here we are with cams fitted (and everything carefully oiled during installation)



From here, I just started doing the odd hour or two here and there, bolting bits on. It very soon took shape:



Frighteningly close now, just needs inlet / plenum and a few odds and sods connecting:



And (if this works) here she is purring away quietly:


https://imgur.com/a/wKF7A0D   < click

8

General Car Chat / 3.2 Project - Engine Repair Progress

« on: 05 June 2024, 17:14:58 »

In the summer of 2023 I saw an advert pop up fairly locally for KN03 XPG - a retail spec 3.2 Omega Elite, with the cream / beige leather and around 130k on the clock, for just under £500. The information was that it had broken down, due to the aux belt tensioner melting. The seller had it recovered, and had a new tensioner unit fitted, but it still wouldn't run. He wanted to throw in the towel and flog it.

It was 30 miles from me. I couldn't resist it, and definitely didn't want to see a decent 3.2 crushed or broken up, so I took a punt. I was hoping to get lucky, but my suspicion was that the aux belt derailing had somehow got into the cambelt setup - and I turned out to be right.

Anyhow, here she is, just after delivery.



It's sister on the right, is my 2.6 CDX.

Not wanting to attempt to start it (for risk of more damage) I gently turned the crank by hand, and soon met resistance, which confirmed my fears. I removed the gubbins to get to the cambelt, and yes, belt shreds everywhere, and it was visibly well out of time:



I decided no more investigation was needed, other than a bit of open-heart surgery to see if the lump was salvagable. So, I began the strip-down. Belt kit off, inlet manifold off, cam covers off, blah blah.

Obviously also had to remove both cats, and yet again, the grippy Irwin sockets saved the day on those old bolts.

My favourite way to remove the cam followers - using the suction cup on a valve grinding stick:



The cam followers, kept in their original orders, soon to be covered in oil for preservation:



Now ready for the heads to be unbolted, and pulled off:



I removed the 1-3-5 head first. You can see below, there are kiss-marks on all three pistons, where the valves made contact:



Now we just have the 2-4-6 head to remove:



And.... both off:



There are also similar kiss marks on the piston tops of pots 2-4-6:



You can see by now, we have quite a collection of parts on the front lawn - note the camshafts have been oiled and wrapped in cling film to prevent moisture ingress and therefore rust:



So what do the valves look like? Yep, as bent as a 9 bob note.....

9

Omega General Help / Re: Steering box leak

« on: 05 June 2024, 06:21:23 »

Got the car back. Welding all done. 

Found the part number (yes, it was easy after wiping the grime away!), it's 8052991124.

Just need to find one on the interwebby thing...

After welding and applying a bottle of Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak (good stuff!), got a new MoT.

Have a replacement secondhand box coming – just in case.

Brilliant news. I would just clean off the box with parts cleaner and see if any leak returns. It could have been the  most minor of seeps accumulating over the years ….

10

Cars for Sale & wanted / Re: 2.6 Elite Estate for Spares or Repair!

« on: 07 May 2024, 19:24:34 »

Still appears to be listed for sale in the same place,  and the outfit have dropped the price to £1350.

Mileage still at 90,338 though 

I thought decent omegas were selling like hot cakes, wonder why this hasn’t been snapped up!

11

General Car Chat / Re: "Starline" Ignition coil from Euro Car Crap

« on: 26 April 2024, 12:13:13 »

Ok I partially take it back. I found a little shiny spring on the ground next to the car. And it wasn’t in the coil pack 

12

General Car Chat / "Starline" Ignition coil from Euro Car Crap

« on: 21 April 2024, 00:23:38 »

Finished rebuilding the top end of an Omega v6 today, and didn't have a 2-4-6 coil pack (I gave it away to someone in need over the winter). No problem, popped to Euro Car Parts, they had a "Starline" one in stock, £90 odd.

Got everything together and was pleased to see the engine started well after open heart surgery and was idling nicely / quietening down quickly etc with no warning lights. 10 minutes into idling as it started to warm up, the tone changed, it started hunting, and then "bop, bop bop" that unmissable sound of a misfire. Flashing EML, etc.

Plugged in the code reader - misfire cylinder 6.

Compression tested - good compression.

Looked at the (brand new) spark plug, wet with fuel, so clearly getting petrol.

So I swapped the coil packs between the banks...... cleared the codes and restarted.... and..... misfire moved to cylinder 5.

So the BRAND NEW coil pack is Duff.

Yes I know pattern parts can't be relied on to last very long, but I hoped it would at least get me to the MOT on Monday.

Sadly, the MOT is now postponed, and I have to wait until mid week for a Bosch item to arrive from Autovaux.

Faulty straight out of the packet - absolute Joke.

13

General Car Chat / Re: Wet belts

« on: 20 April 2024, 03:05:32 »

Staggering !!! Seen a few youtube videos, literally cannot believe a rubber belt would be intentionally immersed in used engine oil!! Bonkers.

14

Omega General Help / AR35 / Autobox Sensor

« on: 19 April 2024, 13:27:05 »

The small, 2-pin sensor at the rear of the autobox. Please can someone tell me what job it does, and the consequence of it not being plugged in?

I’ve heard it called a “speed sensor” but I’m guessing that relates to sending the speed of the gearbox shaft to the TCM for shifting purposes, as I’m pretty sure the speedo is fed from the ABS system?

Finally - does anyone have or please know where I’m could buy a plug for the speed sensor and a short length of wiring? Maybe someone has an old loom in the shed? I can’t find one anyone and the plug on my loom is damaged.

Thanks chaps

Many thanks

15

Cars for Sale & wanted / Re: 2.6 Elite Estate for Spares or Repair!

« on: 09 April 2024, 10:24:10 »

When I bought this car it had 137,000 miles on.

It’s now being advertised (at a dealer) with 91k miles.

I wouldn’t trust the garage or the MOT as far as I could throw them