---WARNING - rambling long post, there's a summary of the main points at the bottom ---Firstly, I read through all 22 pages of this thread -
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1153140766/315 - fantastic result, and really shows the OOF at it's best...
Now, the other week I was out in the hills of Northumberland, and the EML flashed either two or three times, then came on permanently - no untoward sounds or judders, until I came to a junction and it had a slightly rough idle.
Came to the next hill, the car lost power and refused to pull uphill. Dived into the next layby (luckily twas at the top of the hill), and turned it straight off. Gave it a couple of seconds, turned it back on, EML extinguished as normal, and the car idled fine and worked perfectly for the rest of the day.
It's been fine, used it a couple of times a week, long and short journeys, fast back roads and A-roads, city driving, nothing unusual from the engine - apart from a hot smell that's been haunting the car for a while, I cleaned some seaweed from around the exhausts the other day and the smell seemed to be... less bad. Whether it was that (I didn't get it all off), or not, I'm not sure.
Anyway, driving up the A19 at about 70mph (honestly, I was, for once...), about fifteen minutes into my journey, just cruising along as I was the last time... EML flashed a couple of times and came on again.
I was about 1200yds from the services, so pulled in, the idle was a lot rougher, knocked it off, gave it a second and tried turning it on again...
It took a good few seconds to fire, usually it fires first time, and then the idle was horrificly lumpy, the whole car shook - turned it straight off and called the RAC.
Absolute top bloke came out, really friendly, I told him all of the above. He did the usual, check oil, coolant, then we fired it up again - same rough idle, and an awful rattling coming from the passenger side bank of cylinders (I'd say it was that side, we were 15ft from the A19 with passing traffic...). Turned it off, he loosened the belt cover and pulled it back, it seemed complete, obviously no way of seeing if it was lined up.
We fired it up once more and it made the same cacophony, ran for about 20 seconds, then stalled with the EML flashing. For the sake of completeness, we scanned the codes with the engine off, it was showing "misfire cylinder 1" "misfire cylinder 4" and "misfire: random cylinders" - or words to that effect. He says he thinks it's jumped a tooth, if not more... based on my knowledge I'm inclined to agree.
Hitched out the spec lift, put the Omega on backwards, and towed it the 15 miles home, me and OH in his van. Pushed it into the garage, where it's now sat looking a bit sorry for itself...
Firstly, the mechanical sound - I can try to take a video, but think this will be risking complete destruction of the engine? Worth the risk to help diagnose?
With this sound, I'm leaning towards a mechanical rather than electrical problem... unless there's a known sensor that could cause the problems?
Cambelt and kit were done about 3-4k ago, at a garage - am I better off ringing him and getting him to have a look and listen, and if it's down to the belt or workmanship, it's up to him to repair? Will this be affected if I start dismantling the front of the engine?
I'm a reasonably competent mechanic, done a fair few timing belts and head gaskets, but only on three- and four-bangers, never a Vee or Flat engine... If I follow the guides, maybe get the DVD and Haynes Book of Lies, is it within my range to take it to bits for a look? If so, I assume its a "simple" case of turning the engine round to line up one timing mark, and see if the rest correspond?
Finally, from reading Merv's topic, it seems the best way if it has slipped, is to try a new belt and see if it works? If not, how much work am I looking at? If the engine's completely FUBAR, insurance depending, I might end up fitting a rebuilt 3.2...
---SUMMARY---
- Car lost power and idled roughly about two weeks ago EML flashed two or three times before illuminating
- When this happened, turning it off and back on again cured it, it's been fine since.
Now-
- Cruising at 70mph, EML flashed two or three times before illuminating, same as last time - no idea if it lost power, as was a downhill cruise to the services. Idled roughly, so turned it off.
- Turned it back on, car still idled roughly, and worse than last time
- Awful knocking sound coming I believe from passenger side bank of cylinders
- Stalls after 20ish seconds of bad idle, with EML flashing
- RAC diagnosed valve timing fault
- Code scan shows "no.1 cylinder misfire", "no. 4 cylinder misfire", "misfire - random cylinders" (and the known precat problem)
- Cambelt replaced 3-4k ago, still guaranteed parts and labour
- Car is '02 2.6 MV6 manual
- Car had a hot smell from it over the past few months, possibly related
- Car takes longer than it should to warm up, diagnosed as sticking thermostat.
- Rocker gaskets were replaced at same garage, approx 1.5k miles ago I know I've not been on much, all my login details for most forums and email accounts were on my other, knackered PC, so I've done a 50 mile round trip to bro-in-law to retrieve them using his PC skills...
