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46

General Car Chat / Cam cover gaskets

« on: 23 October 2010, 18:32:56 »

Replaced these today, dodging between showers.  Thanks to AndyC for unbeatable prices and slick delivery, and to MDTM for the guide and photos. 

I couldn’t get the inlet casting out from between the heads until I had disconnected all of the injector plugs – they fouled the heads.  Is it just me or is there a knack?

Looks like the existing gaskets were the originals – the sealant was very neat (robot?) and exactly where Mark said.  There was also a bead of sealant across each end of the spark plug wells, linking the two gaskets.  There are two ridges at each end of the cam cover marking where these go, so I followed suit.  This makes sense as it seals the plug wells off from the outside world but is it standard? 

Access to breather box is so much easier while the inlets off it so it seemed daft not to clean that out while I was at it.  In fact I might almost suggest taking the inlets off to give access for cleaning the breathers. 

Then for one of life’s small pleasures – the test drive.  It all looks good so far but I was wondering – is it wise to give it a bit of wellie when the sealant is presumably still soft?  What do you reckon? 

47

General Car Chat / Guess the spark plug’s age

« on: 11 October 2010, 22:12:07 »

Don’t know why I decided to replace my plugs today – the service book shows they were done only 7K ago.  Glad I did though! 

The plugs don’t look too bad for colour, but the centre electrodes are eroded to below the level of the ceramic insulation.  I can’t see this happening in just 7000 miles so I think somebody at the garage must be telling porkies.  And one of the rubber plug shrouds is missing completely!     Can’t believe the spring hasn’t slipped off or started arcing. 

So how old do you reckon this is?

48

General Car Chat / Got me a syringe

« on: 11 October 2010, 22:00:15 »

... with a bit of plastic tube on the end.  Yep, the cam cover gasket has failed in my miggy’s nearside bank and the plug wells are flooded.     Cleaned out the breathers the other week so I hope new gaskets should do the trick. 

This feels like an OOF rite of passage – do I get a badge or a certificate or something?   

49

General Car Chat / The old ways

« on: 08 October 2010, 14:27:36 »

Just read aaronjb’s post about clickety clickety in another thread and was reminded of my old uncle.  When I suggested his tappets were a bit noisy (some decades ago) he said he liked them that way “so he could hear they were still working”. 

He was the guy who told me that plugs should always be gapped to the lid of a packet of Benson’s (used to be Player’s folded over, apparently), and that the correct points gap was given by the thickness of the card down the front of the packet.   

Does anybody remember any more of these old techniques before they get lost to posterity? 

50

General Car Chat / Facelift tyre pressures

« on: 27 September 2010, 15:45:21 »

Mods: consider adding to the existing FAQ tyre pressures thread?

Only minor differences from pre-facelift but here are links into the relevant pages in the Owner's Manual:

Facelift saloon tyre pressures

Facelift estate (and saloon spare wheel) tyre pressures

51

General Car Chat / Rain stopped play

« on: 03 October 2010, 18:31:40 »

Just thinking aloud here.  I don’t have a garage and, on a day like today when it is absolutely persisting outside, I would gladly part with a few quid to hire a space to work on the car.  Nothing special – just power, light and a roof over the top would do. 

Of course if it had a lift or a pit that would be even better, but really not essential. 

Has anybody started such a business?  Or is there some hidden drawback that I can’t see – insuring against idiots injuring themselves, perhaps. 

And there would be all sorts of stuff you could do as sidelines – tool hire, expert advice, training sessions, sales of consumables and so on.  And of course a trailer service to get the car home when you’ve finished.   

Any thoughts?

52

General Car Chat / Omega ownership lesson

« on: 01 October 2010, 15:18:20 »

Driving home, I got a brake pad wear warning.  With the MOT due the next day, and since I was passing anyway, I popped into my local dealer and picked up a set of pads.  WRONG!

Back home, whipped off the wheels – loads of meat on the pads but a faulty sensor.  When will I learn that Omega sensors fail about as often as the thing they are sensing? 

Anyway, I’ve checked the obvious so, with a bit of luck, the MOT should be fine.  And I’ve learned a bit more about the joys of this Omega ownership malarkey.   

53

General Car Chat / Best leather cleaner?

« on: 07 September 2010, 23:48:05 »

My leather seats are supposed to be cream but were looking a bit grubby.  So I gave them the once over with Auto Glym and now they look – well just the same really.   

What’s the best leather cleaner out there?

54

General Car Chat / Who's the star?

« on: 13 September 2010, 14:20:32 »

Just looked at the OOF V6 cambelt DVD.  I'm very impressed - clear pictures, easy to follow and good time-saving tips.  Oh, and super quick delivery too. 

But there are no credits.  Who is the star of the show?

55

General Car Chat / New noise

« on: 07 September 2010, 00:58:14 »

Coming back up the motorway tonight at "70", enjoying the peace and quiet having replaced a moaning wheel bearing and had a minor exhaust blow welded when, suddenly, FAAART.

Just about jumped out of my skin!  Pulled over and could find nothing wrong under the bonnet, so continued and tried to pinpoint the cause of the noise. 

Eventually narrowed it down to the windscreen and, stopping under a street light, discovered that the rubber trim around the windscreen had popped out of its slot and was vibrating loudly against the screen. 

I thumped it back into place and all was silence for the rest of the journey.  Has this happened to anybody else or have I got a poulterguest?   

56

General Car Chat / Three cheers (and a raspberry)

« on: 29 August 2010, 21:04:09 »

At last I have found an Omega in reasonable nick and at the right price.  It is a 2.6 Elite saloon on a 51 plate.  I know some will say this is neither fish nor fowl but it does what I need and is a pleasure to drive, being noticeably quieter than any of the 2.5s and 3.0s I have tried. 

There are a few little things to sort out but almost everything seems to work.  Knowing it was a 2.6 of a certain age I was checked for smoke on a cold start and on revving, but there was none.  The tail pipe also looked a healthy colour, although the oil level was at the lower end of normal.  So imagine the words I said when, fifty miles down the road, the “check oil level” warning popped on.  This was doubly unfortunate because I was wearing clean underwear at the time.  Anyway, cursing myself for buying a lemon, I shoved in a bit over half a litre of oil to bring it up to full and drove on. 

Since then, I have done well over a thousand miles, mostly having a laugh hurling it around the Lake District, and it hasn’t used a drop of oil as far as I can see.  And that includes a good few miles up ridiculous gradients on twisty, gravelly roads with the TC light flashing as if Christmas has come early.  So, fingers crossed, perhaps it was just under-filled in the first place. 

Anyway, you will probably be seeing a few posts from me as I iron out a few little niggles.  Wish me luck!

 

57

General Car Chat / MV6 - comfort on a long run

« on: 17 August 2010, 16:16:24 »

Been trying out a few Omegas - clearly the MV6 is sharper on the B roads, but I'm looking for a confortable motorway cruiser. 

Do you reckon the standard setup is any more or less comfortable than the MV6 after a fulll day of motorway boredom?

58

General Discussion Area / Someone on here?

« on: 05 September 2011, 22:54:03 »

... gave me a big cheery wave driving down the A240 near Burgh Heath this afternoon (Monday). Driving a nocturno blue 3.2 52 plate a good deal less filthy than mine (wouldn't be hard  ). 

Anyone from OOF?  If so hi!   

59

General Discussion Area / Plumbing – compression fitting spanner

« on: 13 June 2011, 22:48:49 »

Fed up with poorly fitting spanners rounding off 15mm and 22mm plumbing compression fittings.  Even Conex is oversized – must get the correct tools. 

ISTR we kept the old ½ inch and ¾ inch BSP threads when the metric came in .  Does that mean that the nuts should be ½ inch BSW and ¾ inch BSW? 

I realise there is some variation between manufacturers but what should they be?

60

General Discussion Area / Thanks Varche!

« on: 02 June 2011, 23:23:10 »

... for going way beyond the call to get his cam locking kit delivered to me PDQ. 
 

No excuses now – better get on with the job!