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5281

Omega General Help / Re: paperclip codes required

« on: 28 August 2009, 18:48:55 »

Rotten eggs smell from the cats is caused by sulpher (Hydrogen Sulphide H2SO4 IRC). It is only usually noticeable during warm up when the cats are not functioning properly.

If you have had a period of misfiring or short journeys you may have built up deposits in the cats. Longer runs with everything working properly should clean them up again.

Cheap / supermarket petrol allegedly contains higher levels of sulpher (make your own mind up on that one )

5282

Omega General Help / Re: car shakes at 70-80

« on: 26 August 2009, 17:42:22 »

I didn't really get much pulsing through the brake pedal to be honest.

There seem to be three factors involved
1. Rough castings. With vented discs it isn't possible to machine inside the vent channels in the discs so a poorly cast disc will be difficult to balance. I think this is what I had with my previous discs.
2. Fitting discs with a bit of grit stuck behind the mounting flange. If this happens to you you probably will feel pulsing through the pedal. If you carry on driving then the disc will wear unevenly which will make it out of balance. (but the pulsing might reduce as the disc wears)
3. Holding the brake on after a braking from high speed can allegedly cause warping due to differential cooling. This would then result in uneven wear and out of balance discs.

Unless you pick up an Omega front brake disc it isn't obvious just how heavy they are. When you have felt the weight of one it becomes obvious why an out of balance one can cause the car to shake.....

Wheel alignment (all 4 wheels) is important. If components are worn or vibrating though then it is a bit of a waste of time and money because it will need doing again very soon.

5283

Omega General Help / Re: car shakes at 70-80

« on: 26 August 2009, 16:36:04 »

Warped discs can tug at the steering as you slow to a standstill. Slowing from xxx mph can be really alarming .

If you are getting random pull to one side it points to other things that need attention (wishbone bushes, bottom balljoint, partially seized calipers, worn trackrods). Vibration through the steering will accelerate wear in all of these components.

5284

Omega General Help / Re: car shakes at 70-80

« on: 26 August 2009, 16:24:21 »

Front brake discs.

I fitted pattern discs to the front of my last Omega 5 or 6 years ago and had exactly the symptoms you have described.

I had the wheels balanced several times but the problem never went away, it justed changed in intensity.

Last year I fitted new discs all round and it cured it

5285

Omega General Help / Re: Oh thingy! Gearbox in a million bits. Urgent!!!

« on: 20 August 2009, 00:15:43 »

i was thinking of asking if anyone had an old box to take apart just to see whats in there and, hopefully, sus out how it works....maybe...

Been there, tried that. Learnt more about the mind of the bloke who must have sat down and designed it than the box itself.

Kevin

Not someone you would want to be trapped in a lift with?

5286

Omega General Help / Re: CAM BELT ISSUES

« on: 31 August 2009, 10:47:32 »

Not sure exactly which vehicle launch it was but I think Vauxhall did announce 80,000 mile service intervals at some stage.

After a period of reflection (& probably some spectacular warranty claims) better sense has prevailed and 40,000 miles/4 years is now the official interval.

The problem for the buyer of a 10 year old car is: do you feel lucky? do you know that the tensioners were replaced when the belt was? do you believe the tick in the service book?

5287

Omega General Help / Re: Brake lights permenently on

« on: 30 August 2009, 08:29:53 »

Yes Mate it hadnt been touched at all but thought i would have a look "as you do".....the only other thing is i changed it from automatic to manual box about 6 weeks ago but ive only just noticed as its getting dark nights but i cant really see how that could make the brake lights perminently on

On an auto you have to press the brake pedal before you can move the gear shifter out of 'park' & I think the box has to be in park or neutral before you can start it. Did you have to modify this wiring when you swapped the gearboxes?

5288

Omega General Help / Re: Rat-at-at-at-at-at-at-at...chug chug

« on: 25 August 2009, 16:33:38 »

I am not totally clear on how the followers work but I believe that there is a little piston inside with a light spring that wants to push the piston out to take up the clearance. Engine oil is fed to the followers and, if the piston does extend, then a little bit of oil is taken in to prevent the piston pushing back in.

It might be that you have some followers that are not taking up the clearance (& rattling) and some that are pumping up too much and holding valves open so causing a misfire.

Like Kevin I am also nervous. If there is no oil pressure then a lot of damage happens very quickly. Alternatively the belts on the front could be thrashing about.

5289

Omega General Help / Re: Rat-at-at-at-at-at-at-at...chug chug

« on: 25 August 2009, 16:01:05 »

How far did you dismantle it?

First suspect(s) would be cam followers. 24 of those without oil make a scary noise.... Did you press the oil out of them before reassembly? Has the engine run long enough to refill them?

5290

Omega General Help / Re: Transmission Bung missing?

« on: 28 August 2009, 22:47:26 »

A photo would help to identify this mysterious bung (or a clearer description)

5291

Omega General Help / Re: abs ecu repairs

« on: 25 August 2009, 15:47:07 »

I wonder how much remanufacturing BBA need to do to resurect the ECU?

My wife bought a 10 year old / 100K miles Golf a couple of months ago. The central locking had a mind of its own. After reading up on VW enthusiasts sites I took the door locks apart and resoldered half a dozen fractured joints on the pcb's. As well restoring the door locking all sorts of courtesy lights started working that we didn't realise were there.

The theory is that lead free solder is less tolerant of stresses and strains than traditional solder. Maybe this is the problem with the ABS ECU?

5292

Omega General Help / Re: Power Steering failing.

« on: 28 August 2009, 23:31:10 »

In my job the people who make the most expensive foul ups are the ones who are afraid to ask a question because they think it might make them look foolish.

I've settled for asking silly questions (because I can't afford to make expensive mistakes).

5293

Omega General Help / Re: Power Steering failing.

« on: 28 August 2009, 23:14:17 »

I think you'll find these are electrically assisted so check you haven't blown a fuse .

There is an electric input, but if you need  revs for it to work, I reckon it's the pump. 

  I may be wrong Andy(usually am )but if it needs revs. to work then i would have thought that that is when the pump is doing its bit but at idle the leccy bit would assist the pump due to low revs :-/.

The pump does all the work. The electric bit reduces how much assistance the steering box provides as speed increases.

5294

Omega General Help / Re: 'F' showing on display??

« on: 12 August 2009, 16:34:24 »

The handbook says that 'F' stands for 'fault' so it makes sense that if the display doesn't know either distance or fuel level then it won't be able to work out fuel consumption (and hence miles to empty).

I don't know if the temperature sensor is NTC or PTC. If it is NTC (negative temperature coefficient) then the resistance will fall as the temperature rises. If you have a poor connection somewhere that adds resistance then the display would show an offset low temperature. Alternatively thermistors do fail. If you have an incorrect temperature reading I would try cleaning the connectors first before changing the sensor.

5295

Omega General Help / Re: Suspect head gaskets?

« on: 28 August 2009, 08:40:32 »

1,3,5 - cylinders on drivers side

2,4,6 - cylinders on passenger side