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136

Omega General Help / Trade Club engine oil

« on: 27 September 2018, 15:57:50 »

I recall some while ago Nick W observed that trade club engine oil is nothing special. It's certainly cheap enough and has never caused me any problems. However I have to collect it from Bristol; Trowbridge only stock the 5 litre bottles, much dearer. I see on e-bay I can get some for £33.99 delivered.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10w-40-10w40-Semi-Synthetic-Car-Van-Engine-Oil-ACEA-A3-B4-20-Litre-20L-OFFER/132710054244?hash=item1ee622b964:g:y5cAAOSwfyBbSJ5j
Is this worth risking?

137

Omega General Help / Remote control door opener died

« on: 19 September 2018, 16:27:47 »

2000 2.6 manual petrol saloon
Daughter's car is home for welding and MOT, and the remote flipper has died. The key still locks and unlocks the doors and starts the engine, but the remote function has failed. No lights flash when I press the buttons. I have had it apart, the battery still gives 3 volts. I prised the electronic bit out of the case, one of the switches was left behind which I endeavoured to solder back in place, but it still don't work.

I have the car pass. I know I can get a new one from Vauxhall for about £100. Is there a cheaper supplier?

Is it trival to remove the honker alarm, allowing me to use it as a simple key?

138

Omega General Help / Rusty wheel arch

« on: 09 September 2018, 17:04:44 »

Y342 has a rusty wheel arch, which last year I made a mess of repairing. Is there any way short of welding in a new section that I could make a more permanent repair? I wonder because this Omega, unlike others in my fleet, is running well and not terminally rusty.

139

Omega General Help / How does air get into the fuel tank?

« on: 04 September 2018, 08:43:49 »

To allow the engine to run continuously air must get into the tank to replace fuel consumed. As the filler cap seals, the only route remaining is the hose to the purge chamber, which in turn is linked via the purge valve to the inlet breather. So is the valve open all the while the engine is running?

140

Omega General Help / Creaking steering column bearing

« on: 03 September 2018, 15:41:09 »

3.2 manual saloon ex-police
My son Ben complains of a strange noise when he turns hard right. I have just tried it. It does it when the car is stationary. It is a creaking sort of noise, I reckon it is the steering column bearing. Is this a known old Omega affliction?

141

Omega General Help / Damaged rear height sensor

« on: 01 September 2018, 21:41:50 »

Omega 2.5 petrol manual estate
I have just finished changing the diff on this car, replaced the driveshafts, and carelessly damaged the headlight beam height sensor with the jack. I have removed it, but the bracket holding the sensor body was bent out of shape. I have hammered it flat. Should it be creased? I am having difficulty refitting it.

142

Omega General Help / Departure of his family car

« on: 30 August 2018, 17:45:37 »

Wistful grandson watches his car going to the scrapyard to be crushed

 

143

Omega General Help / Removing final drive front hanger (damping unit)

« on: 29 August 2018, 14:41:32 »

Access to the diff front hanger bolt is poor owing to the floor curving down just beyond it. There is no room for a socket, so I had to use a ring spanner. Bolt was very tight and hard to remove. I have no idea how to torque it back up to 100Nm, then tighten it 75/15. Please advise.

144

Omega General Help / Do independent garages replace strectch bolts?

« on: 29 August 2018, 11:14:43 »

I bet they don't. I wonder if they are still available for 18 year old cars. I know we on the forum take liberties. When changing wishbones I used to, but don't any more. Changing a diff I am alarmed at how many of the bolts involved are stretch bolts which Haynes says must be replaced.

145

Omega General Help / Omega diffs not all the same

« on: 28 August 2018, 18:01:42 »

2.5 petrol manual estate
This car had a clonky final drive, so today I attempted to replace the diff with one off my recently scrapped 2.2 This 2.5 has had diffs changed before, one by previous owner and one by me 2 years ago with a diff saved off a scrapped 3.0. I removed the clonky diff this morning, this afternoon offered up the ex 2.2 diff. It looked the same, I got in the rear two screws, then tried to pop in the 3 front screws. They were the wrong size. Previous screws had been 12mm, the 2.2 screws were 14mm. They would not even go through the front hanger.
After a  brief panic I hauled back into the garage the dead 2.2 and whipped off the diff hanger.  I deemed that enough excitement for one day.
I wonder why all Omegas are not interchangeable?

146

Omega General Help / Air leak tracing

« on: 18 August 2018, 12:26:53 »

I need to trace an air leak causing a fast idle. I believe spraying the right thing about the engine at idle will cause an audible change in idle rate. What is the right spray?

147

Omega General Help / Stuffing wires in the V6 harness

« on: 12 August 2018, 17:27:10 »

Having spent many hours stripping and reassembling my V6 recently, I have wearied of struggling to cram all the cables into the engine harness box. It has occured to me that it would be simpler if they were bundled with tape.

148

Omega General Help / On cold start engine does not fast idle

« on: 08 August 2018, 14:35:20 »

2.5 petrol manual estate
Unlike my other 2.5 petrol estate, this car starts at 500 rpm idle, suggesting failing engine temp sensor. Any comments?

149

Omega General Help / 2.5 petrol manual estate misfiring

« on: 05 August 2018, 10:20:42 »

This wretched car is giving me a rough time. At the end of yesterday's test run I seemed to notice a slight misfire. This morning I gave it another test run, and it misfires under load at low revs, so presumably an ignition fault. Only code stored is 19 incorrect rpm signal, presumably there from before I changed the crank sensor.
I changed the plugs last October and leads 1-3-5 at the same time, I changed the coil pack in 2014.
Water in no. 6 seems unlikely as it hasn't rained for yonks.
Before I rush into changing things, are there any more checks I should make?

150

Omega General Help / 2.5 petrol manual estate overheating

« on: 04 August 2018, 19:26:22 »

10 mile test drive this afternoon. After 8 miles temperature gauge went up tp 100 degrees and the overheating icon came on. I came straight home, temperature fell slightly, the fan was running. Warm day I know, but why did it overheat? Clogged radiator?