Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: feeutfo on 25 March 2013, 18:10:12

Title: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: feeutfo on 25 March 2013, 18:10:12
Has a members car round recently. Bit of cam cover work. But in the process of stripping down there was copious amounts of water in the 135 bank inlet culminating in a pool of water in the bottom of the bag pipes. Defo water. Not coolant. Completely tasteless.
 Noticed the oil filler cap plugged directly into the cam cover and obviously suspected short journeys which the owner confirmed.

Anything to be gained in covering the radiator partly with foil? Or any suggestions on maximising engine temp quickly for this member?

He did suffer miss fires on pot 5. 2.6 cdx. :)
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: Kevin Wood on 25 March 2013, 18:46:59
If the thermostat is Ok then the radiator is doing nothing until it reaches working temperature anyway. Only real suggestion would be a coolant pre-heater, very regular oil changes and/or or a good motorway run every so often. Struggling to see how much water is getting into the intakes, though. Condensation from the breathers, you reckon?
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: feeutfo on 25 March 2013, 19:31:36
If the thermostat is Ok then the radiator is doing nothing until it reaches working temperature anyway. Only real suggestion would be a coolant pre-heater, very regular oil changes and/or or a good motorway run every so often. Struggling to see how much water is getting into the intakes, though. Condensation from the breathers, you reckon?
Yes, condensation, and loads of it. Very pure water in some places, brown mayo in others. Evidence all the way from the breather box by pot 5, all the way to the puddle at he bottom of the bag pipes. Y shaped breather pipe full of brown goop, but only on one side.

There is now a problem with the top hat/D shaped seal on the Eco tech breather box to plenum. And the breather seals/o rings on the section that extends forward to the throttle body, as air is now leaking in after re assembly when the seal was seen to be perished/trapped from a previous re fit.

That might explained the uneven air flow per bank. ...it might also explain the the condensation in the first place. Period. Thing is the audible air leak wasn't audible before. There is now a rapidly decreasing air hiss once the engine is switched off. Clearly the water was evident prior to, and missfires evident via pedal trick. (But not maxiscan :-\  ::) )

Obvious one is to replace the seals and see if air flow through the breathers improves which it undoubtedly will. But the short journeys will remain. :)

Recomended replacing the relevant seals, but thought I nice chat on the subject wouldn't hurt in the mean time. :)
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: STMO123 on 25 March 2013, 20:29:56
Did you check that it was correctly shod? :-X
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: dbug on 25 March 2013, 21:07:46
Did you check that it was correctly shod? :-X

 ;D ;D ;D ;D :y
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: pauls on 25 March 2013, 22:08:32
Top seal now replaced will keep an eye on breathers. Just to add this is only a problem in the cold weather.
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: Broomies Mate on 25 March 2013, 22:23:12
May sound obvious, and bad advice at this time of year but keep the heater OFF for the first 10 minutes of the journey.
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: pauls on 25 March 2013, 22:25:23
May sound obvious, and bad advice at this time of year but keep the heater OFF for the first 10 minutes of the journey.

why explain please.
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 25 March 2013, 22:26:41
Would swapping the thermostat for a hotter one help, say a 95' one...
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: feeutfo on 25 March 2013, 22:29:11
May sound obvious, and bad advice at this time of year but keep the heater OFF for the first 10 minutes of the journey.

why explain please.
Draws less heat out of the coolant.

But bugger that IMO, Brrrrrrrrr ;D
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: Andy H on 25 March 2013, 22:43:24
May sound obvious, and bad advice at this time of year but keep the heater OFF for the first 10 minutes of the journey.
The climate system on my 2.6 doesn't start blowing until it senses some heat in the coolant (I assume that is by design and the same for all late facelifts :-\ )
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 25 March 2013, 22:45:06
 ;D big mouse... Car has heated seats for a reason :P
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: TheBoy on 25 March 2013, 22:47:43
May sound obvious, and bad advice at this time of year but keep the heater OFF for the first 10 minutes of the journey.
The climate system on my 2.6 doesn't start blowing until it senses some heat in the coolant (I assume that is by design and the same for all late facelifts :-\ )
And PFL as well.

Trouble is, is its only used for very short journeys (less than 6 or 7 miles) the thing isn't really heating up enough to burn off condensation.
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: 78bex on 25 March 2013, 22:54:04
so the combustion blow-by gases contain the water moisture.?

Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: Kevin Wood on 25 March 2013, 22:59:17
so the combustion blow-by gases contain the water moisture.?

Yes. :y That's why exhausts steam (and eventually rot through).
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: mantahatch on 26 March 2013, 07:37:35
When I had my Omega (2003 2.6CDX) I was doing 6.5 miles each way to work. Mine was blowing out some heat within a mile and good heat within 2 miles. That is starting on 30mph road forfirst mile and then 40mph road for next 3 miles and then then 30mph for the rest.
I to removed the filler neck as it suffered from mayo, best thing I ever did for free.

Now mum has the car and does a max of 2 mile journeys in it and she is not suffering any problems like you are describing. We have had the scuttle leak on to the passenger side coil pack and replaced that and sealed scuttle (fingers crossed)

Not wishing to be funny or anything and I am sure you would have noticed but is the thermostat stuck open or partially open ?

I am having a similar heating problem on my Astra where it won't warm up in the 6.5 miles to work. Took wifes Astra and that was warm within 2 miles. I have not looked at my car yet, and weather to cold, but my first port of call was going to be thermostat.
Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: feeutfo on 26 March 2013, 07:44:11
It gets above 85ish when hot so sounds like the stat is ok.

Title: Re: Short journeys and omega.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 26 March 2013, 08:47:02
Radweld or similar used previously to try and cure the HBV, or a partially blocked matrix  :-\

Heater works in mine with a stuck open thermostat. Needle moves on ignition switch, but sits at bottom mark on the gauge.

Coincidentally put a new rad in at beginning of the month, so cooling system works a bit too efficiently,  resulting in 20mpg instead of 26 ::)