Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: combatzone on 12 November 2013, 21:21:26

Title: Head gasket gone?
Post by: combatzone on 12 November 2013, 21:21:26
Hi all,

So my omega developed a minor oil leak a week or so ago now, and after checking the oil level tonight noticed I needed a top up.
On removal of the oil cap I noticed a creamy coloured substance on it, little or nothing to be honest but I was always under the impression that this meant the head gasket was away. However the engine isn't over heating and it isn't using any water, which I thought were also signs of a head gasket. I've never had head gasket trouble on a car before this is why I ask. Car is a facelift 3.0 mv6 if that helps.

All advice much appreciated!

Thanks

Neil.
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: kevinp58 on 12 November 2013, 21:28:36
Probably the oil cooler mate  :y Is water brown
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: The Red Baron on 12 November 2013, 21:33:59
as above, i would suspect oil cooler. check header tank for contamination.  :y
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: martin42 on 12 November 2013, 21:39:28
If your doing short journeys you can get some mayo on the oil cap,if coolant is ok and not brown sludge,then everything is fine,might be worth doing an oil change  :y
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: combatzone on 12 November 2013, 21:42:56
Could the oil cooler be the cause of my leak as well as the creamy gunk under the oil cap? Is it an easy fix? Or a new unit required? Have a new oil filter here, may as well do an oil change too.

Thanks

Neil.
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 12 November 2013, 21:54:05
Nope :y service it, clean the breathers and use decent oil ::)

When the oil cooler fails the coolant bottle will be full of mayo not tother way round. Head gasket doesn't let coolant in to the oil :y
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: kevinp58 on 12 November 2013, 22:38:23
Could the oil cooler be the cause of my leak as well as the creamy gunk under the oil cap? Is it an easy fix? Or a new unit required? Have a new oil filter here, may as well do an oil change too.

Thanks

Neil.







As said by others short jorneys do give mayo in cap and filler tube.  :y
Check your water bottle for signs of sludge  :y it is quite a common thing for the coolers to go but very rear to have HG go.
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: Entwood on 12 November 2013, 22:51:13
Given the fact that it is now getting colder, if the car is not given a decent 30-40 mile run then condensation build up is to be expected, especially if the breathers have not been done recently, and/or the oil is old or not Vauxhall semi-synth .... other oils seem to cause more emulsification for some reason ...

IMHO a good clean of the breathers, an oil change to Vx semi-synth, and a couple of decent runs .. then check again before even thinking of other problems .. as they are all far harder and more expensive to fix .. :) and what I propose is actually just good servicing...  :)
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: VXL V6 on 12 November 2013, 22:59:52
Is it a 1998 model?

Nothing you have mentioned points to head gasket failure as others have confirmed  :y
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: The Red Baron on 12 November 2013, 23:06:35
Is it a 1998 model?

Nothing you have mentioned points to head gasket failure as others have confirmed  :y

facelift mv6.  :)
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: dbug on 13 November 2013, 02:19:59
Nope :y service it, clean the breathers and use decent oil ::)

When the oil cooler fails the coolant bottle will be full of mayo not tother way round. Head gasket doesn't let coolant in to the oil :y

Agreed, perfectly normal for mayo on oil filler cap if car used on short journeys.

Don't understand how oil cooler diagnosed as faulty from ops symptoms ???
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: combatzone on 13 November 2013, 08:28:01
Right, I'll give the car a good service this weekend and take it from there.

Thanks for the help
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 13 November 2013, 12:05:40
Nope :y service it, clean the breathers and use decent oil ::)

When the oil cooler fails the coolant bottle will be full of mayo not tother way round. Head gasket doesn't let coolant in to the oil :y

Agreed, perfectly normal for mayo on oil filler cap if car used on short journeys.

Don't understand how oil cooler diagnosed as faulty from ops symptoms ???
I didn't ::) merely describing the symptoms... reply number two mention the cooler :y

Helps to read the whole thread before jumping on one answer...
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: dbug on 13 November 2013, 15:28:23
Nope :y service it, clean the breathers and use decent oil ::)

When the oil cooler fails the coolant bottle will be full of mayo not tother way round. Head gasket doesn't let coolant in to the oil :y

Agreed, perfectly normal for mayo on oil filler cap if car used on short journeys.

Don't understand how oil cooler diagnosed as faulty from ops symptoms ???
I didn't ::) merely describing the symptoms... reply number two mention the cooler :y

Helps to read the whole thread before jumping on one answer...

Yep that was what my comment was aimed at ( replies #1 and 2) 8) - and I did read the whole thread and was agreeing with your advice ;)
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: jb on 13 November 2013, 17:09:52
Just Mayo build up due to the cooler weather. I avoid this by removing the oil filler neck and screwing the cap direct onto the rocker cover.well worth a try.
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: TheBoy on 13 November 2013, 18:29:57
As others said, short journeys and possibly poor oil (Castrol Magnatec is known to cause this).

If you are doing lots of short journeys, plan to clean breathers every few weeks to keep them clean.
Title: Re: Head gasket gone?
Post by: kevinp58 on 13 November 2013, 20:20:24
Ok re-read the op's thread and can now see that the oil loss was not necesarily due to cooler and was just topping up when saw mayo, just get so many threads that say "HG" and was too quick in reading thread. So sorry for the cooler diagnosis.  :-[ Must read threads properly.  ;D