Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: raywilb on 03 July 2016, 20:51:03

Title: coolant warning
Post by: raywilb on 03 July 2016, 20:51:03
its only a couple of days ago I topped up & today the warning appeared again. I know the sensor is quite sensitive but when I did top up I was surprised it took nearly a pint . I have just topped up & it took 2pts this evening. :-\ there is no signs of leaks & all pipes are in good condition. oil is as it should be, definitely no sign of water. the last thing I want to start doing is add sealant products. temp gauge normal. carpets dry.


Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 03 July 2016, 21:07:28
Hbv or radiator...
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: raywilb on 03 July 2016, 21:46:55
Hbv or radiator...
  rad looks good & no tell-tale signs suggesting rad. the a/c condenser however I daren't touch it ( another issue ). will monitor coolant issue because I don't know how but as I was pouring water into the header tank " engine running " it appeared to be taking a fair bit before showing signs of header tank filling, so I was wondering if I had an air lock.
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 03 July 2016, 22:23:56
Airlock would sort itself after top up...

Try it with climate temp at a completely different setting. ie if set to Lo, try Hi...

Radiator prone to leaking from drain plug/temp sensors/tank seams
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: raywilb on 04 July 2016, 15:28:48
Airlock would sort itself after top up...

Try it with climate temp at a completely different setting. ie if set to Lo, try Hi...

Radiator prone to leaking from drain plug/temp sensors/tank seams
10am,  I drove the car for a 3ml round trip no warnings seemed ok. started the drivers side door lock which I finished about 2pm. started the car & warning on again.  I left it running for a hour to try to find its problem. every thing looks ok. I checked the oil & there seemed to be more than usual.  If the water pump was on its way out would that be the cause of water loss, and some find its  way into the oil. I have a concrete slab so water loss from pipes
& rad, should show on the concrete.
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: peter the butcher on 04 July 2016, 16:09:56
I had a similar problem last year. My immediate solution was to always have the temperature high, and on, and just put up with the heat by having the window open, as soon as I turned it off, I lost water, and had to fill the reservoir up. It was cured with a new HBV :-)
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: raywilb on 04 July 2016, 17:02:29
I had a similar problem last year. My immediate solution was to always have the temperature high, and on, and just put up with the heat by having the window open, as soon as I turned it off, I lost water, and had to fill the reservoir up. It was cured with a new HBV :-)
  I could try a HBV . but at the moment at a lost to know where the coolant is going. TBH I don't know where the HBV is on this.
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: BazaJT on 04 July 2016, 17:52:36
Admittedly don't really know cause of coolant loss[are footwell carpets dry?] however whatever you do do not go down route of adding "sealing" products!!!
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 04 July 2016, 19:44:27
I had a similar problem last year. My immediate solution was to always have the temperature high, and on, and just put up with the heat by having the window open, as soon as I turned it off, I lost water, and had to fill the reservoir up. It was cured with a new HBV :-)
  I could try a HBV . but at the moment at a lost to know where the coolant is going. TBH I don't know where the HBV is on this.
Right hand rear corner of engine, between brake servo and where the heater pipes pass through the bulkhead... believe it only has two outlets rather than the usual three...
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: raywilb on 04 July 2016, 20:45:16
Admittedly don't really know cause of coolant loss[are footwell carpets dry?] however whatever you do do not go down route of adding "sealing" products!!!
  no I will not, & yes dry carpets. just managed to fill header tank before a heavy downpour, but to say it only did 3mls & left it running for quite a while, it took about 2ltrs. engine not running this time. So if anybody reading & has any theories please let me know. also where is the HBV on these dti,s ( looked in Vectra manual, but nothing is mentioned ) & what does it actually do & is it possible to spew out all that coolant on such a short journey. ? 
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: raywilb on 04 July 2016, 20:49:06
I had a similar problem last year. My immediate solution was to always have the temperature high, and on, and just put up with the heat by having the window open, as soon as I turned it off, I lost water, and had to fill the reservoir up. It was cured with a new HBV :-)
  I could try a HBV . but at the moment at a lost to know where the coolant is going. TBH I don't know where the HBV is on this.
Right hand rear corner of engine, between brake servo and where the heater pipes pass through the bulkhead... believe it only has two outlets rather than the usual three...
thanks will look tomorrow
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 04 July 2016, 20:54:20
See above...

Think of it as a switched fusible link between the cooling system and the heater matrix...

Switch it on and you have heating, switch it off and you don't... but instead of not allowing current through when the fuse blows, it allows all the coolant to escape...
With only two pipes, you could substitute it with some 15mm copper pipe and stainless jubilee clips...
Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: VXL V6 on 04 July 2016, 22:03:12
I had a similar problem last year. My immediate solution was to always have the temperature high, and on, and just put up with the heat by having the window open, as soon as I turned it off, I lost water, and had to fill the reservoir up. It was cured with a new HBV :-)
  I could try a HBV . but at the moment at a lost to know where the coolant is going. TBH I don't know where the HBV is on this.
Right hand rear corner of engine, between brake servo and where the heater pipes pass through the bulkhead... believe it only has two outlets rather than the usual three...
If it's a DTi it's not. it's at the front between the airbox foot and alternator, below a vacuum solenoid.

(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/vxl_v6/PICT0085_zpsrhcopvfi.jpg)

Title: Re: coolant warning
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 04 July 2016, 22:57:06
Ah, ok... what he said :y

Should be obvious if leaking from there then :y