Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 04 April 2022, 08:52:00

Title: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 04 April 2022, 08:52:00
I keep looking at the headlight sensors and their current cable tied state.

If I drill through the centre and put a bar through, a bearing on each, and bolt it through the centre, that will presumably destroy the workings of the sensor?

I wonder if i can fatten the balls (shush) in the joints to make them fit better and not pop out?
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: cam.in.head on 04 April 2022, 10:32:57
hi. without having one in my hand to check i dont know if its because the balls wear smaller over time ,the socket wears looser over time or that the socket design isnt very deep to begin with ?.
on mine i pulled the joint,lubricated and then put a thin plastic piece( thin sheet) over the ball like a hat ! and then it pushed together tighter.has stayed that way for 5 years now ,.
some similar joints on the ends of accelerator cables on some cars have a pin that slides in the front of the joint to act as a barrier for the ball to not be able to pass.im sure you know what i mean. maybe the arms could be modified as such ?
or maybe a type of spring clip could be made up the hold the end on similar to the ones for wiper linkages that fall off.(repair clip)
or another way. the arms and linkage may be modified to a rose joint style ?
some ideas. no doubt others will follow too !
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: Nick W on 04 April 2022, 10:53:35
New ball and socket joints in are easy to find and cheap to buy in suitable sizes, so rebuilding a working sensor isn't a problem. THESE  (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384254190583?hash=item597755a3f7:g:H6gAAOSweEJgh9gg)are M6 which is a bit big, but you get the idea.


The only reason to do so is because they've been NLA for ages.
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 04 April 2022, 10:58:19
This is sounding like a plan.

Might have to get Woman to assit though since it involves fiddly bits and plastic... And a hammer probably won'tont help. Cheers chaps :y
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 04 April 2022, 11:30:17
The Omega isn't the only car with suitable sensors, although alternatives might require some creative installation to get them to work...
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: biggriffin on 05 April 2022, 20:55:36
The Omega isn't the only car with suitable sensors, although alternatives might require some creative installation to get them to work...

Didn't Vectra have a similar set up ??
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 06 April 2022, 00:34:39
The Omega isn't the only car with suitable sensors, although alternatives might require some creative installation to get them to work...

Didn't Vectra have a similar set up ??
Indeed, to the point that replacement VX/GM sensors are the Vectra ones.

Any Merc with air suspension has four sensors, one on each corner, headscratch the wiring and knock up some brackets and something could be made to do... All that's required is some imagination and some ingenuity  ;)
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: Jan Suhr on 10 April 2022, 08:19:37
I used a simple rubber band to keep the ball in on one of my Omegas. It worked but the band broke after a a few months, just put in a new one and drive on. The display showed the error message when it was broken.
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: cam.in.head on 10 April 2022, 15:07:57
this is one thing that im not sure about.
if the linkage drops off but the arm doesnt move what causes the error message ? or would it ?
is it if the arm eventually moves to an extreme position ?
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 10 April 2022, 15:25:40
A faulty sensor should also throw a code ;)
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: ronnyd on 10 April 2022, 15:35:04
I used a simple rubber band [highlight][/highlight]to keep the ball in on one of my Omegas. It worked but the band broke after a a few months, just put in a new one and drive on. The display showed the error message when it was broken.
That's what i used at first, then found some odd looking cable ties that had a bit of elasticity in them, which lasted much longer.
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 10 April 2022, 17:45:00
The cable ties have last some consideraable time  but while I'm making a decent job of the resto I might as well spend some time getting these right :y
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: dave the builder on 10 April 2022, 19:28:37
My temporary fix has been 3 cable ties i fitted when I first got my Omega :)
4 years ago , fortunately it's held up Ok till i get round to a better fix  :D
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: ronnyd on 10 April 2022, 21:33:34
Are you sure the Omega won't dissolve first Dave?  ;)
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: dave the builder on 11 April 2022, 18:11:50
Are you sure the Omega won't dissolve first Dave?  ;)
Not any time soon I hope  :)
My Omega is more likely to be seized by Vlad's Army when they take over the UK .
they'll probably hand it back to me though when they realise it's worse on fuel than a pair of T90 tanks :D
Title: Re: Headlight sensor re engineering
Post by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 12 April 2022, 01:30:19
Are you sure the Omega won't dissolve first Dave?  ;)
Not any time soon I hope  :)
My Omega is more likely to be seized by Vlad's Army when they take over the UK .
they'll probably hand it back to me though when they realise it's worse on fuel than a pair of T90 tanks :D

:D :D