Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: JamesV6CDX on 21 June 2009, 21:48:10
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I have been questioning myself lately.
I've done probably over 50 cambelt changes on Omegas, more maintenance work than I care to remember, several head gaskets, and never ever had an issue.
Just recently - my MV6, which I rebuilt the top end on, threw a rod through the block 60 miles or so later. Co-incidence or not I will never know for sure, but I did the job properly, checked the strainer etc, so can't see what I could have done to cause it.
Rebuilt the top end on My Elite - it lasted a few thousand miles, before one evening dumped all it's coolant without any gauge or MID warnings. First I knew was when it stalled, by which time it was already cooked.
Now - tightening up a spark plug, using a set torque wrench, and it breaks off in the head.
I know I and other members are making light hearted fun of my recent spell of misfortune - but on a serious note, I am really questioning myself as of late :-/
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Don't worry mate, probably just a run of bad luck, like you said about all you've done and they haven't gone wrong :y
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With your engion rebuild sounds like youve done all that you could and in the correct manner. if you had done something wrong the rod would not have done 60 miles before it wanted to c daylight so thats not your fault.
with the plug breaking off sounds more like a faulty plug.
like the saying goes "Shit happens". (sorry about my french)
so dont start losing your confidence, theres no reason to mate. most of us would not even dream of trying some of the repairs that youve done.
Keep it up :y
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The thing to remember about all things mechanical is that they are likely to go bang at any time and without warning !!!! If evverty car you've touched went west I would be concerned -- but, two out of Lord knows how many ?????????
Being down from the mumps is blowing your doubts out of proportion. Just my two penneth worth :y
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Don't worry mate, probably just a run of bad luck, like you said about all you've done and they haven't gone wrong :y
Take no notice, it's his son talking, cos it makes sense..... ;D ;D ;D
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shit happens mate :'(
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James, we all have bad runs of luck! I know I've had a few! ::) ::)
Just crack on :y :y :y
Incidentally, if you were using a torque wrench on the plug then there is no way you got it wrong....... Unless you set the wrench up wrong which I doubt :y :y :y
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Who said that one had to have a 100% record in anything we do, James?
It's impossible target to reach, especially when dealing with a multitude of mechanical parts.
We each can be our own worst critic, but if you consider the import of your opening remarks, it can be seen that you have had considerable success up to this point, so what's a little setback when compared to that.
At times we can get too much of a particular thing, in this case the workings of your various cars, so perhaps it's time to ease up - especially if you're recovering from illness.
The car and its problem will still be there, and no doubt surrender to your touch when you're back to full health.
You are probably aware of my situation and I can assure you that I have questioned my own judgement in a similar way, on more than one occasion. That doubt passed when I was able to step back, clear my head, and consider the problem afresh.
You will soon be back to form when you do just that. In most cases there's a solution to the majority of problems - it's just that we can't see it for the sake of looking.
Tomorrow is another day – and always will be :y :y
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James,
I've never met you or indeed ever spoken to you. But from all the praise I've read on here from numerous members I would have no hesitation in letting you do whatever work to my Omega. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to believe in yourself after things like this happen. But rest assured other people have faith in you and your clear ability with vehicle mechanics.
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Don't worry about it James - happens to the best of mechanics at some time. As Mark said - "shit happens" - wise words indeed.
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Dont worry about it :y Have a beer or six and get a fresh start :y
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I have been questioning myself lately.
I've done probably over 50 cambelt changes on Omegas, more maintenance work than I care to remember, several head gaskets, and never ever had an issue.
Just recently - my MV6, which I rebuilt the top end on, threw a rod through the block 60 miles or so later. Co-incidence or not I will never know for sure, but I did the job properly, checked the strainer etc, so can't see what I could have done to cause it.
Rebuilt the top end on My Elite - it lasted a few thousand miles, before one evening dumped all it's coolant without any gauge or MID warnings. First I knew was when it stalled, by which time it was already cooked.
Now - tightening up a spark plug, using a set torque wrench, and it breaks off in the head.
I know I and other members are making light hearted fun of my recent spell of misfortune - but on a serious note, I am really questioning myself as of late :-/
The very fact that you are asking the question suggests to me that you are doing the right thing. Incidentally I would prefer to use a T-bar on spark plugs any day, and that with the T central. It's all too easy to put a lop-sided couple on it.
You may well be trying too hard - that comes with age and is why snooker players go off the boil in my view. Relax, take it a bit slower and it will come back to you.
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I have always done plugs to a certain tightness whidh I have programmed myself to do.
Medium hard on a windy handle
Used since first bike
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Don't be daft, occasionally thing will happen with these engine things. If you think about it, to really be sure about working on an engine, you would have to use clinically clean conditions, etc to make sure no possible contamination got in. But , hey this is life we dont have access to that environment, so we do the best we can. If it threw a rod, possible causes are bad lubrication of bearings, or the rod just gave up. Unless you power flushed all oilways, you ain't going to know if there is some crap lurking there about to break free and block something. it might have been on the way out before you got it. Re the plugs, sod torque wrenches, I always tighten up hand tight plus a further 1/4 and it works for me.
A thing to do is to examine it and work out what went wrong. That way you will learn from its demise, take corrective action in future, and it won't happen again. Its called learning from mistakes. I did just the other night. I bought some "heavy duty racking" from crapbay, "designed in Germany". Oh how I fell for it. :'( :'( :'(
If you imagine the old bolt together rack from Dexion, it could be pushed, bent, overloaded, stood on etc, and would still work, no distortion, and even if you really overloaded and bent it, it would still work. This crap stuff clips together, and provide the load is directly on the top, ok, but any sideways movement and the clips bend and the whole thing requires major rework to sit straight. So I learned a lesson, no more of this clip together rubbish, Dexion rules.
I'm sure you are still good with engines, and would trust you more than the "Pink Pair". Would you let a hairdresser near your car ? ::) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Ken
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James I’ve got a 380 short Walther PPK pistol you can borrow if you want, I tried to use it on myself a few years back, but the mechanism jammed, it really is a good test to see if your lucks in at the moment. :y
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Interestingly enough my second car was a Volkswagen beetle that had dropped a valve. I stripped the engine, got a new valve, reworked the head and rebuilt it. It went fine for several weeks, then I was going from greenock to edinburgh to see an old flame, when it started knocking. The knock got worse, and I ended up abandoning it having to be towed home by the old man. Hey that's life, you learn from mistakes, don't rust VW's ;D
Ken
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James I’ve got a 380 short Walther PPK pistol you can borrow if you want, I tried to use it on myself a few years back, but the mechanism jammed, it really is a good test to see if your lucks in at the moment. :y
Made me laugh ;D
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I once used a torque wrench, set to 25nm's, iirc, to tighten the plugs, it seemed stupidly tight to me, so not suprised one snapped off on you James. Somewhere between 15-20 nm's seemed to be more appropiate to me.
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They say bad things happen in 3's, so you should be safe now :y
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They say bad things happen in 3's, so you should be safe now :y
which is why you should always have the 4th pint :y
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You mustn't beat yourself up about a few things going wrong. They may have been acts of God, they may have been due to some error, but either way one has to press on and be positive. If by a process of investigation and deduction you think you may have made a mistake of some sort, well, we've all made cockups and the important thing is to learn from them. If not, it's just bad luck, and we all have our share of that too.
Your concern for your abilities and integrity is what makes people, including myself (still), want to avail themselves of your services. So be positive, take pride in your work, and look forward to many more of your engines running like sewing machines!
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As people have said.. s**t happens. Even F1 cars blow engines etc and just think of all the millions they spend on engine rebuilding and the facilities they have. Some don`t even last 50 miles! Don`t beat youself up over it mate.
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Don't worry mate, probably just a run of bad luck, like you said about all you've done and they haven't gone wrong :y
Take no notice, it's his son talking, cos it makes sense..... ;D ;D ;D
Oi ;D
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As others have already said James, shit happens and we all have runs of bad luck, but you have just got to dust yourself down and learn from your experiences for the jobs to come.
After all a car is just a machine, man made, and always ready to destroy itself thanks to the designers brief! We just try and keep them going against the odds, and remember the youngest miggy is at least 5 years old now, with most getting into double figures! ::) ::) ::) :'(
Just because you have had some mechanical let downs does not mean you are a failure! ::) ::) ::) The machines have just decided to 'life expire' :D :D :D ;)
Anyway James, you are still going to supervise my first V6 cam belt change when I get around to it!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;) ;)
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We all have our ups & downs luckwise but that does'nt put your mechanical prowess in question mate.
Put your fave CD on, open your fave drink, leave the tools & kick back for a while. :y
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Rule .. Success for every case is not guaranteed..
if there is a hidden problem that you cant see or not seen before, can happen and all you can do is watch unfortunately.. That is experience..
its been two days I'm trying to repair a donald pc and some half hours ago I was able to start it up.. ;D
so it can happen.. :y
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As others have already said James, shit happens and we all have runs of bad luck, but you have just got to dust yourself down and learn from your experiences for the jobs to come.
After all a car is just a machine, man made, and always ready to destroy itself thanks to the designers brief! We just try and keep them going against the odds, and remember the youngest miggy is at least 5 years old now, with most getting into double figures! ::) ::) ::) :'(
Just because you have had some mechanical let downs does not mean you are a failure! ::) ::) ::) The machines have just decided to 'life expire' :D :D :D ;)
Anyway James, you are still going to supervise my first V6 cam belt change when I get around to it!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;) ;)
You're brave, i'll muck in and do stuff to a car but for one I wouldn't have the patience and for 2 no doubt it'd go wrong ;D
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bah, pull the bugger to bits and see what happened. Nothing to loose, and you'll love doing it.