Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Bo Bo on 24 June 2007, 20:40:49

Title: Using Coolant
Post by: Bo Bo on 24 June 2007, 20:40:49
I'm sure this has been a hundred times before but........

I'm using a lot of coolant every so often. Did two trips across town yesterday & the expansion tank was almost empty, similar trip today & haven't used any.

No obvious signs of a leak & it's running at normal temp?
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 24 June 2007, 20:42:19
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I'm sure this has been a hundred times before but........

I'm using a lot of coolant every so often. Did two trips across town yesterday & the expansion tank was almost empty, similar trip today & haven't used any.

No obvious signs of a leak & it's running at normal temp?

check usual suspect - HBV. And get under the car, and look for leaks / drips down the passenger side of the bellhousing.

Can you fit your hands in the HBV area?  ::)  ::)  ;D
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Bo Bo on 24 June 2007, 20:58:16
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Can you fit your hands in the HBV area?  ::)  ::)  ;D
Hhmm, I'll give it a try.

I've looked under the car from the front with the engine running (& not) & have seen one drop from the passenger side near the wheel but with all the rain recently I've not been able to see anything more.....
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Admin on 24 June 2007, 21:04:08
Mysterious loss of coolant is most likely to be oil cooler plate seal.

Take plenum and inlet bridge off, exect to see signs of coolant.
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 24 June 2007, 21:25:01
I think the Oil Cooler Plate was the problem with mine, when I had got everything stripped off i could see water around the edge of the plate, not as much to be honest as i thought there would be, suppose it evaporates.. but then you need to remove the Plate from the Cooler in order to get out the Plate... so do you fit a new oil cooler whilst your there?? even though the old cooler didn't look to bad I did change it was £95 from Vauxhall without TC.. Also the coolant bridge seals are only pence :y
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: TheBoy on 24 June 2007, 21:45:02
Intermittent, but large amounts of coolant loss, in my experience, is HBV (drivers side Bo Bo ;)).  Leaking stats and cooler plates tend to be far from intermittent.....
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Bo Bo on 24 June 2007, 21:51:54
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Intermittent, but large amounts of coolant loss, in my experience, is HBV (drivers side Bo Bo ;)).
Would this be more obvious with the engine running or not and/or heating on/off?
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: hotel21 on 24 June 2007, 22:04:11
No direct experience but, from memory of posts on here, yes to whether the heater is on/off.....
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 24 June 2007, 22:04:17
I would say HBV as its intermittent so will depend on what the climate is trying to do with the bypass valve.
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: TheBoy on 24 June 2007, 22:09:41
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Intermittent, but large amounts of coolant loss, in my experience, is HBV (drivers side Bo Bo ;)).
Would this be more obvious with the engine running or not and/or heating on/off?
Sometimes they seem to leak when set to HI, others seem to fail when set to LO, so try both settings...
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Cav9_4 on 24 June 2007, 23:35:43
Hi,my dad had a similar problem with his Omega v6,what i found was the pipe from the HBV to coolant bridge had perished and got a small hole in...also worth a look....HTH....regards...Wayne
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Bo Bo on 25 June 2007, 16:59:44
Well I drove to work this morning with no dramas. Driving back I pulled up at some traffic lights & there was what looked like faint smoke coming from the driver’s side of the bonnet at the top  :o
I thought maybe the cam cover was leaking again (but JamesV6CDX changed that a few weeks ago so I thought it can’t be) anyway I pulled over & popped the bonnet, there was no smell of oil so it must have been steam & there was coolant pishing from the HBV.
So I took a detour via Vx & picked up a "Starship Enterprise" & 5ltrs of coolant & the "nice parts man" gave me 2ltrs of water to get me home!  :-?

Now I've had a look & can see the little darling but I'm gonna struggle getting to it  ::)
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: CaptainZok on 25 June 2007, 17:04:16
You need that famous Omega service tool.



A Tunnie.  ;D
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Andy B on 25 June 2007, 17:09:55
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.....

Now I've had a look & can see the little darling but I'm gonna struggle getting to it  ::)

Remove the wipers & plastic scuttle and you have more room to work in.
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: CaptainZok on 25 June 2007, 17:13:28
I'd lend you the apprentice but he's off school with flu, he changed mine.
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Bo Bo on 25 June 2007, 18:18:48
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Quote
.....

Now I've had a look & can see the little darling but I'm gonna struggle getting to it  ::)

Remove the wipers & plastic scuttle and you have more room to work in.
Thought that, still gonna struggle  ::)
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: TheBoy on 25 June 2007, 19:14:51
It is fiddly, but doable....
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Bo Bo on 25 June 2007, 19:29:38
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It is fiddly, but doable....
Yep, I'll give it a go on Sat (got use of the g/f's car til next week) but you know what I'm like with those hose clips when we did my cambelt  ::)
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: CaptainZok on 25 June 2007, 19:33:57
Couldn't you just scrap em and replace with jubilee clips if you find em easier?
As long as you can get a driver on to tighten em up I don't see a problem.
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Bo Bo on 25 June 2007, 19:35:18
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Couldn't you just scrap em and replace with jubilee clips if you find em easier?
As long as you can get a driver on to tighten em up I don't see a problem.
That has crossed my mind, I'll see when I've got the scuttle off....
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: CaptainZok on 25 June 2007, 19:38:29
Or bribe a friendly student to do it for you. :y
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Timbuk on 25 June 2007, 19:44:27
Jubilee clips are easier to put back on, if you need a hand, or rather a smaller hand than yours send me a PM ;)
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Bo Bo on 25 June 2007, 19:51:30
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Jubilee clips are easier to put back on, if you need a hand, or rather a smaller hand than yours send me a PM ;)
I don't know, any excuse to get away & visit the homestead  ::)

Seriously though, cheers mate. I won't know til Sat, just don't seem to have much time on my hands these days  :-?
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Timbuk on 25 June 2007, 19:59:37
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Jubilee clips are easier to put back on, if you need a hand, or rather a smaller hand than yours send me a PM ;)
I don't know, any excuse to get away & visit the homestead  ::)

Seriously though, cheers mate. I won't know til Sat, just don't seem to have much time on my hands these days  :-?

I would look forward to it, I'ts all down stream from here to Cov, would have lots of fun riding the M6 rapids through Brum  :D
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 25 June 2007, 20:04:03
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Jubilee clips are easier to put back on, if you need a hand, or rather a smaller hand than yours send me a PM ;)
I don't know, any excuse to get away & visit the homestead  ::)

Seriously though, cheers mate. I won't know til Sat, just don't seem to have much time on my hands these days  :-?

I would look forward to it, I'ts all down stream from here to Cov, would have lots of fun riding the M6 rapids through Brum  :D

Timbuk the Homing Pigeon ;D
Title: Re: Using Coolant
Post by: Bo Bo on 02 July 2007, 07:51:59
HBV changed, no signs of a leak  :) but guess I won't know for sure for a few days.....