Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: JayUK on 04 July 2007, 09:14:45
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OK, so driving into work this morning, and I noticed a wisp of white smoke from the bonnet.
Not good thinks I, and open the bonnet. It's coming from the left side of the engine at the back.
Opened the oil cap, and there's a bit of goo in there :(
Head Gasket I cry in despair. :'(
However a quick poke around the net - and here - provided some hope that it could be the oil cooler. Some say V6s don't blow head gaskets, others that it happens all the time.
Any advice / hope greatfully received! :-/
2003 3.2 V6
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It could be the HBV or a split pipe
hows your water level doing ?
Sniff your header tank to see if it smells of exhaust gases
And check your dip stick for cream on it if the dipstick is ok then i dont think its the head gasket they very rarely go on the V6 engines
The oil Cooler would not give white smoke you would find a brown Goo in the header tank
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Does the car get a lot of short journeys?
If so, a little mayo under the filler cap is not unexpected.
Is there any sign of oil in the coolant? This is the main symptom of oil cooler failure.
As to the whisp of smoke, the oil cooler is enclosed in the water jacket so there are no external symptoms of failure. Could be the HBV as Craig says. The other thing to check is that you don't have an oil leak from the cam cover gaskets onto the exhaust. Check the plug wells for oil as well while you're at it.
In fact, cam cover gasket failure and mayonnaise in the oil could both be symptoms of a blocked breather so that's the first thing to check IMHO.
Kevin
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OK, so driving into work this morning, and I noticed a wisp of white smoke from the bonnet.
Not good thinks I, and open the bonnet. It's coming from the left side of the engine at the back.
Opened the oil cap, and there's a bit of goo in there :(
Head Gasket I cry in despair. :'(
However a quick poke around the net - and here - provided some hope that it could be the oil cooler. Some say V6s don't blow head gaskets, others that it happens all the time.
Any advice / hope greatfully received! :-/
2003 3.2 V6
My initial reaction is coolant leak.
What is state of dipstick? State of coolant? Level of coolant?
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......others that it happens all the time.
There the un-educated ones.....
Is the residue in the header tank a thick goo or just a small showing of oil on the urface of the coolant, if the latter then its nowt to worry about.
Most likely cause of the smoek/steam is a water leak (HBV) or cam cover gaskets......when head gaskets go they very rarely spray oil or water every where.....
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It is mainly getting short journeys at the moment, so that could explain the oil cap.
I'll take a dekko shortly at the rest, and check the coolant etc. :)
lil happier now
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OK being as mechanically minded as your average spaniel :-[ - here goes...
The mayo is just on the cap, the dipstick is fine
However, the coolant level is pretty much empty
Not really checked this befiore, but there's nada in there at the moment.
I'm guessing I need the cooling system checked out ASAP! Find the leak etc
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OK being as mechanically minded as your average spaniel :-[ - here goes...
The mayo is just on the cap, the dipstick is fine
However, the coolant level is pretty much empty
Not really checked this befiore, but there's nada in there at the moment.
I'm guessing I need the cooling system checked out ASAP! Find the leak etc
Apart from being empty, any sign of a goo-ie sludge? If not, then simple coolant leak, HBV being likely culprit...
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No sludge - there was a small amount of silty deposit, but it wasn't sludgey at all.
HBV being...? See told you I was hopeless.
I've got someone to look at it early next week. Until then, I'll top the water up and probably use my g/fs car. No danger in running it with the water topped up?
Thanks for the help guys, a simple leak is better than what I feared!
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No sludge - there was a small amount of silty deposit, but it wasn't sludgey at all.
HBV being...? See told you I was hopeless.
I've got someone to look at it early next week. Until then, I'll top the water up and probably use my g/fs car. No danger in running it with the water topped up?
Thanks for the help guys, a simple leak is better than what I feared!
HBV is the Heater Bypass Valve, very common for these to go on the V6. Its a job your can do yourself, and is fairly cheap.
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Huzzah! I now know what it means. Thank you!
Mechanic I've been recommended is pretty good apparently - If I tried doing it myself I may well end up breaking something on the car. Or my fingers.
I just drive it, don't know how it works :-[
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You will probably find that the leak is worst with the either the heater on or off (depends which bits leaking)...so you can control the elak to an extent with the heater settings.
The HBV is a sub 1 hour job.....so make sure they dont over charge you.
And watch that coolant level closely....if the warning appears on the MID....top it up.
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Huzzah! I now know what it means. Thank you!
Mechanic I've been recommended is pretty good apparently - If I tried doing it myself I may well end up breaking something on the car. Or my fingers.
I just drive it, don't know how it works :-[
Part is £25 from dealer, you can fix. I would urge you not to use car, as chances are, it is spraying water all over DIS pack, and that is more expensive.
Remove scuttle, and check it is HBV leaking first....
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I didn't get a warning about coolant level on the display.. :(
I'll just drive it back, topped up with heater / aircon and then leave it til next week
Thanks again all
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.....its a 3.2....coil per plug....no DIS pack...
There should have been a low coolant warning!
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.....its a 3.2....coil per plug....no DIS pack...
Good point, well presented :-[
There should have been a low coolant warning!
Do any 3.2's not have coolant warnings, eg ex-plods having TIDs?
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All the explods I have seen had MID's.....wonder if its been buggered about with.
Its certainly worth checking the under side of the header tank (remove one clip and it slides off the mounting brackets) to check its not been shorted out and/or a header tank hasn't been fitted without a level sensor.
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This is indeed ex-polizei
I'll have to take a look and see if it's been shorted or whatever. If I find nothing (likely) I'll get mechanic dude to check it out :D
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This is indeed ex-polizei
I'll have to take a look and see if it's been shorted or whatever. If I find nothing (likely) I'll get mechanic dude to check it out :D
Is it a MID (ie, fuel computer etc) or a TID (just radio, time, and temp)?
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It just has a TID. Just date/time temp.
So I filled the water up, drove it back to the office, and when I parked it I can see it leaking out underneath, so I'll just get it checked on Monday now. :(
Hopefully it will be something like the HBV or a split pipe somewhere. <pray>
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It just has a TID. Just date/time temp.
So I filled the water up, drove it back to the office, and when I parked it I can see it leaking out underneath, so I'll just get it checked on Monday now. :(
Hopefully it will be something like the HBV or a split pipe somewhere. <pray>
Ah, TID won't give warnings....
You can get scuttle off though, and see if it is coming from HBV ;)
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Do the HBV yourself its not a hard job just fiddley you will save yourself a good few quid
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I might take a look at it, and see how fiddly!
If I fill the tank up, take the scuttle off and run the engine, I should be able to see if the HBV is leaking etc?
I've looked for a ' how to' guide but nothing there. It's pictures I need! lol
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I might take a look at it, and see how fiddly!
If I fill the tank up, take the scuttle off and run the engine, I should be able to see if the HBV is leaking etc?
I've looked for a ' how to' guide but nothing there. It's pictures I need! lol
Yes, you will. May have to try turning the heating/aircon on and off, as often leak when on eor other is on. Also, borrowing Mrs JayUK's makeup mirror may help you see around the valve.
The HBV is a plastic unit with 3 hoses and 1 vac pipe....
Its location is fiddly, but easily do-able :)
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I hate you lot! ;)
you give me loads of advice :y
and then a shred of confidence to have a go myself! :o
I'll give it a go this evening at home to see how easy it is. Or at least see if it's that that's leaking!!
Which side scuttle am I taking off or both?
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I hate you lot! ;)
you give me loads of advice :y
and then a shred of confidence to have a go myself! :o
I'll give it a go this evening at home to see how easy it is. Or at least see if it's that that's leaking!!
Which side scuttle am I taking off or both?
take off both sides, as its drivers side you need to get to.... ....at least check for leak - will give you confidence to do it if that is the problem :)
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I hate you lot! ;)
you give me loads of advice :y
and then a shred of confidence to have a go myself! :o
I'll give it a go this evening at home to see how easy it is. Or at least see if it's that that's leaking!!
Which side scuttle am I taking off or both?
Its what this place is all about, my advice is buy a cheapo-project (if money allows). I bought a 1998 R reg Omega Relfection 2.5V6 for 300 quid, buggered about on that for a while, it was not 'my' car so i was not bothered if i broke it! Gives you great confidence then.
I fixed a few coolant problems, sold it 2 weeks later for £750! :D
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Right oh!
After much cursing swearing, scraped knuckles and roping in a mechanically minded friend - sorted.
Was the HBV valve, £28 from the stealers. Took a bit of time, cos the engine bay is jam packed with engine, and my god you need lil tiny fingers sometimes to work round it.
Not completely DIY but sort of :)
Thanks all for the tips!
J
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Hi im new, been wandering around sites looking for answers to a similar problem.
I have mayo, oh so much mayo the inside of the filler neck it looks like a jar of it.
However there is none on the dipstick ?
My emissions seem steamy and the running is rough when the car first starts or at low revs.
Could the latter be due to blocked pipes because of the former or is it a head gasket?
Matt.
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Hi im new, been wandering around sites looking for answers to a similar problem.
I have mayo, oh so much mayo the inside of the filler neck it looks like a jar of it.
However there is none on the dipstick ?
My emissions seem steamy and the running is rough when the car first starts or at low revs.
Could the latter be due to blocked pipes because of the former or is it a head gasket?
Matt.
Could be something as simple as the oil not getting upto temp - ie lots of short journeys. Solution give it a blast down the motorway regularly. :y
Oh by the way - welcome [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif]
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Right oh!
After much cursing swearing, scraped knuckles and roping in a mechanically minded friend - sorted.
Was the HBV valve, £28 from the stealers. Took a bit of time, cos the engine bay is jam packed with engine, and my god you need lil tiny fingers sometimes to work round it.
Not completely DIY but sort of :)
Thanks all for the tips!
J
Brilliant :y
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Hi im new, been wandering around sites looking for answers to a similar problem.
I have mayo, oh so much mayo the inside of the filler neck it looks like a jar of it.
However there is none on the dipstick ?
My emissions seem steamy and the running is rough when the car first starts or at low revs.
Could the latter be due to blocked pipes because of the former or is it a head gasket?
Matt.
If you have no oil in the coolant, and you do a lot of short journeys, that is fine :)
Water is a by product of combustion, so condensation from engine is normal, esp if cold...
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It could be, for the past 5 weeks ive been doing the 2mile to work and back each day but ive lost my expansion tank in coolant this week.
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It could be, for the past 5 weeks ive been doing the 2mile to work and back each day but ive lost my expansion tank in coolant this week.
best you look for coolant leaks then ;)