Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: charlieboy on 27 January 2008, 13:08:49
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ive been towing for 8 years with a 2.5 manual, the time has come to change, and was wondering if any member tows with an automatic, i have heard rumors of overheating on inclines traffic queues etc. the car im interested is a 2.6 auto, 70000 on the clock, any views, experiences would be greatly appreciated. the yearof the new car is 02 02
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Make sure the ATF in the box is fresh!
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Yep i would make sure the box is all singing and dancing before you tow anything.
we have towed with ours. no major snags usless the hill is the size of a mountian and then we just gave ourselves planty of room so we didnt get suck halfway up! lol
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2.5 V6 Elite about the best tow-car I have ever had .. pulls my 1600 Kg Abbey GTS without any problems at all :)
Has never overheated, not even come close :)
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I towed with a 2.0 16v auto for several years. No real problems experienced, but it wasn't a happy chappy when towing. I improved it by fitting a Kenlowe supplementary oil cooler, and also had the ATF and 'box filter changed. Towing, I only got around 22mpg, and put this down to the 'box not always getting into 'lock-up' mode. With the extra power and torque from your intended 2.6 job, it's highly likely that it'll be a happy chappy - good luck!
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Our omega never overheated until we started towing. A new radiator soon cured that.
I too would recommend changing the fluid in your gearbox.
Happy towing, I couldn't now visualise ever towing with a manual!!
varche
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many thanks to all who so promptly replied,these have made me feel better,.... sorry for my ignorance, but what is ATF?
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ATF = Automatic Transmision Fluid .. in our case Dexron III
:)
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check that the box ecu is upgraded to latest spec version 9 or 10 I think -this improves the autobox re towing a lot. It does tho need tech2 facility to do this.
On a personal note I had an external cooling filter fitted to the Omega - a lot cheaper than a new box if ever it did overheat
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They are fine and I have no extra cooler
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Something else I forgot to mention earlier ...........
If you stop/get stuck in traffic, apply the handbrake, select the 'N' position on the shift, and let your motor idle. In this way, the ATF will be circulated and thereby cool down - NEVER, EVER, EVER, allow your vehicle to tick-over in ANY of the 'Drive' positions for more than a minute or two. It was precisely these situations that caused collossal 'box failures when I worked in the bus industry - many drivers were taught to pass the driving test, and not how to treat their steeds with due respect!
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Used to have a 2.0 manual which towed ok but started to burn the clutch a bit over difficult situations...2.5v6 auto and 3.0v6 auto seem comfortably able to cope with any situation...and I tow other Omegas which is quite a challenge :)
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Something else I forgot to mention earlier ...........
If you stop/get stuck in traffic, apply the handbrake, select the 'N' position on the shift, and let your motor idle. In this way, the ATF will be circulated and thereby cool down - NEVER, EVER, EVER, allow your vehicle to tick-over in ANY of the 'Drive' positions for more than a minute or two. It was precisely these situations that caused collossal 'box failures when I worked in the bus industry - many drivers were taught to pass the driving test, and not how to treat their steeds with due respect!
i thought vx auto's had that neutral gizmo that was meant to save juice
and wear my last vectra auto had it on Or is that something different
to what you mean
Darren
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Hi
I have the 2.2 CDX estate auto. I tow a Bailey Pageant Bordeaux with no problems at all. Twisty or hilly roads are a breeze, on motorways put cruise control on at 60 and its easy to forget you are towing.
As for sethsmate comments, I,ve never heard of such a thing,but then
I don't drive Buses.
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Tow a 1700kg caravan with a 3.0 Estate auto here. No problems whatsoever. Do the run to New Forest & Cornwall, stop-start traffic and never had overheating problems. I changed the ATF before I went on the long runs.
Car is usually loaded up to the hilt too!
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Something else I forgot to mention earlier ...........
If you stop/get stuck in traffic, apply the handbrake, select the 'N' position on the shift, and let your motor idle. In this way, the ATF will be circulated and thereby cool down - NEVER, EVER, EVER, allow your vehicle to tick-over in ANY of the 'Drive' positions for more than a minute or two. It was precisely these situations that caused collossal 'box failures when I worked in the bus industry - many drivers were taught to pass the driving test, and not how to treat their steeds with due respect!
i thought vx auto's had that neutral gizmo that was meant to save juice
and wear my last vectra auto had it on Or is that something different
to what you mean
Darren
Some vx autoboxes have that.......the omega autobox doesnt. :y
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I'd never tow on the 2.0 16v Auto anyway.... (just me!)
The engine's borderline underpowered for the car weight anyway, towing makes that worse, and an auto box even more so...
I've towed a JaguarXJS + high trailer with a 3.0 Elite auto all the way from Reading to Manchester, and never missed a beat. Thats quite a bit of weight and height...
My step father had a 2.0 16v Auto, and it used to cook in long summer driving without needing another 1 tonne on the back of it..!
<anecdotal evidence.....>
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I own a 2.6L omega estate and tow a large caravan with it.No problems at all tows very nice.The only thing that concerns me is that some people mention changing the ATF regulary but i thought the box on the 2.6 was sealed?
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I'd never tow on the 2.0 16v Auto anyway.... (just me!)
The engine's borderline underpowered for the car weight anyway, towing makes that worse, and an auto box even more so...
I've towed a JaguarXJS + high trailer with a 3.0 Elite auto all the way from Reading to Manchester, and never missed a beat. Thats quite a bit of weight and height...
My step father had a 2.0 16v Auto, and it used to cook in long summer driving without needing another 1 tonne on the back of it..!
<anecdotal evidence.....>
I managed with a 2.0 no problems
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> I managed with a 2.0 no problems
Just goes to show how wrong I can be :-)
Thanks,
Edwin
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> I managed with a 2.0 no problems
Just goes to show how wrong I can be :-)
Thanks,
Edwin
The blue one was a 2.0 - more work than a V6 but it coped OK
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> I managed with a 2.0 no problems
Just goes to show how wrong I can be :-)
Thanks,
Edwin
The blue one was a 2.0 - more work than a V6 but it coped OK
Yep, we towed our five berth van to Newent last year with the 2.2. It never missed a beat. Took everything we threw at it. :y
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> I managed with a 2.0 no problems
Just goes to show how wrong I can be :-)
Thanks,
Edwin
The blue one was a 2.0 - more work than a V6 but it coped OK
Yep, we towed our five berth van to Newent last year with the 2.2. It never missed a beat. Took everything we threw at it. :y
Only because I missed with the petrol and match ;)
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> I managed with a 2.0 no problems
Just goes to show how wrong I can be :-)
Thanks,
Edwin
The blue one was a 2.0 - more work than a V6 but it coped OK
Yep, we towed our five berth van to Newent last year with the 2.2. It never missed a beat. Took everything we threw at it. :y
Only because I missed with the petrol and match ;)
Yes, your coordination wasn't the best that weekend. You destroyed a laptop and trampled a little girl, yet you managed to miss a break off great caravan. ;D