Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: garywilson on 04 July 2008, 22:49:04

Title: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: garywilson on 04 July 2008, 22:49:04
hi i'm new to the forum so bear with me
i h ave a problem with my 2.6 v6 (2001 manual) the engine management light came on and after looking into it i changed the lamda sensor which turned the light off for a couple of days then it came on again.
i have noticed a few symptoms and after getting a diagnostic done i'm none the wiser. symptoms are as follows
a) the engine management light is on
b) every now and then the engine idles at 1500 rpm
c) (from the diagnostic) intermittent missfire on all cylinders
d) "pinking" under stress (this is getting gradually worse)
e) heavy fuel consumption
f) battery flattens occasionally for no reason i can find (charges back up ok)
any help greatly appreciated was a great car till this started happening will add any more faults if i remember any
btw its been doing this well over 12 months
g) i forgot its lacking power too
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: Danny on 04 July 2008, 22:50:49
fear not, some people with good answers will be along at some point!

unfortunately i'm not one of them, welcome to the forum tho
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: Elite Pete on 04 July 2008, 23:46:51
Were there any codes stored when you had the diagnostic done?
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: feeutfo on 05 July 2008, 00:06:53
Need a bit more info, me finks! What codes came up? Any work done prior to? Is its to date re servicing? Miss fires suggest oil in plug wells from blown cam cover gaskits caused by blocked breathers. Search for guide.
Battery flat and lack of power? For over a year?

Loose battery terminal? Multi rams? Air/vac leak? Is there a step at 4k-
More guestions than answers old bean.
Anybody?

Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: rickyboy on 05 July 2008, 00:30:46
Find and follow the paperclip test in the maintenance guides and post the engine codes here.  The reason your fuel consumption is poor and you are lacking power could be simply down to the fact that the engine management light is on.

Idle could be down to either an air leak or more likely the idle control valve needs cleaning and lubricating - simple job.

Alternator may be shot or you need a new battery.

Possible you may need to renew spark plugs, leads or dispack but we needs engine fault codes first before going down that route.

As said do the paperclip test and post results here.
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: feeutfo on 05 July 2008, 00:44:52
not sure paper clip test will work on 2.6,  try press brake, gas peddle to the floor, turn ignition fully on but do not fire engine, em light may flash out codes, depends on ecu.10 is zero, works on my 3.2, but need codes i would say.
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: rickyboy on 05 July 2008, 00:48:23
Quote
not sure paper clip test will work on 2.6,  try press brake, gas peddle to the floor, turn ignition fully on but do not fire engine, em light may flash out codes, depends on ecu.10 is zero, works on my 3.2, but need codes i would say.

Right enough Chris - never noticed it was a 2.6 - pedal trick should work though to give out the codes.
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: garywilson on 05 July 2008, 13:16:02
Quote
Were there any codes stored when you had the diagnostic done?
dunno cant find the printout (may take it in again though)
Quote
not sure paper clip test will work on 2.6,  try press brake, gas peddle to the floor, turn ignition fully on but do not fire engine, em light may flash out codes, depends on ecu.10 is zero, works on my 3.2, but need codes i would say.
right did this and counted 10 1 7 3 10 1 7 10
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: TheBoy on 05 July 2008, 13:27:22
0173 and 0170
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: TheBoy on 05 July 2008, 13:29:05
Quote
0173 and 0170
both fuel trims.  I wonder if this is related to 2.6/3.2 cat issue?
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: garywilson on 05 July 2008, 13:46:35
i think all this started after we had the middle section of the exhaust changed

but i'm not 100%

could that have something to do with it
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: jonathanh on 05 July 2008, 16:01:54
Quote
i think all this started after we had the middle section of the exhaust changed

but i'm not 100%

could that have something to do with it

sounds like it could be: there are two middle sections BTW, one rear
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: garywilson on 06 July 2008, 20:03:56
any more answers to this problem?
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: rickyboy on 06 July 2008, 23:44:29
Take it back and get the exhaust checked.  Both codes are o2 sensor codes.  Possibly not fitted back in properly or wires chopped or frayed.  Or it doesn't like the new exhaust.  Pretty sure it's related to your new exhaust.
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: kcl on 07 July 2008, 12:38:32
Last winter I had the same codes, 0170 and 0173, mechanic said he had seen one instance of these and had searched for the fault for days and had found that this was due to MAF. So, I believed him, and after the light came on again I replaced the MAF; helped for a few days, then it lit up again. Cured on it's own, and now have had thousands of kilometres without any problems.

So, I do not know if it was the MAF or was it a air leak around the MAF, but since then I have not had the light on. Might as well be the cat-syndrome...
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: Kevin Wood on 07 July 2008, 14:55:48
The usual 2.6 / 3.2 issue is not fuel trim but cat efficiency. Fuel trim being out on boths banks suggests a problem common to both, such as an induction air leak, fuel supply problem or air filter clogged.

However, if the exhaust has recently been disturbed it's worth checking that it's air tight and not restricted.

Kevin
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: garywilson on 07 July 2008, 17:11:01
Quote
Take it back and get the exhaust checked.  Both codes are o2 sensor codes.  Possibly not fitted back in properly or wires chopped or frayed.  Or it doesn't like the new exhaust.  Pretty sure it's related to your new exhaust.
I must admit i said to the misses i thought it was the exhaust i'll get it checked out thanks

Quote
Last winter I had the same codes, 0170 and 0173, mechanic said he had seen one instance of these and had searched for the fault for days and had found that this was due to MAF

wats a MAF? sorry
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: rickyboy on 07 July 2008, 18:13:47
MAF is the Mass Air Flow sensor.  It's a very expensive part and I don't believe this to be the problem.  

If the MAF sensor is faulty you should still get a MAF sensor fault code not just o2 sensor codes.  MAF can bring other codes up when not working right but would still expect a MAF code to be logged.
Title: Re: how do i find out whats wrong
Post by: garywilson on 07 July 2008, 19:40:11
thanks