Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Derek_in_Penzance on 16 July 2008, 21:30:12
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Those who have followed my posts about my recently-acquired mini-facelift '98 3.0 Elite estate will know that it is highish miles 166,000, and that I've just had the ABS ECU repaired, fitted new HBV, crank sensor, exhaust manifold RH side, and had a non-starting problem which turned out to be a bad connection at the dis pack plug.
Now I find that the gearbox is slipping a bit in 2nd and 3rd I think, so I'm assuming it is worn out. I've acquired a low miles replacement. However I'm conscious that it may be an electronic fault rather than physical wear of the clutches, from what I've read on this forum. There are no EML fault codes (I gather that this doesn't include the gearbox though).
The other thing is that the kickdown does not seem to be working. At 60 mph leisurely cruise I put my foot down hard and... zilch. No instant kickdown to a lower gear like in my old fashioned Senator A! It just stays in top gear. Any ideas on this? Is it a known Omega problem?
The previous owner says that there were no gearbox problems, but he is not particular mechanically minded so he may not have realised
something was wrong.
The gearbox works fine in each gear at low speed, it's only in 2nd and 3rd ( I think, maybe 4th, it's difficult to tell) that it slips when you accelerate. Knocking the selector into D at parked-up mode and engine idle gives instant takeup. I know from experience that if you do this on a knackered auto box it can be slow to take up the drive.
I have also checked the fluid level with the engine idling, and it is fine, although the fluid is light brown rather than red, so clearly needs changing.
If this was an older car (Senator A, Monza etc) I'd change the box, but I will feel an idiot if I do this and the fault turns out to be electronic, so that the replacement box does the same!
So any suggestions please? Especially regarding the lack of kickdown? Thanks!
The engine by the way seems to run great, despite the miles.
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Yes, first job is to adjust the throttle cable to remove any slack (you want a small ammount only), this is done by moving the clip where the cable mounts on the throtle body.
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Do you get Automatic Gearbox on MID? If so, may be in one of the limp modes.
Could also be throttle cable too lose.
But the slipping needs sorting quickly
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Thanks, I'll adjust the throttle cable first thing tomorrow. Only occasional gearbox warning on MID. Tonight I went for a 15 mile test drive and it didn't come on at all. I'm already resigned to changing the box, but I can see that the kickdown working would help it cope better when under load.
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As TB and MDTM have said about the throttle cable, as for the gearbox slipping from 2nd to 3rd the box needs to be replaced before this completely packs up. If you have another box with low miles then replace this for the knackered one and the job is a good one. I have had a few box's go like that but all have been 2.0ltr Omega's
Paul.
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box needs to be replaced before this completely packs up.
OK, will do. I suppose I am clutching at straws! I have a 65K box on its way.... (thanks to Chris).