Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: davemish on 21 September 2008, 17:36:49

Title: Omega coolant loss
Post by: davemish on 21 September 2008, 17:36:49
My Omega, like some others, has a coolant leak which was diagnosed as a head gasket leak and which was changed at great expense by the local Vauxhall agent. I am still getting coolant loss which is not consistant and does not seem to be external. Someone in the forum suggested that someone elses problem could be a HBV. Can someone tell me what HBV is?  :-?
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: dbug on 21 September 2008, 17:47:28
Welcome to OOF  :y

You should post this - I was going to say in General Help & b*gger me its moved - fast work Hotel21

HBV = Heater Bypass Valve - it lives behind engine plenum at back.
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: hotel21 on 21 September 2008, 17:48:07
Moving to gen help....

HBV is the abbreviation for the Heater Bypass Valve, which is the usual suspect for unexplained coolant loss which gives a drip/leak on the rear of the engine, drivers side of the gearbox.  There is a pic somewheres of where its located and a thread on how to change it.  Will add this shortly, when I find it!!  

welcome to the forum, by the way....   :y
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 21 September 2008, 17:58:12
here is a link to a picture of a HBV  :y
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1192574064
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: davemish on 21 September 2008, 19:21:35
Thanks for info!

However the engine is inline not V6 so does that place the HBV somewhere else?
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: RobG on 21 September 2008, 19:42:14
No :) :)
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: davemish on 22 September 2008, 16:27:16
Update on Coolant loss.

The local vauxhall garage has replaced the HBV and it seems to have cured the problem, time will tell Thanks all for your interest
I hope I'll be able to report 100% success later :y
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: ians on 22 September 2008, 16:47:26
Quote
Update on Coolant loss.

The local vauxhall garage has replaced the HBV and it seems to have cured the problem, time will tell Thanks all for your interest
I hope I'll be able to report 100% success later :y

was that the same one that replaced your head gaskets at great expense when all that was needed was a new HBV? ::)
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: Black cxd v6 on 22 September 2008, 17:06:22
How much did there charge you? I am needing the same job doing on mine.
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: davemish on 22 September 2008, 17:32:54
£1226 - good luck!! >:( :'(
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: johnnycboy on 22 September 2008, 17:38:44
Quote
£1226 - good luck!! >:( :'(

Robbing barstewards >:(. makes you blood boil, hope you got some money back on the not needed HG. :question

hopefully all is well now :y
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: big-o-bob on 23 September 2008, 21:23:42
I changed what I think is the same valve myself.  I don't know much about machanics, but some how managed it myself, with the aid of a haynes manual and torque wrench.

If we are talking about the same valve, it was a plastic valve located at the back of the engine (V6), a sod to get to and I had to remove a fair bit off the top of the engine.  Even then it was tight.

Being on the heater circuit, mine was only losing coolant whilst the heater fan was switched on, which would explain the coolant loss being inconsistant in your case.

Seems a bit expensive to me, as I would have thought a competent mechanic would have had it finished before dinner time.  
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 23 September 2008, 21:29:27
Quote
I changed what I think is the same valve myself.  I don't know much about machanics, but some how managed it myself, with the aid of a haynes manual and torque wrench.

If we are talking about the same valve, it was a plastic valve located at the back of the engine (V6), a sod to get to and I had to remove a fair bit off the top of the engine.  Even then it was tight.

Being on the heater circuit, mine was only losing coolant whilst the heater fan was switched on, which would explain the coolant loss being inconsistant in your case.

Seems a bit expensive to me, as I would have thought a competent mechanic would have had it finished before dinner time.  

That is indeed the HBV, it is a sod to work on. ::) ::) ::)

However, for next time, you do not have to remove anything from the top of the actual engine; you just remove the wipers and the plastic tray running beneath them to gain (still very difficult) access to the HBV. :y :y
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: HerefordElite on 24 September 2008, 00:01:41
Quote
£1226 - good luck!! >:( :'(


ouch  :o

if the dealer diagnosed coolant loss as HG then i'd be kicking their arse for a hefty compensation claim

thieving barstewards  >:(
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: Entwood on 24 September 2008, 00:04:38
Quote
£1226 - good luck!! >:( :'(

That must be the rip-off of the century !!  They are charging for their own incorrect diagnosis ??   I'd be phoning Trading Standards and the Citizens Advice people very soon .. :(
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: davemish on 24 September 2008, 08:04:54
addendum

the HG was leaking, apparently, but was not affecting engine performance, but its replacement did not cure the loss, the HBV did.
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: dbug on 24 September 2008, 09:37:32
Believe that you'll believe anything :-/
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: MutantCav on 24 September 2008, 10:23:16
I think if you took them to trading standards etc they would have a hard job to prove the HG was leaking...and there is no doubt the £1200 worth of work did not fix the problem so regardless was wrongly diagnosed and did not need doing at that point...

Strongly worded letter insisting on your money back and follow it up...£1200 is VERY expensive for a HG replacement anyway...
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: Andyswad on 25 September 2008, 20:14:52
Sounds like somebody has conned you on that one thats way too expensive :o

HBV is an absolute bitch to change unless you have long arms and very small hands, unfortunately I did not, i still have the physical and mental scars, never again, next time it's in the garage
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: Andy B on 25 September 2008, 20:22:16
Quote
Sounds like somebody has conned you on that one thats way too expensive :o

HBV is an absolute pregnant dog to change unless you have long arms and very small hands, unfortunately I did not, i still have the physical and mental scars, never again, next time it's in the garage

HBV is awkward but isn't that bad! ;D I last did mine on a caravan site darn sarf in about an hour.
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: Andyswad on 25 September 2008, 20:39:48
I'm used to working on motorcycles, much easier, at least when you drop something it hits the floor, not disappears in the engine bay never to be seen again.

half an hour? it took me longer than that to undo one of the hose clips,

I had my arm stuck in the engine for longer than that :-[
Title: Re: Omega coolant loss
Post by: Andy B on 25 September 2008, 21:12:49
Quote
I'm used to working on motorcycles, much easier, .......
I'll let you have a go at changing the battery on my TDM  :y



Quote
half an hour? it took me longer than that to undo one of the hose clips,

I had my arm stuck in the engine for longer than that :-[

An hour! I'm not that good!  ;D  ;D