Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: amba on 27 January 2010, 16:27:25
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I have coolant dripping off the gearbox area and after carefull checking it is coming from somewhere? on the passenger side from the rear of the engine,as the oil filter canister and crank sensor are damp.
It is definatley coolant as the "taste test"identifies antifreeze.
I removed the wiper motor and carried out a thorough check of all visible pipework with a torch and mirror...hbv is bone dry and no stains from leakage,nor are any of the pipes damp.
Header tank looses about 50ml a day when driving usual 100 mile commute,so I am only topping up with 50/50 mix to maintain correct level.Only once has the low level come up so my action is keeping levels maintained.
When car was ticking over on driveway today small puddle appeared quite quickly but it is almost impossible to see much on the passenger side back due to firewall...any ideas please,as would like to plug this leak .
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Heads on the V6 are known to leak rear corner on pass. side :'(
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short of removing heads ,any potential fixes? as seems a mamoth amount of work against keeping an eye on the coolant level.
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I would remove the plenum and inlet manifold then plug the two hoses to the throttle bodies and pressurise the cooling system to see if there are any leaks from the thermostat housing, coolant bridge, oil cooler plate and the hoses to the rear of the engine.
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Hmm. Quite a few 1998 V6s seem to have failed in this area. :(
If it's not coming from any of the plumbing around the coolant bridge and not leaking from the oil cooler cover plate or thermostat housing and running back down the Vee my money is probably on the head gasket leaking round the back of the head.
TheBoy and a couple others have had exactly the same issue in the same place and on 1998 models. :'(
Kevin
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Hmm. Quite a few 1998 V6s seem to have failed in this area. :(
If it's not coming from any of the plumbing around the coolant bridge and not leaking from the oil cooler cover plate or thermostat housing and running back down the Vee my money is probably on the head gasket leaking round the back of the head.
TheBoy and a couple others have had exactly the same issue in the same place and on 1998 models. :'(
Kevin
I could be wrong but I thought it was more the 3.0.
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read your title and thought "bet its a 98" and it is...was also going to post most of whats been said already, but to add core plugs is also possible culpret.
As said its worth removing plenum, manifold. and plastic inlet wedge , while re moving as much as posdible around the back of pot 6 if you dont find anything in the v or back of the block...
the other option is a stop leak adative. Not recomended as it can block your cooling system and still not stop the leak if the hole is too big, but if its a core plug or hg the only alternative is to take the head off.
In short if it was me, and repair means heads off, stop leak it is and hope it lasts, esp if the mileage is aproaching 150k. :-/
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Thanks for ideas,guys.
Think I will just live with it for a while as I need car on a daily basis and its too cold and wet at the moment to start major surgery.
Might even find Daz coming down my way in the Spring and he fancies a job........fingers crossed its the oil cooler plate needs sealing...if it does would it be better fitting new oil cooler and the bits,or just removing existing and resealing ?
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Chris......I have always avoided the coolant "snake oil additives"as very concerned they would block up more than they cure,but yes you are correct...mileage now just 150k and a 1998,but as cars condition is immaculate I have resisted numerous comments from SWMBO in doors to get another car
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Thanks for ideas,guys.
Think I will just live with it for a while as I need car on a daily basis and its too cold and wet at the moment to start major surgery;.
Might even find Daz coming down my way in the Spring and he fancies a job........fingers crossed its the oil cooler plate needs sealing...if it does would it be better fitting new oil cooler and the bits,or just removing existing and resealing ?
depends if cooler is stainless, if so it should be fine i would think?
also i suppose it should be mentioned that if your hg is leaking exrenaly then it may well follow that the fire rings arent in good shape either and may well fail, possibly iminently? I would inspect it asap if poss. at least youll know where you stand, hopefully?
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Chris......I have always avoided the coolant "snake oil additives"as very concerned they would block up more than they cure,but yes you are correct...mileage now just 150k and a 1998,but as cars condition is immaculate I have resisted numerous comments from SWMBO in doors to get another car
i've used it on my old 99 cdx and it did work, Jimbob used it on his leaking core olug for up to a year i beleive, as said, last resort unless your happy to take the head off...def not snake oil.
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Might resort to it then as due to age etc,not a viable option to remove cylinder heads even with the cars condition.
Any recos on best type of additive then ?
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should add, as i understand it, blockages seem to occur when people use too much trying to bung too big a leak. One bottle per system.
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Might resort to it then as due to age etc,not a viable option to remove cylinder heads even with the cars condition.
Any recos on best type of additive then ?
i used Bars, Holts also. Both at Halfords.
Would def try to diagnose first though... :)
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The leak is minor as coolant level has never gone beyond half way between min/max and as I am ontop of the checking I am not of the opinion it is a major concern...more an annoyance especially as it was not the usual culprit(hbv).
I had intended keeping the car for another year to 18 months due to financial restraints and unwillingness to buy another,so will do some research on best type of additive for coolant
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I could be wrong but I thought it was more the 3.0.
True. Didn't spot that this was a 2.5 but the failure, as I understand it, is due to breaking up of the composite material of the head gasket in the water jacket areas which then eventually eats through between jacket and the outside world.
I'm not sure the engine capacity would make much difference, assuming the same type of gaskets were used. It could have been a bad batch of just 3.0 gaskets though, of course.
Kevin
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Another thing to check is the O ring where the coolant transfer pipe from the bottom rad. hose meets the back of the block.
Not easy to access but worth stripping off the plenum, intake manifold and scuttle cover and then pressurising the cooling system to see if anything can be seen IMHO.
Kevin
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One thing you could try before resorting to the snakeoil treatment, although it does mean a new lot of antifreeze ...
Drain & flush the system so you just have clean, fresh water in it. Then add 2 bottles of bright yellow food colouring ... I think they are about 25 cc each bottle. Wipe the engine as dry as you can then run the engine at tick over until fully warm, watching all the time for your leak. The bright yellow water is much easier to see.
Once you've found the leak .. and depending on where/what ... drain the system and flush fully to remove the dye .. then add 5 ltrs anti-freeze, top up with clean water.
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Brilliant idea with the coolant colour additive,but I am certain of general area of leak its just I cant get to it.
I will live with it for another month or so and keep topping up coolant as required as sais before the leak is only minor (at the moment)
Will then find a warm !!!! dry !!!! day and pull plenum/etc off and give it a pressure test.
My money is on the coolant bridge area or oil cooler plate as with car on stands and jack with inspection light drips seemed to be higher than joint of head and block,and don,t want to start adding sealer to the system .
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I believe Jimbob had an issue with a leaky core plug up at the back of the engine somewhere.
Kevin