Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: JamesV6CDX on 28 September 2006, 18:52:52
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Well, strictly my second. We did rebuild the top end of a nice elite, which didn't run to well afterwards, but that was before I'd learned so much from this forum (including how to do V6 cam timing!!)
Ok, I've got a new project. Mr MB uses numbers for his projects, and Tunnie uses letters, so I guess I need to use something different! Ideas welcome.
Anyhow, this is the car. It's a Vauxhall Omega (of course!) 2.0 litre 16v GLS. Normally I wouldn't entertain playing with a 2.0 because I love the V6's so much, however there's something really special about this one. I saw it on ebay, about 10 miles from me, so today I took the Mrs and went for a drive to look over it before bidding.
This is a 1995 car, and to be honest I don't think I've even seen a T or a V reg Omega in such nice condition. The bodywork on it is nothing but A1, without the smallest of marks on it and not a spec of rust. It's been so well looked after throughout. The interior looks like it's never even been sat in, it's got a whole "new car" sense about it inside and out.
It has 80k miles on the clock, which I guess is low for an Omega. And pretty much full service history.
What's the catch? Well, it doesn't run! So it was on sale as a non-runner. Stil has half it's MOT though.
The owner didn't know a lot about cars and just wanted shot of it after buying something new, but he did tell me the problem was terminal. He said he heard a really nasty metallic noise and the car wouldn't go. I immediately thought timing belt failure, but I was wrong. On inspection the belt and tensioners are fine - almost new in fact with reciept to prove. On a closer inspection, we found part of a bearing shell, wedged near the RH engine mounting. So in summary, the bottom end is buggered.
As some of you may know, I have an old 2.0 Omega sat on the drive doing nothing, because the bodywork etc is shot. However - engine in it runs fine! So, I feel an engine transplant coming on.
The cylinder head on the project car has recently been overhauled, with all brand new valves and followers, so I'm going to pray this is still ok and can be used. I'm then going to fit this decent head onto the good bottom end of the other engine, and fit my newly constucted engine back in the project car.
Then, I'm going to change the water pump, and possibly timing belt and tensioners, and hopefully I'll have a(nother) really nice running tidy Omega.
If it all goes well and I can get it running perfectly, then because it's so mint, I am considering having a go at converting it to run on LPG myself, but this will come later.
Here are some pics:
(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k205/jamesv6cdx/a9_1.jpg)
(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k205/jamesv6cdx/6d_1.jpg)
(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k205/jamesv6cdx/c6_1.jpg)
I'll be upfront and tell you that I paid £100 in cash for this car. I plan to spend about another £100 on getting it running, to include new head gasket etc in the rebuild. I'm 98% confident that I can do all of this sucesfully, but if not, what have I lost? Nothing, because I could break it for more than £100 if it came to it! If it goes well, what have I gained? An absolute mint Omega, fully overhauled, for £200!!
Obviously I'll keep you updated with pics of work and progress!
Off to eBay now, to look at engine cranes.....
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Thats a really tidy looking omega, James, and a good price. Good luck with it [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
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Good luck nice lookin motor ;)
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looks good...
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It looks a nice clean motor [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
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Hard to tell from the pics, but that interior looks absolutely spotless. Great price too. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Keep us updated on yer progress Dude. ;)
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Nice one, looks like a bit of a steal. Hope all goes well. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
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looks like a good deal - same colour as one of my projects too - and similarly my projects body is shot too
keep us informed :)
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Looks like I'll be involved then - while the engine is out is a good time to drill holes and route pipes!
Shall I get a quote for a 4 cylinder SGI?
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Get a quote by all means matey, but lets just make sure I can get it going first of all :)
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Hard to tell from the pics, but that interior looks absolutely spotless. Great price too. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Keep us updated on yer progress Dude. ;)
The interior IS spotless. It literally looks like it's been just fitted brand new and never sat in!!
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Hard to tell from the pics, but that interior looks absolutely spotless. Great price too. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Keep us updated on yer progress Dude. ;)
The interior IS spotless. It literally looks like it's been just fitted brand new and never sat in!!
Excellent. That's rare. :o
Hope your transplant goes without a hitch, but i'm sure it will. ;)
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Good luck with the project :)
Shall look forward to reading the updates , HG replacement is something I have never done and would like to learn about.
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Good luck with the project :)
Shall look forward to reading the updates , HG replacement is something I have never done and would like to learn about.
I've changed the Head Gasket(s) on a V6 Omega, but not yet a 2.0.
It's not really a big deal, the key to removing and refiting a head is to take your time and note where everything goes back, and to take the time to clean the mating faces until spotless.
Other than that, apart from following the correct torque procedure on all the bolts, and setting the cam timing correctly, (a doddle on the 2.0), you can't go far wrong ;)
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Good luck with the project :)
Shall look forward to reading the updates , HG replacement is something I have never done and would like to learn about.
I've changed the Head Gasket(s) on a V6 Omega, but not yet a 2.0.
It's not really a big deal, the key to removing and refiting a head is to take your time and note where everything goes back, and to take the time to clean the mating faces until spotless.
Other than that, apart from following the correct torque procedure on all the bolts, and setting the cam timing correctly, (a doddle on the 2.0), you can't go far wrong ;)
I was thinking of doing some Head work on mine eventually not needed at the moment. The one thing that I have seen mentioned a few times I am not sure about is to do with getting the valves grinded or something like that when changing the stem seals which are part of the HG sets as far as I know, but whats that all about as I shouldn't have thought it would be needed.
All the same it sounds interesting what your looking to do.l
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Good luck with the project :)
Shall look forward to reading the updates , HG replacement is something I have never done and would like to learn about.
I've changed the Head Gasket(s) on a V6 Omega, but not yet a 2.0.
It's not really a big deal, the key to removing and refiting a head is to take your time and note where everything goes back, and to take the time to clean the mating faces until spotless.
Other than that, apart from following the correct torque procedure on all the bolts, and setting the cam timing correctly, (a doddle on the 2.0), you can't go far wrong ;)
totally agree, patience, observation and a belt and braces approach ( double check everything) will see you fine here!!
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Good luck with the project :)
Shall look forward to reading the updates , HG replacement is something I have never done and would like to learn about.
I've changed the Head Gasket(s) on a V6 Omega, but not yet a 2.0.
It's not really a big deal, the key to removing and refiting a head is to take your time and note where everything goes back, and to take the time to clean the mating faces until spotless.
Other than that, apart from following the correct torque procedure on all the bolts, and setting the cam timing correctly, (a doddle on the 2.0), you can't go far wrong ;)
Sorry just re read your post if you have done the v6 which looks to have a hell of alot more involved, the 2.0 for you will be a doddle, for me I've done most jobs on my car but not HG work fingers crossed its not needed just yet, was thinking the worst at the beginning of the month. Had it checked and checked it over myself and seems to be ok for the moment.
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hey James,
Looks a tidy project, nice and clean so need to do any work on that body work or intetior.
Get it running and slap it on eBay with loaaads of pictures.
Remember my shed that was an Elite? I got soooo many calls for that, i had to remove it from AT cause i was getting about 8 calls a day about it!!
Good Luck! [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
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Yep, but they were all to say that you should not advertise crap in autotrader! ;D ;D ;D
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Ok, tonight I towed the project car home with my mate. It's now on my drive.
The engine is definately siezed. We're not going to mess - we have a working engine in the other Meega, so it's going to be a direct replacement.
We can borrow an engine crane locally, so the plan is to:
A) Remove the engine from the project car, take off any bits we want (including the cylinder head), and then dump what's left.
B) Remove the engine from the donor car, do any little jobs such as cleaning the breather tube while it's easily accessible, etc, and hoist it into the project car.
C) Reconnect all of the ancilliaries, hoses and connectors etc, fill up the coolant system, and uncle Bob's your auntie - one sweet running Omega.
Then - scrap the engineless old donor car, to make way for the project after that.
A guy I know has just bought a new Elite, and we've done a deal whereas I'm going to take his old CDX V6 omega off his hands.
Another suggestion was to steal the V6 lump out of it and put it in the 2.0 project car, but that's probably not going to happen!!
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wow you are going to be busy - doing all that today ;)
Remember - almost anything will sell - so even things like glovebox, puddle lights, sunroof motors from the scraper will sell - ive just sold a sunroof case and motor on ebay for £36!!!!!!! so if it works, and its clean put it on a free listing day - you may find it ays for the initial project
edit at £100 it will pay!!
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A guy at work has just bought a new Elite, and is going to let me have his old CDX V6 omega for free, if I help him with a cambelt change on his new car! Sounds like a deal to me. It's not brilliant in appearance, but is mechanically sound and has a brand new exhaust and alternator, and goes a treat, so I might tidy that up.
Another suggestion was to steal the V6 lump out of it and put it in the 2.0 project car, but that's probably not going to happen!!
Result! Doesn't get much better than a free Meega. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
I reckon the temptation of the V6 might be too much for you though. ;)
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I reckon the temptation of the V6 might be too much for you though. ;)
I've already got a sweet running V6, so it won't be that tempting... ;)