Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: tigers_gonads on 08 February 2012, 08:58:58

Title: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: tigers_gonads on 08 February 2012, 08:58:58
Heater matrix was bunged up so a couple of weeks back, so I pulled both pipes off the hbv  (couldn't get the plastic clips off the matrix) and gave it a good flush out and did a anti freeze change at the same time.  The heaters are now nice and hot but I can't seem to get the air out of the system.
I followed the guide on here.  :'(

Just a thought, would it matter if the 2 pipes I removed off the hbv was put back in reverse ?  ::) :-[

Temp sits perfect until it gets to around 97 and the engine thermostat opens. (water coming out of both small pipes on the water bottle).
Within minutes, the temp is up too 100+ and the bottle is presurised to the point of going bang  :'(
If you crack of the bottle cap, it just pumps out at least 2 ltrs of water.

I've tried running it with the water just below the float sensor with the cap loose but as soon as the engine thermostat opens, it just blows the coolant out  :'(

Any ideas please ?

Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: freecall666 on 08 February 2012, 09:58:19
remove the expansion tank top and run engine keep some water at hand, when gets up to temp and fan on fad comes on turn off engine and leave to cool down, top up if water level gose down wile engine running and when cool top back up. can help by pushing on pipes around the engine to get air out. wile engine running. when cooled down can put top back on. if dose the same after then maybe head gasket.
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: Lazydocker on 08 February 2012, 10:01:52
If it wasn't doing it before you did the flush then it can't have blown the HG without you doing anything ;)

I would say it's an airlock ;)
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: tigers_gonads on 08 February 2012, 12:51:14
Well thats another 4 or 5 ltrs of water poured in and i'm pretty certain that 5 ltrs has not been pumped out  :(

I've checked the dipstick for level change and mayo but thats ok
There is no water in the footwells so the heat matrix seems ok.
There is mayo on the filler cap but most days, the longest run the car gets is about 6 miles at a time.
The car has been right up to a 100 degree's a few times in the last 2 weeks.

When I turn the ignition off, I can hear a hissing noise at the back of the block but I think that may be just a vaccum pipe letting go  :-\

Any idea's welcome
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 08 February 2012, 13:08:54
Your clues are there.......the fact its getting upto a high temperature tells you have a COOLING system issue.

So check adn flush your rad, if the heater matrix was clogged, the rad will be to.
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: tigers_gonads on 08 February 2012, 13:14:21
Your clues are there.......the fact its getting upto a high temperature tells you have a COOLING system issue.

So check adn flush your rad, if the heater matrix was clogged, the rad will be to.


 :-[ :-[

That makes sense  ::)

Can't see they been any antifreeze left so i'll pull the rad out this weekend and stick a hosepipe in it  :y

Does it matter which way I flush it ?
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: Rods2 on 08 February 2012, 13:19:55
Check to make sure, duel speed fan is working properly, if only the higher speed, then engine can go into the red, before higher speed, brings the temperature down.

When the engine is warm, smell the anti-freeze in the header tank to see if you can smell exhaust fumes and also check to see if the exhaust fumes smell sweet from burning anti-freeze. If you can't detect these then unlikely to be HG. If you detect this then make up a header cap with a valve and try pressure testing the cooling system, if you have a leak then I would suggest doing a compression test on all of the cylinders.

I did all of this before concluding HG and it was, but I did get higher compression reading on two left cylinders where HG had badly gone and the only explanation I've got for this is where it was sucking in water, it was raising the compression!  :o
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: tigers_gonads on 08 February 2012, 13:26:51
Cheers Rod, i'll bear that in mind if the rad flush doesn't do the trick  :y
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: adey2 on 08 February 2012, 14:28:05
also you should never put cold water into a hot engine, youll crack the head, always use hot
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: tigers_gonads on 08 February 2012, 15:06:25
also you should never put cold water into a hot engine, youll crack the head, always use hot

 :y
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 08 February 2012, 16:02:18
Go to the plumbers merchants and buy some home radiator cleaner. I buy their own make but there is some called Fernox. Rinse both ways the radiator first, empty out the water. Lie it down with the pipes pointing up. Pour in the fernox or equivalent top up with water. I would the following day empty the radiator through some tights or something into a bucket to catch the bits. Then rinse out with fresh water and repeat over a couple of days. :y
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: tigers_gonads on 08 February 2012, 16:27:26
Go to the plumbers merchants and buy some home radiator cleaner. I buy their own make but there is some called Fernox. Rinse both ways the radiator first, empty out the water. Lie it down with the pipes pointing up. Pour in the fernox or equivalent top up with water. I would the following day empty the radiator through some tights or something into a bucket to catch the bits. Then rinse out with fresh water and repeat over a couple of days. :y


Will do  :y

Cheers Daz  :)
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: PhilRich on 08 February 2012, 18:39:45
Don't forget to take the tights off first though TG, 'cos Daz didn't! :D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;) ;)
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: tigers_gonads on 08 February 2012, 19:46:11
mmmmm  nowt like a soggy gusset   ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: tigers_gonads on 22 February 2012, 16:29:25
Fernox worked a treat  :y :y
Cheers Daz  :y

Amazing how much sh*t came out of the bloody thing  :o
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: omega3000 on 22 February 2012, 17:04:42
Very similar problems that ive had only last week , i have changed the temp sender on the rad and the slow speed fans seem to be cutting in and keeping the car at normal running temp now where as before the car would hit the red zone 100 and only then would the high speed fans cut in which was far too late ...

Just a thought that it could be that, mite help  :y
Title: Re: Air in the system or head gasket ?
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 22 February 2012, 17:23:47
Fernox worked a treat  :y :y
Cheers Daz  :y

Amazing how much sh*t came out of the bloody thing  :o

Glad your sorted  :-*