Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

211

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Radio now STUCK

« on: 14 May 2015, 08:44:09 »

Ok, so further to a previous thread, I was in the middle of investigating my lack of FM on my SC804. I have a couple of spare ones, so thought 'let's just pop' another one in, see what happens' if I've FM = the HU's at fault, if still no FM = something wrong with the car's loom. However...

The thing's now stuck fast.  I can release the clips on the right hand side, but the left seems completely unwilling. My tools just don't grip as well on this HU as the other, Is there a trick that I might be able to employ to get the thing out? My hands are cut to ribbons trying to pull the thing after resorting to pushing the tools outwards, whilst simultaneously having my hand inside the cassette slot pulling like hell. It's clear that one clip isn't pushed inward far enough and is still gripping, however practising carefully on one of the other spare sets I can see how little force is actually required to push these release clips in.

If nothing doing it the proper way, thinking laterally, let's assume that this HU is a sacrificial one - after all I do have two others, so if needs be I can destroy this one. I'd rather not, of course, but if I have to, what's my route? Tear off the frontage, then insert some butter knives/flat bladed drivers in each side etc?

Oh, PS Good morning, all! 

212

Omega General Help / My V6 also leaking like a sieve!!

« on: 12 May 2015, 14:07:06 »

However mine's not an oil leak, it's water and getting wet in the passenger footwell.

"Ahh", I hear the cry - " 'tis your scuttle blocked up, whip it open, and pull all the dead leaves and things out."

Done that,

"Ohhh, you silly fellow", I hear you say "then your sunroof drainage channels are blocked. A length of net curtain wire will do the trick"

Done that.


It's definitely rainwater, I got it bone dry after a few days, but just a few moments ago there was a downpour so I nipped out to check and it's getting wet again. Small damp patch right at the bottom left hand corner of the NS footwell. Pulled at the trim panel by the passenger's left foot, and this had a puddle of water on top, and I pulled off the panel immediately to the left of the glovebox (PFLs have a separate panel between glovebox and doorcard) and there was a thimble's worth of water inside this too.

So I'm a bit confused here. I must be doing something wrong, or missing something. 

213

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / sc804 no FM...ish

« on: 12 May 2015, 09:41:36 »

Next job on Pissy is the radio...

There's no FM... except when I've recently disconnected the battery. I thought it had 'cured itself' but then, the following day, no FM. A few weeks later I had reason to take the battery off again, and again, no FM. So what could cause the FM to work, and a matter of minutes after, it stops working?

As a secondary issue, the CD autochanger doesn't work, but as far as I'm aware these aren't 'paired' so I can change that at my leisure.


I've got a spare SC804 unit, but rather than fitting that and throwing the other out, I'd like to know if there's something repairable on this one. I'm pretty clueless with electronics, so welcome all thoughts 

214

General Car Chat / PAS fluid - best place?

« on: 11 May 2015, 12:20:54 »

As per, anywhere good at present for Power Steering Fluid? ECP, Amazon, others? Thanks to the wonderful OOF I've already identified it's Dexron 2 I want. 

Quoted £9.08 inc vat at Vx, trade.


Ta, as ever, in advance gents 

215

General Discussion Area / Webby, you're too polupar...

« on: 05 May 2015, 09:44:43 »

empty your inbox, lad 

216

General Discussion Area / Call Admiral urgently?

« on: 01 May 2015, 16:59:21 »

Had a text from Admiral asking me to call them urgently, quoting a ref number. I am insured by them, recently arranged some temporary insurance to get to and from the MoT place, and then subsequently changed vehicles from the Weasel to The V6.

Is this a bit of semi-scamming/text equivalent of junkmail going on, like 'you're specially selected for the Reader's Digest Lucky Dip' or is it important. Can't imagine if it were actually important, eg: I'm not insured/made a mistake on my form and I'm about to be sued for insurance fraud, that they'd just send a text, they'd actually ring me, you know?

217

Omega General Help / Early 'plips' coding / compatability

« on: 30 April 2015, 22:46:58 »

So... what's involved in making a blank / brand new remote 'plip' / fob (one of these...)



...work to unlock my car? To 'reprogramme' one after a battery replacement, I'm pretty sure is a case of key in the ignition, then lock and unlock the car from the inside. (or something very similar - years since I've done it!) but not sure about when you get a replacement plip. The chip for the immobiliser is in the key and basically a separate system, but just hoping it's not a 'tech 2' job to get it a brand new one (or a second hand one?) to work on my Old Girl.

Haven't found any info on these earlier fobs, only later. I bow to your superior knowledge in advance 

218

General Car Chat / Reddex - Good, Bad or Pointless?

« on: 21 April 2015, 16:01:08 »

I pose, as means of proviking discussion, the effects, be they positive, negative or indeed totally placebo effect that Reddex has on an engine. It's an interesting point as I have poked around the internet looking for an answer, and found literally every answer! 'Is Reddex worth using?' seems to be the automotive equivalent of 'is there a God?'}

Opinions, hearsay, what some bloke's brother's mate in the pub said all welcome...  as are facts/proof, if anyone has any 

219

General Car Chat / Rear Suspension /Axle refurb

« on: 20 April 2015, 15:01:02 »

So, now The Lady has passed her Mot, next step is to go on holiday to the Lakes, so I'm happy, On returning getting her a full geometry setup. (would like to before I go, but sadly I'll literally have no time between now and tomorrow night)

After that I'd like to give the rear suspension a full refurb. I've got a short-term repair on the handbrake, but I'd really like to replace the backing plate with new or good second hand to eliminate the old problem of the handbrake pins pulling out. Also would like to replace the dust shields. I'm really thinking while I'm at it, so I want to be replacing the bushes, or is there literally no need/they last forever? I have paint and Poly donut bushes for the subframe, nothing else yet.. Basically looking at any tips or no-nos regarding refurbing the back end 


SO glad to be doing the fun stuff now, and no big scary MoT deadline hanging over my head! 

220

General Car Chat / SHE PASSED!!!!

« on: 20 April 2015, 10:32:08 »

Saturday, on her retest, P151HOH, or 'Pissy Ho' as she's always been known, passed her MoT!!!

After laying up the drive, abandoned, and left to rot for nearly 8 years, buying her off the old man, hundreds of manhours, pestering you good people on here on a weekly basis, from the major issues to the most minor niggles, she now has a clean bill of health for 12 months!!

The first MoT was a fail, on the following

Screen Washer weak
Bulbs out
Emissions over by 5 times the legal limit 
Howling/ineffective handbrake
Rear shocks


Screen Washer weak
jug of water - will give the filter a proper clean soon as I can

Bulbs out and weak
Traced to a father former owner forcing a normal bulb in a bulb holder designed for bulbs with offset pins  Had full set of spare lamp units and holders, so replaced.

Emissions over by 5 times the legal limit
Down to a misfire. Traced to a wire that had fallen out of a chocolate box connector bodge done by a previous owner who shall remain nameless!

Howling/ineffective handbrake
had serviced them the night before the MoT! Ah well. Shoe retaining pin/spring had fallen out, as bodge by former owner who shall remain nameless failed.

Rear shocks
Knew they weren't great, but had a set of Bilstein rear shocks on standby, if they passed the mot as is I was going to do them anyway.

Misfire was the easiest thing to diagnose, once I saw that wire poking out of an chocolate box with dry, brittle insulating tape spiralling off it!  Ah well. I changed the DIS pack, and grafted an Omega plug back into the loom, thus replacing the Vectra once which was previously fitted.

The handbrake, when I managed to get the disc off, after three hours, and several breaks, panting on the floor, the sight was a sorry one! One of the pins had torn a 2 inch hole in the backplate. I got an old dust shield, and made a semi-circular 'professional bodge' I then drilled a hole in this, fitted the springs, then the shoes etc. Same on the other side, pin pulled out. The failure had bent and pretty much ruined a brand new Vauxhall spring which had been on the car for about 18 hours!

Bulbs were a surprise, they looked fine in the drive, but on closer inspection the bizarre mix of the wrong bulbs in the wrong holders was throwing up strange issues one side being dimmer than the other. As above, swapped the bulb holders and away I went.

So, 2nd time round passed Saturday with only an advisory on the rear disc. Emissions now about about 75% under the limit.  Whoever recommended the Bilstein B4s I'm ruddy in love with them! She rides like a dream, feels taut, planted, doesn't pitch or roll, and above all feel safe.


I have to say a final word of thanks to all of you who've helped with every aspect of this exhausting but massively rewarding trek. OOF is teriffic! 

221

General Car Chat / Emissions MOT - criminally high

« on: 16 April 2015, 11:36:30 »

The question:
Will a now-cured misfire that caused massively high emissions, have stuffed the cats, or now the misfire is sorted, will she have sorted herself out completely?

The story:
So... the lady went in for her MoT, and after hundreds poonds spent she failed on bulbs, washer fluid, noisy handbrake drum (serviced it the previous night, buugger! ah well) rear shocks and emissions.

Everything now done aside from
rear shocks (three minutes per side, hehe)
handbrake

She was misfiring terribly on the way there, thanks to father's the previous owner's bodge of chopping into the Omega loom, fitting a Vectra DIS pack, and the subsequent use of chocolate box connectors which failed. On investigation a wire had pinged out.

Spare Omega dis pack, and section of corresponding Omega loom now installed, and she's like a sewing machine again! 


But.... as per the question, I now worry - should she have a run to 'blow the cobwebs' or will she be ok straight off the bat?

222

General Discussion Area / Battlebus!

« on: 14 April 2015, 13:25:37 »

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/other/thatcher%E2%80%99s-bulletproof-battle-bus-for-sale/ss-AAaB1BM#image=1

 

223

General Car Chat / The shadows drawer nearer for the Turbo Weasel...

« on: 13 April 2015, 15:18:40 »

MoT due Weds for my poor old, but big, black and beautiful V6, and barring any terrible failures that can't be repaired/fixed within a matter of hours/days, me and other half are off on holiday in a week - the plan is in the V6. This means the Turbo Weasel will be nearing the end of it's 145 thousand mile journey... maybe.

I know we've all got 'our babies', and ironically selling an Omega on her can be a bit tricky, because we've all got the car we're happy with, and especially don't need another, it's certainly no way a show-winner (it might even struggle to be accepted entry ) but it would be nice to see it dragged through another mot or two.

Basically I'm now exploring interest in the old Weasel on here first to you fine gents, who have been very good to me over the years. It's not 'for sale' yet, hence not being posted in the appropriate section, but just wondering if anyone is initially interested in either as...

1. A very, very, very cheap Omega that, with a couple of hundred quid will see it trundle merrily as a workhorse for years to come.
2. A 2.5 TD engine, with a free car surrounding it.
3. An Omega at a shade above scrap price, that you can get a few parts off, then weigh the shell in, and hopefully have a few quid in your back pocket.

 

224

General Car Chat / Dark Green met 2.6 in my scrappy - any interest?

« on: 13 April 2015, 08:36:45 »

Just giving all a head's up - I may be heading there in my dinner hour tomorrow, or in the week. Being relatively low-mileage (87k) worth grabbing a few bits off. Front wings seem ok, I think doors will be warped by the forklift ( ) but interior trim etc seems decent. Bonnets tend to get bricks hurled at them by little cherubs via a footbridge, so if you're after than, get in there quick 

Don't imagine the scrappy will be able to beat OOF prices,  but it does have vented rear discs (seem to recall a set of calipers inc. discs were £35 on here not long ago) Being a 2.6 it'll have them new-fangled twin dis pack setup, no traditional HT leads, etc..

225

Omega General Help / Replacing fuel lines

« on: 10 April 2015, 10:59:08 »

Got a nasty leak, but me being me, I happen to have a spare section of fuel line in excellent nick.  Its the metal one right next to the fuel filter - so I'm guessing this is the fuel return pipe.

Having researched, as per a guide on old OOF, it is suggested that I run the engine, then remove fuse 18, which will cause the engine to die after a few secs, but in doing so, drain the lines. That guide refers to changing the fuel filter, though, not the line I wish to replace. This being the return pipe (well, I am assuming the return pipe) as the car's been sat for a day or two without the engine running, would it have drained back to the tank already by now?

Suspect I should just 'go for it' and only a little will pour out, but just wanting to know what to expect / proper procedure before I get potentially dowsed in fuel. Much appreciated, thanks