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1861

Omega General Help / Pollen filter - which way up?

« on: 11 March 2016, 19:36:36 »

Just had a bit of a mental blank  ......just removed the carbon pollen filter to renew it. It was fitted with the air flow arrows pointing upwards towards the windscreen. Can anyone confirm this is the correct way for the air flow?

1862

Omega General Help / Re: Mud flaps

« on: 07 March 2016, 15:02:04 »

Having got two Omegas with mudflaps fitted from new /by the previous owner, I personally wouldn't fit them. As said, they are a hard plastic, and not flexible at all, and if you drive over certain speed humps, the front ones scrape on the road surface, and forces the mudflaps up against the sill covers. With them not being flexible, it obviously put pressure on the sill covers and wheelarch liners (depending where the screws are). They also have a tendency to rub the paint off the body - when I have removed them for what ever reason, the contact areas where the flap touches on the body has rubbed the paint off.
I personally wouldn't bother - however, the rears don't seem to be as problematic as the fronts and I suppose keep some dirt off the caravan, but apart from that, I'd avoid them. Just my thoughts /experiences.....

1863

Omega General Help / Re: Drivers Side Heaters Not Blowing Hot

« on: 16 February 2016, 23:21:59 »

With only one side of the heater warm and the other cold, it is likely to be the heater control arm has come off on the cold side. The guide you have seen on here will help you to fix it but it is a bit of a fiddle.
The radio NCDC 2013 is the correct set for a 2001 3.2 Elite and is the radio model designation, as is the 2015. Both these retain their codes; unless it's been replaced by a replacement set. If there's no radio pass (or the code noted somewhere - check the radio manual!!), VX can only supply the code for the original radio fitted, unless the change and code has been diligently recorded on the VX dealers records, but you obviously need to know which dealer! Otherwise, a good radio specialist should be able to retrieve the code from the radio itself.
As with any car, proper demisting is only possible with an efficient working aircon. People think that aircon is only for summer use, and switch it off when it gets cooler, but then wonder why the car mists up! Worth checking the pollen filter is not clogged as well, and is the right one fitted correctly - early cars had a standard filter, whereas later cars had a carbon filter. If the air con is ok, then damp in the cars interior is the only real other cause - I would check the front nearside scuttle drain is clear (guides on here) and that the passenger carpet is dry. If not, then it is likely water has got from the blocked scuttle, past the heater into the foam insulation under the carpet (again, guides on here how best to dry it out). There are other ways water ingress occurs, all outlined on here, but as many will agree are a pain in the backside.....
The door locking issue will almost definately be the solenoid /motor on the affected door; easy enough to change with the door card removed (guides on here). Cheap enough to buy at a local scrapyard; I have had this issue on several Omegas, and replaced them all with a secondhand ones with no further problems.
Good luck!

1864

General Discussion Area / Re: Well I've seen it all now!!!!

« on: 12 February 2016, 22:33:00 »

Motoway accidents (sorry pc slipped then - collisions) of this nature are relatively quite common. Foreign LGV changing lanes, unable to see a vehicle immediately alongside the tractor unit on the opposite side of the vehicle to the driver due to the limited view from their mirrors, although most should have an additional downwards mirror purely for this purpose. The vehicle they strike is usually positioned just forwards of the tractor unit, resulting in the vehicle then turning across the front and being shunted for as far as it takes for the LGV driver to realise what's happened. This happens regularly at merging motorway junctions with UK truck drivers, where they find themselves in lanes 3 for example where the motorways merge, and then begin to move back towards lane 1. In these cases you have to question why any driver would chance going up the near side of a LCV which obviously is likely to be moving back to lane 2 then 1. A common place for this type of RTC is the M6 Southbound at Broughton, just north of Preston where the M55 joins the M6. Vehicles travelling south from Lancaster in lane 1 suddenly find themselves in lane 3 where they merge. LCV's have to then move back to the new lane 1 with faster moving cars coming up on their near side.
In this case today, the driver of the car seems to be totally innocent in his actions, although the moral of this story could be to always be wary when passing up the side of a goods vehicle with the steering wheel on the wrong side! The foreign driver having had a drink or three had obviously severely impaired his judgement and he needs stringing up for that alone, but some still think that the drink driving laws don't apply to them....

1865

General Car Chat / Re: Alloygators.

« on: 12 February 2016, 20:59:01 »

My local Audi garage fitted sets to their loan cars, presumably as most people driving other people's cars either don't give a frig, or can't park a car next to a kerb.
Within a matter of weeks they were damaged, ripped from the alloy wheel, and heavier impacts still resulted in damage to the alloy rims. The other aspect is that they look terrible, making the tyre look a lot narrower than it is in relation to the rim.
My personal thought is that anyone who has pride in their car and is careful how they park shouldn't need such a device, which isn't foolproof anyway. My last Omega Elite  that I owned for over 11 years didn't have a mark on the alloys in that time purely from being careful when parking. If anyone has a reasonable amount of pride in their Omega, then surely they shouldn't need these devices......it's like putting the plastic trims on the edge of the door to prevent chips - unsightly and unnecessary if you care for your car.

1866

General Car Chat / Re: Removing a private number plate...

« on: 08 February 2016, 22:39:04 »

[Worth remembering the retention certificate lasts 12 months and if not renewed after then you will loose the number and have no claim on it
[/quote]

Retention certificates are now valid for 10 years, instead of 1 year, and there is now no cost (previously £25) to renew.

Should have read the above posts better; amba has also clarified the 10 year retention certificate.....

1867

General Car Chat / Re: exhaust tips

« on: 07 February 2016, 11:42:36 »

Using a breaker bar, you risk distorting the shape of the tailpipe. It needs a piece pipe that is an internal snug fit in the pipe with no free play to ensure they stay round.

1868

Omega General Help / Re: Black Circles

« on: 31 January 2016, 22:48:42 »

I've had Goodyear F1's on one Omega, and although they are a good tyre, in time they began to crack in the tread grooves around the circumference. Equally, in the past I have seen Dunlops do the same, but as they are now both part of the same company, I'm not surprised.
I have just bought a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 3 - at £95 a corner including fitting, a far better tyre imo, and a good price, I thought.

1869

Omega General Help / Re: V6 catalytic converters - difference between 2.6 and 3.2

« on: 25 January 2016, 23:21:56 »

Today, I've spoken to the technical dept of both BM Cats and Euroflo and both state that the replacement cats they produce are of identical quality to OE parts, although this was the response I was expecting! Prior to the requirement for type approved cats, (required to be fitted from March 2001 vehicles) then the quality apparantly wasn't as good as OE parts. Their cats are the same for the 2.6 and the 3.2 (which doesn't really help with my original question in this topic). BM have a 2 year warranty, and Euroflo have a 3 year warranty.
I have spoken to Cats 2 U who state they are a supplier only and do not manufacture them. They supply BM cats for the Omega.
Anyone with experience of the quality of BM or Euroflo - is one better than the other from first hand experience, rather than mere opinion?

1870

General Discussion Area / Re: Drink driving penalties

« on: 25 January 2016, 22:52:28 »

And don't believe the rubbish about 2 1/2 pints of beer putting you over the limit

Really???

I've had males & females who I've stopped who have only had 1 pint of lager  or a large glass of wine and failed the breathalyser. Even when I got them to custody and went on the intoxi-meter they still blew enough to put them over the 40mg threshold.

I would say the amount offenders have had to drink relative to the amount they SAY they had to drink is grossly different. Jasonm - you're not telling me that you have not had offenders saying, "I've only only had two pints / a glass of wine Officer", and then blown over the limit. Surely you don't accept that someone has only had two pints or a glass of wine on their say so with a reading over 35mg (or over 40mg to be on the way to be prosecuted)? It's human nature, I would say, in a situation when faced with being breathalysed to be slightly shy of the truth about how much you had to drink, especially if you believe you may be over.....

1871

Omega General Help / Re: V6 catalytic converters - difference between 2.6 and 3.2

« on: 25 January 2016, 12:45:13 »

I don't know where the Police cats come into this saga!!!!!!
The standard VX cats for auto 2.6 and auto 3.2 are different part numbers; the lambda sensors are the same for both; however Police spec VX cats are a different part number again.
Forget Police spec cats as that is not what I am asking!!!!!
I am asking if anyone actually knows (rather than educated guesses, which I appreciate, but...not what I need to know) the actual difference between the VX 2.6 auto and 3.2 auto cats - not interested in the Police spec ones!!!!

1872

Omega General Help / Re: V6 catalytic converters - difference between 2.6 and 3.2

« on: 25 January 2016, 10:16:28 »

2.6 and 3.2 downpipes full interchangeable.

In that case, why is the VX part number different for the two auto (non Police) 2.6 and 3.2 models?

1873

Omega General Help / Re: 2.2 Petrol Stat Change

« on: 25 January 2016, 10:12:52 »

What is the heater temperature like? On hot is it pumping out very hot or just warm?
I have a 2.6 that has hot air from the heater, but the actual temperature gauge barely gets to the first mark on the gauge. I am thinking that maybe the sender unit that isn't registering the correct temp to the gauge.
On an old VW Golf GTi MkIV that we had years ago, the sender unit also sent the temperature readings to the ecu regarding the air fuel mixture, so a dodgy sensor gave the wrong info resulting in incorrect fuelling. Don't know whether this aspect applies to an Omega....

1874

Omega General Help / Re: V6 catalytic converters - difference between 2.6 and 3.2

« on: 25 January 2016, 08:59:24 »

The Police spec cats were a different VX part number again from the standard 2.6 auto and 3.2 auto. I think the Police aspect has thrown a spanner the issue - I really wanted know the difference between a 2.6 auto and 3.2 auto cat for a standard (not Police) car because VX list different part numbers.
I also wanted to know therefore if anyone had successfully fitted genuine VX cats from a 2.6 onto a 3.2 without any issue, or if anyone knows whether it may trigger lambda faults as a result if the difference is the composition of the precious metal internally. As you know, the lambda sensor part numbers are the same for 2.6 autos and 3.2 autos........

1875

Omega General Help / Re: V6 catalytic converters - difference between 2.6 and 3.2

« on: 24 January 2016, 23:51:26 »

VX gave me the relevant part numbers from my registration numbers; both of which are autos.....