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211

Omega General Help / Re: Alternator

« on: 21 December 2023, 17:08:30 »

Well, eventually came out of St Thomas Hospital London, with 7 stents pushed up into the arteries around the heart.  So, apart from taking it easy, that is me fixed!

As for the Omega, which I can now legally drive again after the week's medical restriction, after reconnecting the battery she started first time after 7 weeks standstill.  The new alternator is working fine.

Big relief.  Have now booked her in for the exhaust to be redone by the specialist garage outfit who should have done a far better professional job, which my Vx dealer faulted in a lovely health check video!!

212

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Number Plate Bulb

« on: 21 December 2023, 17:01:38 »

Never had to replace one on an Omega, but how do you access the number plate bulb please?

Maybe simples I know, but at the moment I cannot see how and the way I am means I want things to be easy!!!

213

Omega General Help / Re: cambelt 3.2 elite gates

« on: 14 December 2023, 17:12:08 »

……..
Surely  they didn't stop making them on the same day they stopped making the cars

No, but the dealer is only obliged to supply spares for up to ten years after the final build date I believe. This still makes any ‘new’ belt very old. 

Maybe. But Gates would have carried on making them as it was apparently not just an excluvie GM part.  I. Any case these belts are not made of tissue paper, but strong rubber.  I believed that it is the use of them on a very hot engine, with the massive tension over 4 years / 40k+ miles that destroys them eventually, not time spent in a spares department.

214

Omega General Help / Re: cambelt 3.2 elite gates

« on: 10 December 2023, 11:38:34 »

the correct Gates one is still readily available from Autodoc online.

But are they older than the ones on the car. I would imagine everything now is (very) old stock.

No idea.  The Autodoc stock comes in from Poland/Germany and is for the Opel as well as Vauxhall  Omega, plus goodness what else. As long as they last the 4 years on the engine that is all I care about.

Surely  they didn't stop making them on the same day they stopped making the cars

215

General Car Chat / Re: Gone In Seconds

« on: 27 November 2023, 12:23:14 »

It's probably just me, but a £350k Rolls on a drive of a humble type house, on obviously a very bog standard housing estate strikes me as a bit unusual.
In addition it has been known about for the last few years that criminals use devices outside of the property to activate the car's keys.
So why has this owner of such an expensive vehicle not taken better security precautions when being parked in a very typical housing estate, where usually the very rich do not normally live?

So he/she thought a Ring doorbell would be adequate security for such a vehicle parked in that way?

Sorry, but something is wrong here.  My suspicious brain is working overtime on this one

I am sure the police and insurance company would be investigating this case very closely.

216

Omega General Help / Re: cambelt 3.2 elite gates

« on: 26 November 2023, 19:36:13 »

Realistically, you'd be unlucky for it to fail soon.  The GM lowered limit of 40k/4yrs was due to an unacceptable number of failures with the original 80k/8yrs.  Unacceptable probably means less than 5%.

When the kits were readily available at a sensible price, and can be done in an hour or 2 quite easily, it was a no brainer to stick to the GM recommendation.  Now the kits are scarce, and probably all old stock, that makes the decision more difficult, even more so if you have to pay a garage to fit it (and they probably can't fit it properly anyway)

I would add that Serek at his Huntingdon SOS, garage, a OOF member, can be highly recommended to change our Omega cam belts, at a very realistic price.
Many of us use his services. 

As for the cambelt kit itself, the correct Gates one is still readily available from Autodoc online.

217

Omega General Help / Re: Breather Hose

« on: 25 November 2023, 11:31:43 »

1/4" ID rubber hose. Ideally oil/fuel resistant. A foot should be ample. ISO 7840 would be my preferred suggestion.

Readily available. Can be done without, but plenum best unbolted and lifted forward for access. It runs from the breather bridge to the crankcase vent box next to the large hose.

The middle sized hose is the outlet from the carbon cannister purge valve.

Thanks DG, most helpful

218

Omega General Help / Breather Hose

« on: 24 November 2023, 17:00:09 »

I have a split breather hose feeding the rear of the plenum, one of the smaller diameter of the two.

When I get out of hospital I want to replace it.  Is that straightforward and where can I obtain such a part now please?

219

Omega General Help / Re: Alternator

« on: 24 November 2023, 08:20:57 »

And post me the keys 

  .

220

Omega General Help / Re: Alternator

« on: 24 November 2023, 08:20:07 »

And leave the handbrake off

Always do when parked on the flat, such as In the garage

221

Omega General Help / Re: Alternator

« on: 23 November 2023, 13:51:35 »

Just make sure that the key actually unlocks the driver's door and/or leave the bonnet popped with a piece of wood or similar to prevent it being closed accidentally.

  

 

222

General Car Chat / Re: Breakdown cover

« on: 23 November 2023, 13:47:58 »

Been an AA member almost the whole time since owning a car.

Only had an issue in 2001 when my Omega 3.0 of the time broke down in Manchester with jammed A/C compressor.  Waited for almost 2.5 hours for an AA sub-contracted mechanic to arrive.  Then waited another 1.5 hours for an AA relay truck to turn up and my earderly parents and I back to Southam in Warwickshire, arriving there at 0130 hours.
Very unhappy, so complained to AA who promptly refunded my whole year's membership fee.

Never had another problem with the AA. 

The other week I had the alternator problem with the Omega 3.2 after just completing a local journey. Called the AA and a friendly man arrived 20 minutes after initial phone call and diagnosed the problem. Helped me get the car into my garage tlawait a booking at my local Vx dealer.  On the morning of the garage appointment another very friendly and helpful AA man turned up at the appointed time and fitted a temporary battery to last long enough for me to take the car to the Vx dealer. Once there, took thier battery off and offered to take me back home.

All for no charge beyond my usual membership fee.

Staying with the AA.

For one company Carlton we had RAC cover. It broke down with a snapped cam belt on the M4 40 miles from home in Bristol.  Sat beside the motorway for almost 2 hours, only for them to tow me to a service centre. From there a sub-contracted truck relayed us all to home. So after about 4.5 hours we eventually got home.  Complained, but no compensation.

No, I will be sticking  with the AA.

223

Omega General Help / Re: Alternator

« on: 23 November 2023, 13:16:53 »

Disconnect the battery. Otherwise you'll be buying another one.

Thanks DG.  Good thinking and will arrange for a friend' to do so

224

Omega General Help / Re: Alternator

« on: 23 November 2023, 08:04:38 »

I'm 70 in march but I've been assured it's the new 40

that's like winding the clock back on a car 
the body and moving parts will still be worn out 

Lizzie , I hope your feeling much better 
don't forget to spend a few hours putting a nice coat of wax on the Omega before winter 

Thanks Dave
As for the car; stuff that at the moment!  Once I have the specialist treatment from the surgeons of St Thomas Hospital, London, I will be lucky to  be able to polish my coffee table!

The car is in the garage for at least 8 weeks now, in addition to the time spent outside my daughter's house since Caffyns delivered it back there

225

Omega General Help / Re: Mirrors dont fold on impact

« on: 23 November 2023, 07:58:42 »

My mirrors do fold in when I want them to without any real effort.  However, they are fairly solid things that certainly will break other mirrors that come into contact with them, or will break themselves if they come into contact with my garage door frame!!!

I have replaced the outer casing of the door mirror unit a few times, and once the glass with units bought online from scrap dealers. This must be the only way to find them now as the new parts dried up ages ago.