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[josephx]

Purchased Omega 2.0 16v (M365 HRG) In March 2010.  42,000 genuine miles.  Strange Car as it still had new car smell.  Was used by old lady to drive short distances for 15 years of it's existence.  Recently had trouble starting.  Diagnosed by engine management specialists.  Told of Code 19 and crank sensor problem. 

Sensor changed (not by me) .  No difference.  Re diagnosed.  Same code 19 problem!!!!  Confused now.  Told by other engine management guy to change cam sensor too. 

Did that ( Myself this time). Also changed plug as new plug came with new cam sensor.  Did notice that wire on old plug very aged and had stressed, corroded look. Realized that heat from engine is damaging sensor wires.  (Bad design fault running sensitive wires past hot engine parts.)

Engine running progressively rougher, lumpy, at idle speed and big trouble starting. 

So....new crank sensor and new cam sensor.  Plus new cam sensor plug.  Engine still bad!!! What now???  Could the crank sensor wiring be stressed and would the mechanics have changed that when the crank sensor was changed.  Does a new crank sensor come with new wire.  Realized I could have changed the crank sensor myself!!!

I am quite poor at present so slight desperation has set in after buying all these sensors and achieving nothing.

All new problem ocurring today!  Water running low after each journey.  AAAagh.

Advice on this owners club is amazing.  Excellent. 

Help. What next my expert friends out there in the electronic ether?  Is this a thread I am initiating?
Joseph Technik.

[TheBoy]

Does the code 19 still exist now?

Any water or oil in the spark plug wells?

Where are you?

[josephx]

Thanks, very much, for the reply going to go and check right now. I found out on this site that I can use a paper clip to make the fault code flash (as sequence) on the instrument panel instead of having it analysed at £30 a go.  Which I just cannot afford. I was not sure about using the Omega owners club interface.  So thought that what I had written would not be saved, but, to my surprise, got a reply.  Yesterday night, after I wrote my plea for info, I was under big pressure to drive the wife and Child to Cardiff (I live in Swansea near Gower). I was told to hurry up and leave the computer alone.  Little do they realise that I am trying to sort out the problem (of course it falls on deaf ears!) So I took a big risk and set off down M4.  Made it back and forth OK.  But Car required lots of water on arrival in Cardiff (1 hr's trip).  The water problem is actually a recent problem.

The car drives well at high speeds which supports much of
the info on the Omega club support pages.  Apparently the crank sensor works OK at high revs.  Hence the rough idling.
and good high speed driving.  It is all so frustrating though because I like the car and it was working fine until that engine management light went on.

I have also learnt that, usually, the sensor's are often good, but, the wiring from them are, literally, baked.  This causes  bad signals being sent to the ECU.  I unhooked the battery overnight to attempt to reboot the ECU, but this had no effect.

I will attempt to use the paper clip method to find out if the code 19 is still there and I will check for water and oil as you suggested, but only a few days ago I changed the spark plugs (try anything) and the wells were fine. I will also attempt to check and see if the crank sensor wire is good (awkward to see with out crawling underneath). 

Because the body work is so unnaturally mint two people have tried to buy it off me already.  (Should have sold it on hindsight but it drives, when going, beautifully). 

The whole world of sensors has become an intense frustration.  Especially when one spends money for analysis and advice.  And after carefully following such advice.....and spending money on parts..... (£95 for crank sensor + £79 for cam sensor): there is no improvement.

Thank you, and good evening.
Josephtechnik

[Entwood]

Just to give you some simple things to check ... as the loss of water could lead to serious problems if the leak suddenly increased ...

Loss of water on the Omega has a couple of "normal" places that are easily checked.

HBV (Heater Bypass Valve) - right at the back of the engine, underneath the "scuttle" (the plastic bit below the windscreen wipers that collects the water that runs off the windscreen) ... tricky to see but looks like the starship enterprise and has three hoses connected. Feel around with a bit of colured paper towel (kimwipe is excellent) as when it gets wet the colour usually changes ! Known to leak slowly to start then to give way in dramatic fashion About £30 and a few swear words to change.

Header Tank/Cap : The headertank can get very small "hairline" cracks around its neck/screw area. The cap internal pressure seal can fail. Either of these will prevent the coolant system pressurising, so leading to water loss through evaporation. As the water temp is approaching boiling point this evaporation rate is quite high .. bit like boiling a kettle dry. Can be checked WITH EXTREME CARE by loosening the cap with the system running at normal temp. BE AWARE THAT IF THE SYSTEM IS GOOD YOU WILL RELEASE VERY HOT STEAM AS YOU DO THIS - USE A TOWEL AND TAKE CARE - new header tank about £35, new cap about £12 I think

There are other places .. but check these easy ones first ..

[josephx]

Thank you for that advice.  Actually the cap does look promising as I noticed recent staining around the top of the header tank spreading out from under the cap.  I thought I had not put it on properly.  In terms of the sensor problem.....There was a very interesting post on another techie forum. (I thought I had book marked it, but, it has vanished!) It seems lots and lots of people are going thru similar experiences of code 19 faults and replacing sensor after sensor.  And then moving on to other parts in frustration (often at the advice of VOX dealerships).  It was solved by the removal of the sensor and checking that it fitted at a perfect 90 degree angle.  the gentleman in question saw that a tiny locating lug or guide was preventing the sensor from seating correctly.  And after a few moments with a file the problem was solved when the sensor was replaced.  and all that after he spent £1000 pounds!!!  The sensors have to be perfectly aligned.  Anyway I am off  to check those probable leaking points and try and somehow get under the car and at that damned (brand new) crank sensor.  On another forum, an electronics engineer said that the sensors are actually very simple and cheap components.....Literally peanuts to buy.  How do they justify selling them for such horrible prices. Hard to believe, but I keep losing this post thingymujig.  That's why I have only just responded (so late).

Thanks a million, Josephx

[Diamond Black Geezer]

I'm always saying this to people - never be afraid to see what bits people have on here. As a 'newbie' you wont yet know just how helpful/useful people are on here for parts. I nearly fell off my chair when I saw how much you paid for the two sensors!

Best of luck with the sensor issues!

[josephx]

well.....(I am cheekily presuming interest here of my problems)

The latest news is that there is a good strong signal from the crank sensor and cam sensor to the ECU.  I had a very good and honest engine management fellow check out the vehicle and his conclusion is that it can only be the ECU.

I did clean and check the idle air control valve.

He was the only person to look at the car and offer advice and technical expertise without charging any money!!!

All he does is engine electrics and management systems.

Everywhere else I ask for help insists that I have the car diagnosed for prices varying from £30 to £50.

Thank you Omega owner forum and the paper clip test.....(Great satisfaction seeing that work.)

A garage told me that I can have the ECU reset/booted programmed.....whatever..... for a £100, but my new buddy told me don't believe them.  Don't give them any money!!!

I asked him about buying a second hand ECU and was told that one needs NOT only the ECU, but also the Key (and where the key goes into I presume), chipset (?) immobiliser unit (?).  He told me that it was a fiddly job requiring removal of dash and where immobiliser unit is fixed.

I know that, if it will work, with all the bits needed, I can do it myself, having taken the interiors of cars apart
(and putting them back) on other cars.

I wonder if any other forum regulars have put in a second hand ECU.  I cannot afford a new one.  I desperately need the car to get to work.

Should I post this somewhere else on the forum?

Thanks a lot Josephx.

[Andy B]

......

Should I post this somewhere else on the forum?

Thanks a lot Josephx.

No need. 
But as The Boy asked .... where are you? If you do need A N Other ECU he, amongst others, is your man to programme it via his Tech II ...... cheaper & better than a main dealer too.   

[TheBoy]

......

Should I post this somewhere else on the forum?

Thanks a lot Josephx.

No need. 
But as The Boy asked .... where are you? If you do need A N Other ECU he, amongst others, is your man to programme it via his Tech II ...... cheaper & better than a main dealer too.   

Possibly not on that one - its too early

Chances are, it has IR locking, thus has a bypassable immobiliser

[TheBoy]

But I doubt the engine ECU has failed. They don't