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[Brucie1946]

Fit vectra v6 cam covers, much more robust, 3x as thick a rocker cover seal.

Did mine this way and is oil drip free now

No matter what people say, plastic warps under extreme heat conditions, can you expect a plastic cam cover to hold up to 100 deg c temps daily over the years and not warp, especially when the wall thickness around the seal on the omega is only approx 2mm, and expect that to not degrade over continuous heating up and cooling down.

[JamesV6CDX]

There is a constant debate re Veccy covers.

My personal opinion is they are fine to fit as long as the breathers are religiously kept clear BUT some are of the view that it's better to have plastic ones which can blow, should the breathers get blocked, rather than lose a crank seal etc etc... which is also valid..

I'm pretty neutral in that debate, but I will say one thing...

... I fitted genuine GM gaskets to a 2.6 vectra with metal covers not long ago, and the gaskets were VERY ill fitting.... much too loose!

If using veccy covers, I'd almost say try for Elring gaskets or similar... as the GM ones don't seem to fit right...

[Brucie1946]

Debate all day long

Worked for me, my omega mechanic who's employed at ellesmere port Vauxhall, and worked at the v6 engine plant on retrofits, customer issues and finding remedies for the v6's engines problems said fine to fit.  Common problem is not so much the breathers, as careful maintenance and regular oil changes keeps the pipes from crusting up, pipes were perfect on my 60,000 mile car.  Its the pin hole oil pressure relief orifice in the pump that gets blocked, causing the oil pump to over pressurise, capable of twice what the engine needs, running a oil system cleaner helps clean it and hence the pressure drops.  On later cars not v6, the orifice was made larger, so it didn't block as easily.

Being a fellow omega mechanic specialist james, I assume you knew this already?

[Brucie1946]

James

For reference give this website a try, really helpful for queries you might have about the engine etc of the Vauxhall V6

www.v6technicians.co.uk

Geoffs a really nice, helpful guy.

I'm sure he'd be able to help you James

more power to the elbow and all that!

[Andy H]

The oil feed to the cylinder head is in the rear corner of the head. I don't know of any cases of oil leaks occuring due to the head gasket but if you are eliminating all possible causes it is one more thing to check.

[Howard]

I had oil leaking from somewhere underneath the main block and slight smears on the rocker covers but no real indication from where. I took it in for a check and the Oil Pressure Switch was the source of the leak. It was replaced on the spot by my local garage in Bedford. Could be serious if left apparently. Seems OK now.

[tunnie]

No don't fit Vectra Cam covers, if they are so much better why were they not fitted at the factory? 

I'd rather be changing cam cover gaskets rather than a crank seal, if you maintain everything right standard cam covers and gaskets will easily last 7 years+ - My 2000 plate 2.2 is on 160k and its only had its cam cover replaced once!

Similar story with mother T's 3.0, one set of gaskets in its life time.

Part of the problem is the monkeys at Vauxhall dealers who do the work!

[robson]

very interesting Tunnie how often do you clean the breathers on  your V6

[Entwood]

very interesting Tunnie how often do you clean the breathers on  your V6

Don't know about Tunnie .. but I do mine every other oil change, so every 10,000 miles.

Since I did the rocker covers just after buying the car I've done 45,000 miles (car now has 110,000) and no problems with the cam covers whatsoever.

Original covers, but with genuine gaskets, torqued to 8NM, and the breathers kept in good condition ..

[tunnie]

I find it's not cleaning breathers it's more regular oil changes, change it every 3-5k and it does no degrade enough to cause any issues

[doz]

When I got my first Mig I thought about adapting the covers and putting in extra breathers. Nearside is easy as it has the oil filler neck the offside may take a little thought. I never did follow it up though

[feeutfo]

When I got my first Mig I thought about adapting the covers and putting in extra breathers. Nearside is easy as it has the oil filler neck the offside may take a little thought. I never did follow it up though

Good job too. Seen a few lash ups on omegas. Non take into account that the breathers are connected to the plenum chamber, which runs at vacuume. As Master pointed out on here, the breather system keeps the crank case at negative preassure, so there's no "sides" involved.

[JamesV6CDX]

Debate all day long

Worked for me, my omega mechanic who's employed at ellesmere port Vauxhall, and worked at the v6 engine plant on retrofits, customer issues and finding remedies for the v6's engines problems said fine to fit.  Common problem is not so much the breathers, as careful maintenance and regular oil changes keeps the pipes from crusting up, pipes were perfect on my 60,000 mile car.  Its the pin hole oil pressure relief orifice in the pump that gets blocked, causing the oil pump to over pressurise, capable of twice what the engine needs, running a oil system cleaner helps clean it and hence the pressure drops.  On later cars not v6, the orifice was made larger, so it didn't block as easily.

Being a fellow omega mechanic specialist james, I assume you knew this already?

I have heard mention of the issue but have not personally come across one suffering from it.

Cam cover Issues are usually caused by "vauxhall dealers" not cleaning breathers. I have yet to see one of these phantom "warped" covers from heat alone. Anyone else? Overtightening, perhaps, (again by VX mechanics), but not heat.

We'll agree to disagree.... I am with Entwood, metal covers are a bodge, ie, not fixing the route cause of the issue.

[Abiton]

Debate all day long

Worked for me, my omega mechanic who's employed at ellesmere port Vauxhall, and worked at the v6 engine plant on retrofits, customer issues and finding remedies for the v6's engines problems said fine to fit.  Common problem is not so much the breathers, as careful maintenance and regular oil changes keeps the pipes from crusting up, pipes were perfect on my 60,000 mile car.  Its the pin hole oil pressure relief orifice in the pump that gets blocked, causing the oil pump to over pressurise, capable of twice what the engine needs, running a oil system cleaner helps clean it and hence the pressure drops.  On later cars not v6, the orifice was made larger, so it didn't block as easily.

Being a fellow omega mechanic specialist james, I assume you knew this already?

Please explain the relevance of the section highlighted.  The pressure in the high-pressure oil system seems to me utterly irrelevant to camcover seals. 

[Brucie1946]

Due to the fact the oil pump has a pin hole orifice, which can get blocked in some cases, this acts as a bypass whereby if the pump creates excess oil pressure a ball bearing type poppet allows oil past through the orifice, hence venting pressure.  If this orifice is partially blocked, the oil pump is more than capable of creating double the amount of pressure that the engine requires.  Excess oil pressure finds the natural weak points, cam cover gaskets, crank seal etc.

Im readily informed of this issue from the mechanic at

www.v6technicians.co.uk

Im sure he knows what he's talking about having worked at the V6 engine plant, would you not think?  I think its feasable!

Run an engine oil flush every oil change, with an oil pressure gauge connected you can actually watch the oil pressure coming down, as the flush cleans the oil pump pressure relief orifice.

Hope this helps explain.

If in doubt, give the v6 technicians a shout, who will back the story up, please remember these 2 guys worked at ellesmere port rectifying issues, building and testing the 2.5, 2.6, 3.0 and 3.2 engines.  Geoff is a extremeley knowledgable chap.

Enough said, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink!