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[terry paget]

I don't know whether TB has changed crank sensor at roadside or not-but I have,however it does help that I'm built like a biro refill

How did you raise the car securely? A high kerb is fine if you can reach one without engine power.

[BazaJT]

Didn't raise car at all.Turned steering to full lock to give a bit more clearance and then I can reach bolt that holds crank sensor.Hardest bit is turning steering without the engine running!

[terry paget]

Congratulations! It never occured to me it could be done with wheels on the ground.

[TheBoy]

But again, it isn't a bad enough problem to spend any time worrying about it.

Both times mines failed away from home, its been game-over - its not viable to do 2 miles every hour when you're 500 miles from home.

Certtainly worth carrying a £45 sensor in boot, along with an e8 socket

[VXL V6]

But again, it isn't a bad enough problem to spend any time worrying about it.

Both times mines failed away from home, its been game-over - its not viable to do 2 miles every hour when you're 500 miles from home.

Certtainly worth carrying a £45 sensor in boot, along with an e8 socket

Agreed, also would say the same for a HBV, bit more fiddly to fit at the roadside and sometimes you can keep the coolant from escaping by running on full heat or full cold but a fix at the side of the road is far more preferable than on the back of a recovery truck - especially if your a hundred miles or so from home, which I am pretty much every day.

[Doctor Gollum]

But again, it isn't a bad enough problem to spend any time worrying about it.

Both times mines failed away from home, its been game-over - its not viable to do 2 miles every hour when you're 500 miles from home.

Certtainly worth carrying a £45 sensor in boot, along with an e8 socket

Agreed, also would say the same for a HBV, bit more fiddly to fit at the roadside and sometimes you can keep the coolant from escaping by running on full heat or full cold but a fix at the side of the road is far more preferable than on the back of a recovery truck - especially if your a hundred miles or so from home, which I am pretty much every day.

I know you love your Omegas Andy, but surely if you were genuinely that worried, you would be driving a shiny new lease car...

I always work on the basis that recovery can get the car home and I can then fix/torch it as appropriate. Hasn't failed yet

[terry paget]

But again, it isn't a bad enough problem to spend any time worrying about it.

Both times mines failed away from home, its been game-over - its not viable to do 2 miles every hour when you're 500 miles from home.

Certtainly worth carrying a £45 sensor in boot, along with an e8 socket

Agreed, also would say the same for a HBV, bit more fiddly to fit at the roadside and sometimes you can keep the coolant from escaping by running on full heat or full cold but a fix at the side of the road is far more preferable than on the back of a recovery truck - especially if your a hundred miles or so from home, which I am pretty much every day.

I know you love your Omegas Andy, but surely if you were genuinely that worried, you would be driving a shiny new lease car...

I always work on the basis that recovery can get the car home and I can then fix/torch it as appropriate. Hasn't failed yet

Recovery is all very well, but it can take a while to arrive. Happily all Omegas come with full size spare wheels and wheel changing kit, so punctures don't bother us. Crank sensors usually recover on cooling and allow us to proceed, but 16 year old aux pulley bearings can seize without warning and then we are stuck.
I appreciate one can get carried away preparing for unlikely breakdowns, but popping into the boot an old belt and a spare pulley adds little weight. I already carry an extensible wheel nut tool, all I need is a 15mm socket and I can be on my way in less time than a wheel change takes.

[Andy B]

.... Happily all Omegas come with full size spare wheels and  ....

Almost full size 

[Nick W]

I always work on the basis that recovery can get the car home and I can then fix/torch it as appropriate. Hasn't failed yet

That's always been my approach; even when running 20 year-old £25 cars as daily drivers(600 miles a week) for several years, I've never found any need to carry tools or spares beyond new points and condenser - and only from the early '90s when the quality dropped through the floor and failure rates rocketed. I did once use the AA patrol's tools to refit a Pinto cambelt, rather than have it towed home, but I was on my way to a party. The only reason my large socket set is now in the car is that I no longer need it for work and have nowhere else to keep it. I have always fixed stuff as soon as it presents a problem, whether it was a funny noise due to a failing drive belt or buying some new bellhousing bolts when changing gear on roundabouts became impossible.


13 years driving a recovery truck actually reinforced this opinion. I'm not buggering about with my car at the side of the road. I can just about accept keeping a working when it was removed(the real definition of known good) crank sensor, but a HBV/alternator belt/tensioner pulley? Those fall into the same category as holed sumps or suddenly leaky radiators - possible, but not common enough to worry about.

[Nick W]

.... Happily all Omegas come with full size spare wheels and  ....

Almost full size 

Matching alloy and 235/45 17" tyre in my wheel well

[Doctor Gollum]

.... Happily all Omegas come with full size spare wheels and  ....

Almost full size 

Matching alloy and 235/45 17" tyre in my wheel well

Alot to be said for having an estate...

[Shackeng]

I always work on the basis that recovery can get the car home and I can then fix/torch it as appropriate. Hasn't failed yet

That's always been my approach; even when running 20 year-old £25 cars as daily drivers(600 miles a week) for several years, I've never found any need to carry tools or spares beyond new points and condenser - and only from the early '90s when the quality dropped through the floor and failure rates rocketed. I did once use the AA patrol's tools to refit a Pinto cambelt, rather than have it towed home, but I was on my way to a party. The only reason my large socket set is now in the car is that I no longer need it for work and have nowhere else to keep it. I have always fixed stuff as soon as it presents a problem, whether it was a funny noise due to a failing drive belt or buying some new bellhousing bolts when changing gear on roundabouts became impossible.


13 years driving a recovery truck actually reinforced this opinion. I'm not buggering about with my car at the side of the road. I can just about accept keeping a working when it was removed(the real definition of known good) crank sensor, but a HBV/alternator belt/tensioner pulley? Those fall into the same category as holed sumps or suddenly leaky radiators - possible, but not common enough to worry about.

This works for you, so fine, but, for me, if I am on holiday touring in Scotland or Europe, I have no wish to be recovered to home for something as simple as those described above.

[VXL V6]

I always work on the basis that recovery can get the car home and I can then fix/torch it as appropriate. Hasn't failed yet

That's always been my approach; even when running 20 year-old £25 cars as daily drivers(600 miles a week) for several years, I've never found any need to carry tools or spares beyond new points and condenser - and only from the early '90s when the quality dropped through the floor and failure rates rocketed. I did once use the AA patrol's tools to refit a Pinto cambelt, rather than have it towed home, but I was on my way to a party. The only reason my large socket set is now in the car is that I no longer need it for work and have nowhere else to keep it. I have always fixed stuff as soon as it presents a problem, whether it was a funny noise due to a failing drive belt or buying some new bellhousing bolts when changing gear on roundabouts became impossible.


13 years driving a recovery truck actually reinforced this opinion. I'm not buggering about with my car at the side of the road. I can just about accept keeping a working when it was removed(the real definition of known good) crank sensor, but a HBV/alternator belt/tensioner pulley? Those fall into the same category as holed sumps or suddenly leaky radiators - possible, but not common enough to worry about.

This works for you, so fine, but, for me, if I am on holiday touring in Scotland or Europe, I have no wish to be recovered to home for something as simple as those described above.

Agreed, I work all over the country and nothing is worse than having to endure a return journey from places such as Newquay or Aberdeen to Solihull in a recovery truck or multiple recovery trucks. I try to look after my cars and ensure all the essentials are checked regularly but even so I also carry the items above plus some oil and water (cars with HID's and washers seem to drink 5L of washer fluid in no time this time of year!). It's no big deal weight wise as the car is always loaded up with kit for my job anyway.

[tidla]

Yep, heat setting on full helps get you home when the hbv throws a wobbly.

Battery terminal is another gremlin , but only needs doing once.

[tidla]

Abs unit. phone gps app with speed helps with that