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[Alnico Blue]

I'm with Terry on this  . . . thinking that you probably have a small leak. The problem is a very small leak will evaporate & you won't see a visible leak or pool on the ground.

Black plastic sides & top  of the rad are a common place & often hidden from view .  Small HBV leak is another.

Coolant bridge another possibility.   

 I had a very small leak for a long time & just could not find it, although could often smell the leaking coolant aroma when hot.  Eventually on a very cold day after a decent run when the car had reached full temp, after  been parked up for 5 or so minutes , I lifted the bonnet to see a very small column of steam rising from the passenger side of the rad . This leak & resulting fine crack in the rad plastic was only visible once rad was removed . The top passenger side corner of the rad is a very common place to crack as plastic becomes very brittle with age  IMO.

Removing the 3 black plastic cover panels across the front of the rad area may help in visibly seeing it though

A coolant system pressure test would probably confirm you have an issue . Others will advise on this as never done one myself.    HTH

[robson]

I had a tiny hole in base of rad it took a long time to detect.

[addy]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think everyone who said leaking radiator, might be right.  I decided to remove the centre panel over the radiator (now got to get another one as had to break it, due to rust screw heads). When I looked on the passenger side, at the top where the plastic is that holds the back radiator to the front one it had a slightly wet part, and down the side of the radiator was a trail of what looked like old coolant. I am hoping to do a pressure test, to confirm it.

Will this radiator fit my 2002 2.6 Automatic with Air Conditioning, when I did compatability check it said no? If not is there one that will work?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-RADIATOR-VAUXHALL-OMEGA-B-MK2-1994-TO-2003-2-5-2-6-3-0-3-2-PETROL/272860595341?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649#vi-ilComp

The area circled is where it looks like it is leaking.


Also is there a easy way to remove the radiator, cannot find a how to in the maintenance section.

Thanks again for all the help.

[LC0112G]

Also is there a easy way to remove the radiator,

In a word, no.

Before you start, buy one of these (or similar). It's cheap, wont last long, but will save hours of faffing with mole grips trying to get the hose clamps on/off, and will reduce your blood pressure from eyeball bursting levels.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blue-Spot-Tools-Flexible-Spring-Hose-Clip-Clamp-Plier-Remover-Removal-Tool-07921/162160705278?epid=1964514964&hash=item25c187fefe:g:XgwAAOSwdzVXpeuT

Drain the water from the engine. Remove the induction manifold (bagpipes), and the two screws that fix the A/C rad to the main rad. Disconnect all the pipes and unplug all the electrical connections. Unbolt the secondary air pump from the back of the rear fan. I also found it easier to remove the air filter air box completely. Finally, undo the auto box oil cooler banjo bolts. Then wiggle, jiggle and force the rad upwards - It comes out complete with the fan assembly still attached. It fouls on just about everything, including the A/C pipework.

Once out, transfer the fan assembly from the old rad to the new one. Two bolts IIRC.

Refitting is the reverse operation to removal... Except.. The new Rad may or may not come with the screw clamp fixings for the fan and A/C radiator. If it doesn't then transfer the ones off the old rad - assuming they'll come off. Also, the new Rad I bought had a different top edge which meant the fan assy didn't fit. Instead of the one ridge across the top middle like shown in your picture, the after market rad had two ridges - one front one rear. This means the top plastic bracket of the fan didn't fit, so it had to be re-engineered (bodged) with an angle grinder. Also, a good idea to use new copper crush washers on the auto box cooler banjo bolts. And finally, use good quality jubilee clips on refitting the water hoses.

Something that's a 15 minute job on my Carlton took about 4 hours on the Omega.

[Doctor Gollum]

Easier, and lighter if you pull the fan before the radiator

[cam.in.head]

That should be the right one.it has the extra two pipes for the additional recirc pump (early ones don’t have this).just compare it to yours in the picture to be sure.  The internal cooler is not used so just ignore that part. Swapping it is easy. It’s easier on the later 2.6 because it doesn’t have the earlier air pump system. Only issue I could with mine was that the top plastic cover didn’t fit correctly over the slightly different top design of the new one. Central fin if I remember correctly.

[Alnico Blue]

Thats the one  . . . you say the "compatibility check" said it was not suitable for your omega 

I just done the compat check with your model 2.6 saloon 2002 details  & it said yes . 

As I recall, a few on here have used that supplier & have been pleased with the quality.

LCO's guide above is about right  . . .watch out for the 2 very small O rings when you disconnect auto box pipes above the rad on drivers side . as you lift the block connector up after undoing the 1 torx bolt , these O rings can drop out if you are unaware they are there.

Also the 2 rad switches down passenger side ( which you will have to change over from old rad to new)  are a bit tricky to disconnect & re connect .  I pre marked the underside of the connector so looking at the mark from underneath , I knew they were in the correct position to slide straight in to the switch 

Some rads pull out easily others are a barsteward to get moving . Never understood why that is 

HTH.     

 **Note to myself  . . .about time we had a rad changing maintenance guide with pics  on OOF 

[LC0112G]

The biggest PITA for me was that my original genuine VX rad had some plastic mouldings on the passenger side end tank that makes the rad wider than the A/C pipes above it where they connect to the A/C rad, so the flippin' thing wouldn't clear them to pull out. My A/C works great, so I had no intention of de-gassing and re-gassing to take both rads out together - which I suspect is how they go in at the factory.

In the end I had to take the air filter box out, and then there was enough angle of dangle to get the drivers side of the rad out of the guides and move over enough to lift it out. The rad itself always has some water and transmission fluid remaining in it, and with all this effin' and blindin', pushin' and shovin' that usually ends up going everywhere and making a real mess.

It's not a difficult job, just one that with a bit more thought at Russelsheim could have been so much easier.

[BazaJT]

There is in fact a "how to" with pictures in the maintenance guides.Go to guide index scroll down to air con condenser removal and follow first part of that guide which is in fact removal of radiator

[Alnico Blue]

There is in fact a "how to" with pictures in the maintenance guides.Go to guide index scroll down to air con condenser removal and follow first part of that guide which is in fact removal of radiator

Well I never Mr. Baza . . .you learn   something everyday . . I'm off to maintenance section to have look !

Thanks for that 

[BazaJT]

Must admit I don't know whether there is a specific radiator "how to" but I knew that to remove the air con condenser then the rad has to come out first so figured it'd come under that "how to".Hope it helps you and any others in need

[addy]

Hi Alinco Blue

Here is what it said to me.


Thanks for all the replies. Hopefully can sort it.

[Alnico Blue]

Hi Alinco Blue

Here is what it said to me.


Thanks for all the replies. Hopefully can sort it.

That is strange  Addy . . .I have just rechecked with your model details( 2002  2.6 saloon ) & it still shows it is compatible & NO warning of it does not fit . If you scroll down the list after putting details in  your car is on page 2 of 5

Pretty sure thats the one  . . . it has the extra 2  x 20mm  connections (marked in blue on the photo of the item)

[addy]

Hi Alinco Blue not sure what to say about ebay, I have had this happen before on other things. I think you are correct though that, it is the one that fits, found an old post and Dr Gollum mentioned this rad, saying he had used it on Omegas so good enough for me both of you saying it will work. I have been out and did a pressure test, which showed the leak is there on passenger side, at the top where the mount attaches for the bolt, it was coming out reasonably fast. The pressure test idea in the maintenance is great. I made up the cap as per the instructions, then used a tyre compressor with digital settings, pumped it upto 12psi and could see the leak. I looked at the aircon removal in maintenance, but the radiator layout looks different to mine. The two metal pipes on mine that come over the top of the radiator then meet at a block, are they the gearbox oil coolant pipes? If I remove them, I assume there will be a O ring or something similar inside. Is it best to replace or can they be reused, also is there anything that needs to be done to gearbox after putting it all back together, such as bleeding or filling up with fluid?

Here is a picture of my rad layout. Looks identical to the ebay one. Small pipe passenger side goes to the pump you can see on that side.


Thanks to all for the help.

[Doctor Gollum]

Undo the connection block, bag it and tie it to the coolant bottle to keep it out of the way.

When you remove the radiator, keep the transmission cooler vertical. Fluid loss will be negligible

New radiator will almost certainly include an in built cooler. Ignore these connections and transfer all the mounting hardware onto the new radiator and refit as you found it...