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[Debs.]

Had to do a long trip yesterday; much against better judgement, in view of the terrible weather.

Nearly got back safely, but within 100 yards of home (on the 400 yard unmade and steep track that I laughably call a driveway) and in the teeth of a blizzard (falling on sheet ice) on the steepest part of the hill, I hit "something" (hidden rock or ice-block) under the valance/engine area.....loads of steam temp gauge instantly max`ed......I got it going (trying to do it in a way to limit head-gasket damage)and quickly managed to get the car nearer the house before the weather got even worse.
Debs. beloved Miggy.........I cried like a baby last night: I`m simply gutted!


I had a look with a torch but can`t see where the massive coolant-loss is coming from; there`s so much 'stuff' around the rad./induction/fans/covers/undertray etc.'.....all the hoses look ok, so I`m guessing it`s much more 'terminal' than rubber........any ideas what is low-down and fragile in the cooling dept.?

What`s involved in fully-seeing/freeing the radiator on a V6?

Did I mention I`m gutted?!?!?!?!?

[Jimbob]

Heres hoping its something daft like the drain tap

guess if you pour water in, you may see where it runs out....

[Richie London]

not good debs, just hope its a simple cheap repair job, fingers crossed dear 

[RobseyMV6]

Just have to pour water in coolant bottle and have a look at where the leak is i guess, could be the drivers side hose on the low down part of rad?

Sorry to hear this!

[Andy H]

I thumped the valance on my last omega on the entance to a car park at less than 10 mph a few years ago and cracked the plastic header tank on one end of the radiator. In my case it was a slow coolant loss but I can confirm that the radiator is the lowest part of the cooling system.

If you had a diesel I would mention the Webasto heater under the drivers side.......

[STMO999]

I think the worst possible outcome would a new radiator. Not terminal, just a rather nuisance and costly.

[Gaffers]

Yikes Debs, thats such a bummer!

I hope its an easy fix for you but I guess in this weather working under a car is the last thing you want to do

[Dishevelled Den]

Distressing news indeed D, hope that in the light of day whatever damage has been caused can be rectified without too much difficulty



Here's some  to cheer you up

[Debs.]

Heres hoping its something daft like the drain tap

guess if you pour water in, you may see where it runs out....

Thanks James ....I think I`ll have to wait until the weather isn`t frigid; it`s -5 C. ATM (less with the wind-chill); I think if I put 'just' water in it might freeze and do more damage as I don`t want to risk (any more) glycol-antifreeze about the yard in case of the dogs licking and getting poisoned.

How much dismantling is reqd. to free the rad?.....it appears to have been installed using a shoehorn!

[MickAP]

Sorry to hear this Debs, can it be claimed on insurance?
Pain in the  :-Xside especially with the weather your way.

Mick

[Jimbob]

i guess with header tank off, and hole elsewhere, there would be plenty of expansion room for water / ice so can't see it being a problem....

but does sound a job for the better weather as you will be on the ground

[Andy H]

How much dismantling is reqd. to free the rad?.....it appears to have been installed using a shoehorn!

Not too bad (for an Omega).

There seem to be lots of things bolted to the radiator which don't actually need to come out but do need to be unbolted before the rad lifts out.

(From memory) the air con condenser is bolted to the front and bits of the multi ram are bolted to the back. I may have had to loosen a few other things to make space but can't remember what they were...

There are two spring clips (that hold the rad in) that need to be pushed down (to compress the mounting rubber) and then squeezed inwards before they can be removed. I used mole grips.

[Gaffers]

Heres hoping its something daft like the drain tap

guess if you pour water in, you may see where it runs out....

Thanks James ....I think I`ll have to wait until the weather isn`t frigid; it`s -5 C. ATM (less with the wind-chill); I think if I put 'just' water in it might freeze and do more damage as I don`t want to risk (any more) glycol-antifreeze about the yard in case of the dogs licking and getting poisoned.

How much dismantling is reqd. to free the rad?.....it appears to have been installed using a shoehorn!

Removal is fairly straight forward and it can do done (carefully) without getting underneath the car.

[Jimbob]

I remember JamesV6 did one in a carpark / campsite with next to no tools, so shouldnt be too bad.


Maybe someone could write a guide on removal 

[Debs.]

  Thankyou guys; I feel less upset (and 'hopeless') after reading your replies!

`Soon as this blizzard eases I`ll put-on my thermals on and go try and see what`s what.