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[netlon]

Hi there. My Omega has done nearly 78K and I have no service history to know if it has had a new timing belt fitted, so I am contemplating having it done. Also, I have had an oil leak that I believed was coming from rocker cover gasket. I had to have coil pack replaced recently so I asked garage to do the rocker cover gasket as well. The oil leak is still there. Also I have an intermittent warning to check coolant level although there seems to be no loss of coolant when checked.
At the moment, I am in a financial position to spend some money (up to about £1000) on having the timing belt etc done. I'd like advice on whether to go the whole hog and have timing belt, head gasket, rocker cover gasket and associated work done at the same time by Vauxhall or just timing belt and rocker cover. I am planning to tow a caravan this year so I would like to be confident that engine is up to it. TIA. 1997 3.0 Auto Estate Elite.

[JamesV6CDX]

Head gaskets rarely fail, so I wouldn't do unless it needs it.

When they did the camcovers did they clean the crankcase breathers out? If not... then they will blow again!

Timing belt KIT needs doing, this, and the aux belt and water pump is £150 from Vauxhall on Tclub. Many of us could help you change the belt and probably those gaskets...

[netlon]

Thanks very much for the prompt replies. I'm not mechanically savvy enough to attempt doing anything like this myself, I don't have enough tools etc. I am based in Sheffield so if anyone can recommend somewhere I'd be very grateful. The guy who I normally go to says he wouldn't want to tackle the timing belt - better to go to Vauxhall for it.

[JamesV6CDX]

I have all the required locking and setting tools for the V6 cambelt and have probably done over 25 of 'em! It's not tooooo involved, and there is a DVD here to help guide you.

If you're insistent you want someone else to do it you have a couple of options

1) Come to our cambelt party on 23 feb in Telford
2) Drop me a PM and we'll work something out
3) Visit vauxhall and bend over...
4) Take £500 and set fire to it!

It should be done every 40k, so it's URGENT that you do it asap if there's no firm proof of the kit being changed...

[netlon]

Hmmm.....bending over at vauxhall does sound tempting, however the cambelt party might be the better option.

[JamesV6CDX]

Hmmm.....bending over at vauxhall does sound tempting, however the cambelt party might be the better option.

Party is your cheapest (free) option. Chances are I may be the one there doing it for you, cos it looks like I'm one of the cambelt changers!

Check out availability etc on the meetings board here.

Failing that, or if you wanted it done sooner, we'll work something out.

If it were my car, I would be using it at all until it's done. But you have been warned

[stecks]

I had my timing belt fail on the car.  Made a right mess of things!  The problem was not so much with the belt as the tensioner pullies.  If you get the job done by someone, make sure that they change these pullies to!