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[V6 CDX-er]

So, another day, another problem. Yet again I've been outwitted by a mechanical object 

Fuel rail removed. Trumpet removed. Bolts to the cam cover removed, along with the two bolts that are in, (what I assume is), the coil pack.

Cam cover stuck fast. I gave it a few gentle blows with the rubber hammer, which has disslodged it, but the cam cover still doesn't want to come off without a dam good fight. Now, with it being plastic, I'm a tad concerned about breaking or cracking it.

So, what's the drill here? Knock the hell out of it with a rubber mallet untill the cam cover admits defeat? Try and pry it off with a couple of pry bars? Wish you'd paid someone else to do the job? Ask it nicely? Use a box of matches and a couple of gallons of petrol?


Answers on a postcard greatly appriciated 

[Brikhead]

I gave it a few gentle blows with the rubber hammer, which has disslodged it...

Can you wiggle it, (just a little bit!?).
Or is it still held fast?
They sometimes get 'cooked' on but usually they come off if you give 'em a good [size=14]y[/size]ank.

[feeutfo]

Have you removed the coil packs first? If not....Two bigger bolts from plenum should fit in the threads exposed by the removed coil PAC bolts, in the brass inserts and pull the cp out with those. Don't lever them out with a screw driver they will get damaged.

Don't hit the covers with a mallet, they will break,  there will be some sealant holding them in place so it's just a case of pulling them off gently but firmly via the coil PAC holes iirc  :-?

[Andy B]

....
Answers on a postcard greatly appriciated 

It could be that someone has been there before you & used a bucket of sealer to 'glue' the cover on.  :-/ :-/
As has been said, it should come off fairly easily without use of pry bars etc, but I suppose you could carefully use a flat scraper lift it free.  :-/

[vauxfan2k]

maybe they used no-more-nails instead of vaux sealer 

[Andy B]

maybe they used no-more-nails instead of vaux sealer 

I think it was Daz that did a set at York a few years ago, when he removed the old covers it looked like they'd been fitted with a complete tube of bathroom/silicon sealer  :-?

[V6 CDX-er]

maybe they used no-more-nails instead of vaux sealer 

I think it was Daz that did a set at York a few years ago, when he removed the old covers it looked like they'd been fitted with a complete tube of bathroom/silicon sealer  :-?

When I finally got the induction trumpet off, I took it down to my local VX dealer to make sure I was getting the correct rubber gaskets. The base of the trumpet was covered in this thick, yellow, slimey stuff, instead of the proper three gaskets, (I'm sure you know which ones I mean Andy). The parts guy said that that was not any VX sealant he had seen before, so yes, I do believe that someone has been there before and done the job without a great deal of care.

You know what. having had an early F/L Omega on demo when I was selling new Vauxhalls, (a 2.5 GLS estate IIRC), and looking at this one, I know it is going to be a dam nice motor once it's done. The thing that is negging me out is actually getting the car sorted and on the road. It's just one thing after another at the moment 

Oh well. time to give myself a kick up the backside, as the car isn't going to fix itself. After all, all I've got left to do is cam cover gaskets.
And water pump.
And spark plugs.
And fuel filter.
And cam belt.
And cam belt tensioners.
And in-op boot release.
And in-op front fog lights.
And replace the plastic trim under the headlamps.
And get the stereo working.
And adjust the handbrake.
And engine oil and filter.
And coolent flush.
And change brake fluid.
And change power steering fluid.
And change my auto box oil and filter.
And get some new tyres.
And replace the exhaust heat shields that I removed to get to the handbrake adjuster.



So, not much of a list then really 

[Andy B]

maybe they used no-more-nails instead of vaux sealer 

I think it was Daz that did a set at York a few years ago, when he removed the old covers it looked like they'd been fitted with a complete tube of bathroom/silicon sealer  :-?

When I finally got the induction trumpet off, I took it down to my local VX dealer to make sure I was getting the correct rubber gaskets. The base of the trumpet was covered in this thick, yellow, slimey stuff, instead of the proper three gaskets, (I'm sure you know which ones I mean Andy). The parts guy said that that was not any VX sealant he had seen before, so yes, I do believe that someone has been there before and done the job without a great deal of care.

You know what. having had an early F/L Omega on demo when I was selling new Vauxhalls, (a 2.5 GLS estate IIRC), and looking at this one, I know it is going to be a dam nice motor once it's done. The thing that is negging me out is actually getting the car sorted and on the road. It's just one thing after another at the moment 

Oh well. time to give myself a kick up the backside, as the car isn't going to fix itself. After all, all I've got left to do is cam cover gaskets.
And water pump.
And spark plugs.
And fuel filter.
And cam belt.
And cam belt tensioners.
And in-op boot release.
And in-op front fog lights.
And replace the plastic trim under the headlamps.
And get the stereo working.
And adjust the handbrake.
And engine oil and filter.
And coolent flush.
And change brake fluid.
And change power steering fluid.
And change my auto box oil and filter.
And get some new tyres.
And replace the exhaust heat shields that I removed to get to the handbrake adjuster.



So, not much of a list then really 

Is that all? If you shape yourself you'll get them all done by bedtime! 

[Darth Loo-knee]

Use a small a small screwdriver under a corner and gentle prise the corner up so you break the seal  I would not be hitting it with a rubber hammer mate..

[V6 CDX-er]

Once again, thanks for all the tips guys, but I'm afraid that it appears that the offside cam-cover is stuck fast

I've been around all the edges with a flat bladed screwdriver, tried jiggling it about, (more than "just a little bit"), and also tried screwing in some bolts into the coilpacks, four turns with my fingers, then pulling on them with a couple of molegrips.



Even though I had my two Wheatabix this morning, the buggers aren't budging, even with the wife prying the cam-covers at the same time. All that's going to happen (I think) is that the cam-covers themselves are going to break.

If I did break the cam-covers and / or coilpacks, would it really be that bad? I'd be happy to get used cam-covers off eBay, or would that be a bad idea incase used ones are warped? And what about second hand coilpacks? IIRC from VX they were £205 +VAT, and ECP / GSF were about £180 +VAT. Ok, so it's extra money that I don't want to go spending, but these dam things seem superglued in place!

Plus TBH, even though I have an oil leak, quite a bad one infact, I can't be 100% sure that it is the cam-covers that are leaking. I just assumed it was as the leak 'appears' to be coming from that area and the V6 Omegas are known for it.

Also it seems to me that this cars previous owner couldn't afford to run it properly. I've come to this conclusion by the fact that all four corners brake-wise were shot, with badly scored discs, front discs that you could easily have split in two with a vice, a lump hammer and a chisel, (very badly corroded vanes) and pads down to the metal. Plus hardly any service history in the last 20'000 miles and a load of yellow gunk sealant between the base of the trumpet and the block.

I know another poster has suggested them being held in place with No More Nails, but seriously, I do have to wonder!



Who's the chap on here who is the Omega guru? The one who does cambelts and cam cover gaskets? I'm ashamed to say, I think I'm not too far on admitting defeat on this one, and may need to call in a professional to do it 

[Kneepad]

The guru posted just above you. No other than Darth Loo Knee himself.

[VXL V6]

What are you trying to do in the picture? Remove the coilpack or the camcover?

[Andy B]

What are you trying to do in the picture? Remove the coilpack or the camcover?

he's trying to lift the car via the cylinder head 

[Darth Loo-knee]

What are you trying to do in the picture? Remove the coilpack or the camcover?

From the picture it looks asthough the bolts are stuck

[feeutfo]

He's trying to remove the coil PAC. The coil PAC bolts have been removed. Then plenum bolts fitted into the thread provided to remove the cp without levering with a screw driver.

The coil PAC has to come out first. They can be very stiff, I can't see any sign of excess sealant, but that's not to say that's not the problem here, the y may well be sealed all the way round to try to prevent water ingress or the like, sometimes water leaks in from the scuttle and gets into the plug wells causing a misfire. Rust can make them even stiffer to remove.

But as said, the cam covers won't come off until the cp is removed first. Or at the very least removing the coil PAC will make the cam covers easier to remove.

Is it worth rocking the coil PAC from side to side? Try and move ite side to side... At all?