I can has Vauxhall, surprisingly not that shite!

[LabRat]

To be honest, the v6's scare me- far too mechanically comped for my tastes, that and I'm not convinced about the use of plastic rocker covers and oil tightness.

 

This one is the good old GM 2.2 ecotec 4 pot. It's 144bhp and enough torque for what I need, even the autobox seems to have had a software update as its changing gears nicely and doesn't dither on hills or motorways.

 

 

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[Bren]

To be honest, the v6's scare me- far too mechanically comped for my tastes, that and I'm not convinced about the use of plastic rocker covers and oil tightness.

This one is the good old GM 2.2 ecotec 4 pot. It's 144bhp and enough torque for what I need, even the autobox seems to have had a software update as its changing gears nicely and doesn't dither on hills or motorways.

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That was the beauty of the old CIH six - oil change every 6k and they would just run forever.

[Rusty_Rocket]

The V6 engines are actually quite straightforward and very reliable.  Only real failures are the oil cooler (which sits inside the 'V' and can turn the coolant chocolatey), cam cover leaks and exhaust manifold gasket failure.  There's just enough room around the engine too and the timing belt is very easy to get at.  Coil pack removal requires a bit of dismantling however.

 

Looks like you got a good car for the money LabRat!  I'd happily smoke about in an Omega Nice work with the thermostat, it's so important to the lifespan of the engine.  I'm always amazed at how many people aren't bothered about their engine running cold!

[LabRat]

It always gets me, it's not as though it's a difficult job to do on most cars, this was a bit fiddly but only took half an hour and a bit of swearing! (Would be easier if the aircon pipe work didn't get in the way!

 

Next up is check the cam sensor connector and find out why the drivers door won't work with the central locking. Then just smoke about in it and enjoy having a proper car again.

 

 

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[omegod]

V6's are bloody ace engines in the mig and with some sensible maintenance they will run to 300k , I ran a 3.0 on gas for a few years and it was a beast.

 

Door locking will be a failed solenoid ( got two here), bit fiddly to replace but half an hours work at most, cam sensor is the one weak point on the 2.2 and when it goes needs the proper GM part as patterns simply don't work.     

[LabRat]

I'm not sure if the cam sensor is going or not- get the occasional spanner light up on the dash, but no drop off in performance or any sign of a limp home mode, so I'm just wondering if to pre empt the bastard and swap it out now rather than wait for it to shit itself spectacularly.

 

 

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[omegod]

Likely it's on it's way out, it throws up a miriad of odd codes including gearbox ones, opcom will pick it up. It shouldn't shit itself spectacularly but will go in and out of limp of it'sown accord.

 

I have a Vauxhall trade club card which brought them down to around £60 ( been a while though) not sure if the account is still active but you're welcome to use it if it is. 

[Rusty_Rocket]

Is Trade Club still going?  My local VX dealer doesn't have a parts dept any more (WTF?) and I've had no Trade Club letters for years..?  Still got my collection of the multi-coloured books though 

[Brodders]

Next up is check the cam sensor connector and find out why the drivers door won't work with the central locking.

If you do have a go at getting the central locking sorted out, could you post how it was to sort out on here? The same problem seems to be inflicting my dad's Omega and I was wondering how much of a pain in the arse it really is to sort out.

[omegod]

Is Trade Club still going?  My local VX dealer doesn't have a parts dept any more (WTF?) and I've had no Trade Club letters for years..?  Still got my collection of the multi-coloured books though 

 

Seems to be only the large dealers still do it, luckily I work near the only one in Merseyside

[Rocket88]

. 

 

After 2 days of smoking about, I've come to like the old girl. Even Financial Management likes it- she's made noises about borrowing it herself to walk the hound in the school holidays!

 

 

 

I know they're big inside........................................but really?

[John F]

The V6 engines are actually quite straightforward and very reliable.  Only real failures are the oil cooler (which sits inside the 'V' and can turn the coolant chocolatey), cam cover leaks and exhaust manifold gasket failure.  There's just enough room around the engine too and the timing belt is very easy to get at.  Coil pack removal requires a bit of dismantling however.

 

Looks like you got a good car for the money LabRat!  I'd happily smoke about in an Omega Nice work with the thermostat, it's so important to the lifespan of the engine.  I'm always amazed at how many people aren't bothered about their engine running cold!

 

Thermostats are a common fault on the GM V6 as well - I've had two or three go on my Calibra, and since they live in the depths of the V it's a total bastard to get to them.

[Junkman]

I really want a 2.6 with a manual 'box though. The auto on mine drove me insane, it was so bloody indecisive!

 

I had a 2.6 CD Estate with manual.

 

 

 

It drove me insane.

The gears are absolutely ill spaced. 1st is merely a crawler gear and only useable for off roading, so not at all, which makes it effectively a 4-speed.

But the spacing between 2nd and 3rd is too big, which became all the more a nuisance when we took it on a holiday to Austria.

Up the mountains, it was either howling its sould out in second, or starving to death in 3rd. It was much, much worse than my writing might suggest.

After a mini succession of Vauxhalls I had at the time, each and everyone of them a huge disappointment in some fundamental respect, this was it

and I decided all Vauxhalls are shit. Imagine my surprise when I later found a forum that generally shares my opinion.

[rantingYoof]

A 2.6 Carlton estate?

 

*ignores all criticisms*

 

 

 

 

WANTAGE.

[LabRat]

Today has brought some glorious weather and the chance to tinker with this old heap.

 

First up, the ashtray wanted some attention- it was sticking open and annoying me no end, so after a perusal of the omega owners forum, the general consensus was that it's fucked. Bollocks says I and breaks out the screwdrivers, 10 minutes later and the fault is revealed- a £1 coin jamming the back of the mechanism. None of yer 20p malarkey here, we're in executive country! Result: 1 working ashtray and I've clawed at least 0.0002p back in the resale value. A fuse later and the drivers mirror sprang arthriticically back into life too...

 

Next up, the strong smell of burning oil when standing, this turned out to be caked on oily shit all over the exhaust manifold, out with the degreasers and so far jobs a good un. Its going to need a new cam gasket at somepoint, but I'll take the little victories!

 

Feeling flush with success, I'm even contemplating doing a cambelt change soon... Does anyone know how easy it is to do on one of these? It's a Z22xe apparently, plenty of room at the business end, I just haven't plucked up the courage to pull the cover off and take a look.