2.0 Ecotec Overhaul

[enforcer]

Having a few disasters with a major overhaul on my Omega Ecotec. There's a cracked exhaust manifold to remove, repair and replace, a sheared stud to drill out and a timing belt set to fit. I'm changing the belt prematurely as there is a serious oil leak somewhere at the front which has covered the belt - new camshaft and oil pump oil seals to fit as well as a complete head gasket set.

 

First disaster was snapping the easy-out in the drilled out stud. I just knew it was going to happen. The head is now at a specialists for repair. They are apparently going to machine around it and fill with weld, apparently they've had to do this with plenty of Ecotecs. Fingers crossed.

 

I cracked on with the clean up and now have a completely degreased engine (what's left of it) and some nice shiny piston crowns again.

 

 

Disaster no. 2 came when I tried to fit the new oil pump oil seal by pressing it in with the sprocket. Despite being reasonably square it pinched one edge of the lip and destroyed the seal. Another £17 to vauxhall but they can't order me one until Monday (for Tuesday at the earliest) I have since cleaned up the shoulder on the crank where the seal should fit and smoothed it over with progressive grades of wet and dry to hopefully make it easier to slide the seal over.

 

 

Anyone got any handy hints/tips? Or anyone know a supplier of oil seals other than Vauxhall??

[Guest MartinP]

Having a few disasters with a major overhaul on my Omega Ecotec. There's a cracked exhaust manifold to remove, repair and replace, a sheared stud to drill out and a timing belt set to fit. I'm changing the belt prematurely as there is a serious oil leak somewhere at the front which has covered the belt - new camshaft and oil pump oil seals to fit as well as a complete head gasket set.

 

First disaster was snapping the easy-out in the drilled out stud. I just knew it was going to happen. The head is now at a specialists for repair. They are apparently going to machine around it and fill with weld, apparently they've had to do this with plenty of Ecotecs. Fingers crossed.

 

I cracked on with the clean up and now have a completely degreased engine (what's left of it) and some nice shiny piston crowns again.

 

 

Disaster no. 2 came when I tried to fit the new oil pump oil seal by pressing it in with the sprocket. Despite being reasonably square it pinched one edge of the lip and destroyed the seal. Another £17 to vauxhall but they can't order me one until Monday (for Tuesday at the earliest) I have since cleaned up the shoulder on the crank where the seal should fit and smoothed it over with progressive grades of wet and dry to hopefully make it easier to slide the seal over.

 

 

Anyone got any handy hints/tips? Or anyone know a supplier of oil seals other than Vauxhall??

 

I use Brammer (Bearing Services Ltd) at work, they don't always stock automotive products but it may be a standard size seal.

 

Are there any sizes on the front face of the seal

 

i.e.

27-42-7 (id-od-depth)

 

I am presuming it is a single lipped shaft seal!

 

I am in the middle of replacing my Omega water pump and cam belt, I also have oil down the front of the engine behind the cambelt cover.

 

Also try this forum

 

http://www.omegaowners.com

 

Run by owners for owners

 

Martin

[miikae]

Try here Richard

 

http://www.bsl.co.uk/PDFs/brm_seals.pdf

 

Brammer (Telford) Unit 15 Queensway Link Ind Est.

Stafford Park 17

Telford, Shropshire

TF3 3DN 01952 290731

 

Mike

[enforcer]

Thanks for the details about Brammer - on the doorstep too. I'll give them a ring later ...

 

I'm already on the OmegaOwnersForum .... very good.

 

Seal size is 31 x 50 x 8

[Bob Tucker]

In the past Ive used a single wrap of masking tape over the shoulder to make a "ramp" for the seal to ride up onto.

 

Grease it well before trying to position the seal tho'.

I got all my Redtop seals including front & rear crankshaft seals from my local motor factors Southern Motor Factors.

Must be something similar up there?

 

Bob

[enforcer]

Well I collected the head today. Smashing job they'd made of it too: machined out the broken easyout and stud and filled with weld before redrilling and tapping.

 

Before:

 

After:

 

They also gave the head a really good clean, skimmed off the surfaces and installed new studs and valve stem oil seals.

 

I was happy to hand over £75

 

I also sourced a genuine vauxhall seal through this company (never heard of them before) carpartsconnexion.com

Half the price of the local dealer, in stock and (hopefully) in tomorrow's post.

 

Bob, thanks for the tip - I'll give it a go - insulation tape would be nice and slidey!

[enforcer]

All done and purring like a kitten!

 

The new oil seal slipped straight on in seconds and it fired into life almost immediately.

 

It did have one final trick to play on me though. As I was torqueing down the last cylinder head bolt, and in the last 90 degree turn of Stage 4 the bar suddenly eased up and the resistance disappeared. For one horrible minute I thought the bolt had sheared off in the block. Fortunately it turned out to be the T55 Torx Bit which was slipping in its housing. A quick press in the vice restored that and all was well again.

 

I think I've aged about 10 years this week.