One of my rear shockers has virtually seized up. You can hardly push that corner of the car down at all and the ride is very harsh. The other shocker is leaking so a new pair is on the cards. The faulty ones are the self-levelling type but I'll be replacing them with standard ones as self-levelling ones don't appear to be available and, even if they are, I'm told they're around £150 as opposed to £60 or so each.

Question - what do I need to do to stop the self-levelling air compressor working?

Second question - do I need to purchase any washers or other items to fit the new shockers?

PS. I'm now being asked whether I wish to disable parsing of ubbc tags and smileys. I know what smileys are but ubbc tags.........................??? Is it painful to parse them?

Mounting points are the same on S/L and standard shocks so no issues with fitting .

All you really need to do is remove the fuse that runs the S/L air compressor from memory I think it is #17 in the fuse but will check and confirm.

Only thing you do need to remember is the rear springs for the S/L set up are softer than stock springs so ride will be firmer than standard S/L system but not as firm as stock

Sorry for info about fuse..its #27..for S/L system.

John_Clayton wrote on 19. Aug 2011 at 19:53:

One of my rear shockers has virtually seized up. You can hardly push that corner of the car down at all and the ride is very harsh. The other shocker is leaking so a new pair is on the cards. The faulty ones are the self-levelling type but I'll be replacing them with standard ones as self-levelling ones don't appear to be available and, even if they are, I'm told they're around £150 as opposed to £60 or so each. Question - what do I need to do to stop the self-levelling air compressor working? Second question - do I need to purchase any washers or other items to fit the new shockers? PS. I'm now being asked whether I wish to disable parsing of ubbc tags and smileys. I know what smileys are but ubbc tags.........................??? Is it painful to parse them?

Assuming it's 72119085, £73.98 each +VAT from Vauxhall on TC.

amba wrote on 19. Aug 2011 at 20:41:

Sorry for info about fuse..its #27..for S/L system.

Thanks for the info. I haven't replaced the shocks yet but have removed the fuse. However, when I start the engine there's a continuous clicking sound, like a relay's being cycled on and off really fast. If I put the fuse back the noise stops but it's going to be a pain doing that every time I start the engine. I'll therefore try disconnecting the compressor's power lead if I can find it - unless anyone has another suggestion. 

If you want to keep the S/L I`m selling a pair, fitted Sept. `09 so plenty of miles left in them

RobG wrote on 22. Aug 2011 at 11:40:

If you want to keep the S/L I`m selling a pair, fitted Sept. `09 so plenty of miles left in them

I think the OP's car is an estate Rob.  :-/

Didn`t notice "tourer" in his profile :-[ :-X

RobG wrote on 22. Aug 2011 at 11:40:

If you want to keep the S/L I`m selling a pair, fitted Sept. `09 so plenty of miles left in them

Thanks for the offer but I've got new ones on order and, as twiglet says, mine's an estate. Actually I've just updated my profile as my current Omega is a 1998 model. The 1997 one caught fire a couple of years ago! 

John_Clayton wrote on 22. Aug 2011 at 12:34:

RobG wrote on 22. Aug 2011 at 11:40: If you want to keep the S/L I`m selling a pair, fitted Sept. `09 so plenty of miles left in them Thanks for the offer but I've got new ones on order and, as twiglet says, mine's an estate. Actually I've just updated my profile as my current Omega is a 1998 model. The 1997 one caught fire a couple of years ago!

Sorry to hear that!  Out of curiosity, was it the power sounder near the driver's side wiper spindle?

Osprey wrote on 22. Aug 2011 at 15:17:

John_Clayton wrote on 22. Aug 2011 at 12:34: RobG wrote on 22. Aug 2011 at 11:40: If you want to keep the S/L I`m selling a pair, fitted Sept. `09 so plenty of miles left in them Thanks for the offer but I've got new ones on order and, as twiglet says, mine's an estate. Actually I've just updated my profile as my current Omega is a 1998 model. The 1997 one caught fire a couple of years ago!  Sorry to hear that!  Out of curiosity, was it the power sounder near the driver's side wiper spindle?

I never did discover exactly what the cause was. It seemed to have started near the fuel pipes where they join the manifiold. I'm going to try attaching a couple of photos (using photobucket) so you may be able to spot something I missed. Fingers crossed as I don't do this very often and will probably get it wrong!
<ahref="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f141/hollis583/?action=view&amp;current=Omegafire.jpg"target="_blank"><imgsrc="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f141/hollis583/Omegafire.jpg"border="0"alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f141/hollis583/?action=view&amp;current=Omegafire1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f141/hollis583/Omegafire1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>[img]

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f141/hollis583/Omegafire1.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f141/hollis583/Omegafire.jpg

Doesn't look like a powersounder fire to me... I'd expect the scuttle to melt quickly :-/ :-/

Lazydocker wrote on 23. Aug 2011 at 13:08:

Doesn't look like a powersounder fire to me... I'd expect the scuttle to melt quickly :-/ :-/

agreed, not sure what that ones caused by  :-/

Jimbob wrote on 23. Aug 2011 at 13:19:

Lazydocker wrote on 23. Aug 2011 at 13:08: Doesn't look like a powersounder fire to me... I'd expect the scuttle to melt quickly :-/ :-/ agreed, not sure what that ones caused by  :-/

Tough one to guess... I wonder if there had been any work done recently before the fire?

If I had to speculate I'd be looking as a slight leak from one of the fuel lines onto the manifold :-/

Lazydocker wrote on 23. Aug 2011 at 14:00:

Jimbob wrote on 23. Aug 2011 at 13:19: Lazydocker wrote on 23. Aug 2011 at 13:08: Doesn't look like a powersounder fire to me... I'd expect the scuttle to melt quickly :-/ :-/ agreed, not sure what that ones caused by  :-/ Tough one to guess... I wonder if there had been any work done recently before the fire? If I had to speculate I'd be looking as a slight leak from one of the fuel lines onto the manifold :-/

Looking at the flash burning to the sound deadening on the underside of the bonnet, I'd have to conclude a fuel leak from plenum end of the fuel lines...  :'(

Tough one to guess... I wonder if there had been any work done recently before the fire?

If I had to speculate I'd be looking as a slight leak from one of the fuel lines onto the manifold :-/[/quote]


Yes, I think it must have been fuel-related. I had in fact removed and completely rebuilt the engine not long before. I'd checked carefully and hadn't spotted any fuel leaks though.