redidrum

Gents,

I still have an oil leak at my Lower L/H Fwd. Valve Cover area. I do have the Turbo covers and a new seal installed. The surfaces are smooth too.

I was told earlier that there is a rocker seal that can leak at fwd L/H corner. That is where it is leaking. COULD IT BE COMING FROM ABOVE ??? I have a tight seal on the new gasket. I will be in there again this weekend to install the Cat By pass pipe and wanted to go ahead and repair the leak. I did notice a cutout in the new gasket at the fwd L/H corner. Must be for the seal. No seal present.

Any help Here Please?

Thanks,

Ron

Peter Zimmermann

Ron: There are no "rocker seals." Rocker arm shafts can leak, but you can't determine if they are without removing the intake and exhaust covers and checking them with a dentists mirror and flashlight. If the oil is leaking at the rear of the rocker cover (nearest the chain case) you might have a cam o-ring leaking. This is the o-ring that should always be replaced when Carrera tensioners are installed. Re-timing the camshaft is required to do this repair, which requires some special tools and a good manual. If the problem is the cam o-ring oil usually runs down the forward side of the chain case and sometimes will drip on the ground from the bottom of the chain case.
Pete

redidrum

Pete,

Sounds like the fwd cam "0" ring. How difficult is it to change ? What comes out first?

Thanks,

Ron

r911

first, do you know about sanding the covers to be sure they are flat - not just smooth?

2nd, the RSRs (IIRC) used rocker shaft seals and many use them in rebuilds - is that what you mean?

3rd, clean the exisiting oil off well and see where it starts up again.

redidrum

Randy,

Yes, I sanded them flat and all surfaces looked good on the engine surface. The oil is oozing out fwd and up at the front area of the l/h lower valve cover. Just trying to find the correct part to be looking at repairing. I'll have it wide open this weekend and should know more.

Thanks,

Ron

r911

post the type gaskets you used.

also, did you sand them on a piece of glass or a plate that is known to be flat?

Bob Westmoreland

Before you start taking the engine apart there is another possibility. First I would look in the opening where the #1 sparkplug sits. The cam cover under the plug will most likely be dirty with some oil residue but should be dry. If it is dry then look at the sheep metal under the banjo fitting. If the sheet metal is wet you might have a leak at the banjo fitting. I have found that the fitting was tight but the oil fitting that goes into the cam carrier was loose. Check the banjo fitting for tightness and the fiting in the cam carrier. If there is oil moisture at the banjo fitting you need to buy three crush washers. Put the fitting in the cam carrier nice and snug then install the banjo fitting, again nice and snug. You want to start to crush the washers.
I had that happen to me and apprently when I installed hyd chain tensioners I loosened the fitting in the cam carrier when I replaced the banjo fitting.
Good Luck.

redidrum

Randy, I used the silicone beaded gaskets. They aren't leaking. Coming down fwd. and above the fwd. edge of the lower l/h valve cover from someplace.

Bob, I'll look around the #1 plug. i wished I was able to work on the car and ask questions. Just don't have time to both at the same time these days. I'm at work, car is home.

Thanks Again,

Ron

r911

check easy & obvious stuff like the oil breather cover too

good luck

Peter Zimmermann

Ron: In addition to the special tools, you need to remove the muffler, the rear sheet metal, the left chain box cover, and then you must loosen the camshaft, remove the cam chain sprocket and the o-ring plate. Extreme care must be taken to ensure proper cam timing and cam nut/bolt installation as you put it together. The job is done with the engine in the car. As Bob W. stated, it's entirely possible that the outboard connection of the cam oil line, or its fitting that installs into the cam housing, is seeping. The first thing that you should do is get the area very clean, then get out the mirrors and go for a drive.
Pete

Bob Westmoreland

I forgot to comment regarding the cam carrier surface under the plug. If it is wet with oil you probably have a leak around the rocker shaft. You can stick your finger in there and see if the rocker shaft is nearly flush with the shaft opening. You might also feel oil moisture if it is leaking. This is a realitively easy fix. The shaft can be tightened which sometimes works or removed and oil rings installed around the shaft.

pgrunwald

I thought I had a lower cover leak and it turned out to be the cam oil line hollow bolt (http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...aling_ring.JPG) at the rear left of the motor up above leaking slowly through the deck. Check the torque on those.


HTH,
Paul
----------------------
'87 Targa

redidrum

Paul,

How do I access the hollow bolt? Looks like I may want to try looking from the top and down instead from the bottom up. That sounds like it may be the problem! Covers don't leak.

Thanks,

Ron

Bob Westmoreland

Ron,
As I said in my earlier comments the hollow bolt screws into a fitting that screws into the cam carrier. The hollow bolt as you call it goes through the banjo fitting which is on the end of the oil line. I suspect that the leak is at the washer that seals to the cam carrier. There is a crush washer at the cam carrier and one on either side of the banjo fitting. Both these washers fit around the hollow bolt. They both should be crush washers.
I had an experience where one of the washers around the banjo fitting was steel. It leaked and would of leaked if I had tightened the hollow bolt to the point the crush washer was paper thin.
Bob

Bob Westmoreland

Regarding access- from the top is better. You just have to remove or loosen everything that gets in the way.