Bernie

Hi All,

OK, Wally has a theory that my cam bore seals on the rear of the passenger side head are leaking. Based on oil leaks and air leaks heard while pressurizing the system I am pretty confident he is correct.
He says that replacing these seals is a big PITA. So the question now is:
Who has done it?
How?
Any writeups anywhere?
Any ideas for clever use of tools to perform this change?

Lets start with that.

Thanx

WallyP

Cam bore seals don't usually result in air leaks - just oil dribbling onto the exhaust and stinking.

Bernie

Hmmmm?
Then maybe I am dealing with a couple of issues.
When I pressurize the MAF as per the innertube trick, I can hear a bubbling sound at the back of the that side of the engine. That's what I am most interested in finding first and that is definately an air leak.
So what else????

Cheers
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Greg86andahalf

Bernie,

Try the smoke method to discover the source of the bubling. One less variable at that point

Greg

Bernie

Yea,
I think I will try that.
I think I will use one of my old intake boots, cut a hole in it and silicone a tube to it. That way, I could blow some smoke in the tube and then plug it. Pressurize the MAF and see what happens.

Thanx Greg

WallyP

It's easier to just use a vacuum line hook-up as an entry port.

John Anderson

Just a guess,

but if your getting air bubbles from the cam housing seal, then maybe you have a few valve guide seals that have gone south? The other bad option is warn rings, maybe your getting air past the rings, to the crank case...that would also force air thruogh the cam housing.

I know its tight back there, but try buying a bottle of kids buble soap, you know, the stuff you blow bubbles with, poor it or wipe it around the are, then try forcing the intake again. I use the bubble maker stuff, well...because it makes great bubbles.

As for the oil leak...try using a dye, I have a kit from snap on that costs very little, around 250.00 bucks (believe me, you save more in time than the kit costs)its a black light/dye kit with cool little glasses. You poor a tube of dye into your crank case through the oil feed, drive the car around, try to get the oil sloshing a bit...then get under the car with the light and glasses...you'll see evry new drop of oil, and also be able to trace its line back to the source.

Hope this helps.

Bernie

Thanx Wally,
I'm still trying to get my head around all of this stuff. Its a long way from poking around a 350 small block.

John,
That's sounds like a trip!
I think I will try a cigarette first though. $4.00 vs. $250.00 hmmmm.
I hope it hasn't gotten to valve seals or rings. Jeesh!
Not interested in going that deep yet. Maybe after timing belt, water pump, intake and cam covers, I may pick up the torch for something more serious but that stuff is out of my league. Keep your fingers crossed.
Hopefully, I will have some updates soon.

Thanx for the replies guys.

Mike Schmidt

What about the breather hose going to the valve cover? If you're pressurizing the MAF, the air could go through the breather hose to the cam area, and then out a leaking cam bore seal.

Bernie

Hi Mike,

You know, I was thinking something like that. I didn't think the cam area was operating in a void that wasn't influenced by something else. It does make sense that if I pressurize the system, there will be air getting into the cam area somehow and not necessarily through leaking valve seals or rings? Having said that, I do appreciate the other guys heads up. I need to isolate where its coming from first and then backtrack the origin.
Chime in guys?

BB