How in the H*&^ do you get the right side cam cover off with the engine in the car? I'm replacing the cam cover gaskets on a 90 S4. This is a new adventure for me. I managed to do the left side cover, but the right is tightly obstructed. I have all but one of the bolts out and this last one fully loose but not out. The cover hits the front harness bracket and an Allen on the back of the cam gear back plate. Do you need to take these out? It's going to be real fun getting the cover back in and keeping the gasket seated.

 

Bend the bracket (which is for the engine hoist hook) out of the way or remove it. My '85 doesn't have that allen bolt, but it looks like you'll need to remove that, too.

 

Bill, remove the lift loop. DO NOT bend it. The Hall Sensor connector is under the loop. If you bend the loop you'll tweak the Hall Sensor. The allen bolt you see is one of two for the hall sensor. Recommend that you replace the Hall Sensor anyway.

Also remove the airpump valve bracket from the head and disconnect it from the cat so that it's totally loose.

Once you have the cover loose, lift the rear up and then rotate the rear towards the center of the car (you have to clear the oil seperator under the cover) then shift the cover towards the rear of the car to get the front out.

EDIT: There is also an LH harness guide bolted to the rear of the head. You have to get that out of the way too.

 

Getting the right-side cover in and sealed is I think one of the most finicky 928 jobs. It helps to have all the obstructions out of the way - air pump valve, lift loop, FME harness, and the rear LH harness bracket. If you get all that stuff out of the way then it's straight forward. If you don't you'll be wrestling with the obstructions with one hand, guiding the cover with the other, and you'll need a third hand to keep the seal on...

 

OK, all good advice. I got the cover off. I did bend the bracket a little and removed that small Allen. The Hall sensor connector is no longer in that area, but the Hall sensor was functioning before and I don't think I hurt anything. I removed the rear harness bracket and the hose from the air diverter bracket.

I can see I need to remove the front harness bracket in the picture and the air diverter bracket to make reinstall feasible. The bolts are underneath on the head. I'll either get at them from below with long extensions or with a weirdly offset wrench from above - I have a good collection of those.

When I looked at this job initially, I didn't realize how much would have to be removed from both sides, with the right side being the worst. This is a nasty little job, but just giving in to removing all the obstructions, as Dave in particular advised, is the key. There's not much to it after that. I plan to glue to seal to the cover, but it still could get knocked loose. It's very tight trying to get the cover lip over the tops of the cam holders.

 

It all lends credence to the rumor that the car was supposed to be 3 inches wider.

 

I'd settle for half of that!

 

Honestly, with proper routing of the loom, and some quick hands on the clutch stuff, sometimes taking an engine out for jobs like this is easier.

I know it scares people, and there isn't room, but it makes sense.

I don't envy your position in putting that back together. Maybe some slight use of blue gasket maker may help you when you put it back together. Not to seal (and not too much) but to keep the pieces together! "Mechanic's Glue" a mechanic friend used to say. He's also the one that suggested Gaskacinch for the paper gaskets on the OBs.

 

Bill, get your covers powder coated!

Robert 1994 GTS, midnightblue the Netherlands

 

The Hall sensor has about two inches of wire to the male connector. That male connector is made of the same sturdy stuff (NOT) as the knock sensor connectors. So, the connector better be in that area. The plate over the sensor - bolted to the back of the belt cover with two allen bolts (you removed one) - has a bracket that holds the HS connection. When you bend the lift loop the bracket gets bent or broken and the connection gets tweaked.

I hope you are right. You have a Hammer/Spanner or the 'ware to check the sensor when you are done? I've BTDT and have also done the Hall-Sensor-broken-after-cover-removal diagnosis over the phone twice.

Seriously, think about replacing the sensor. Or, think about how the #@$% you will replace it with the cam cover back on if it is indeed busted. In particular the bottom allen.

It is easiest from underneath. The lift loop you have to do by feel.

 

GasgaCinch...Haven't heard that name in a while! Good old Indian Head Gasket Shellac too. For paper gaskets. Nowadays paper gaskets come in a spray can it seems.

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Permatex makes a product called High Tack that's perfect for holding these gaskets and seals in place. Comes off with lacquer thinner someday when it needs to be changed again. Glue the seal to the cover with High Tack, let it dry. Use a non-hardening sealer (Hylomar, yamahondabond, similar) where needed at the corners on the block side of the gasket. Then install. The gasket won't flinch as you get the covers all lined up. Like having two extra hands holding things together, bit without those annoying fingers that alwasy get pinched.

 

I have a can a Gasgacinch somewhere, used on many motorcycle projects. Can't find it today. So, I'm using some fancy Permatex spray on cement.

The corner goo is a bit more formidable than Hylomar or Yamabond. I spread some of both of those on the other cover corners and it literally ran off. It's not viscous enough. So, it looks like some heavier silicone gasket goo is in order.

 

Wow, and here I thought I was having a tough time just because I was such a newbie. Seeing someone who has as much experience as Bill have a tough time makes me feel good about having the same problems.

I was going to post what I did, but it has all already been answered.

 

There are still many, many tasks on the 928 with which I am a complete newbie. My 89 has been so darn reliable, if I didn't have other peoples' cars to work on occasionally, I would know next to nothing.

 

Glad to be of help Bill.