checkmate1996

Folks,

My passenger side cam tower near the firewall side developed a small leak; a second time in 4 years. I pulled the cam tower off and noticed the paper gasket had 'stretch marks' all the through the gasket but mainly on the ends. Of course, the one end near the firewall the stretched gasket actually had ripped creating a small channel for the oil to flow out from; e.g. smoking gun.

My question is what can i do to fix this with a more permanent solution? I was thinking about using Permetex's Ultra Black or Right Stuff in lieu of a paper gasket to give it more strength via Silicone rubber. thoughts?

Other solutions?

thanks for your help!

Ducman82

Get the gaskets that Greg brown makes... Problem solved!

Kiln_Red

^^What he said^^

LT Texan

What he said he said!

Make sure surfaces are clean clean clean.

I cleaned mine with acetone. Lightly scuffed with 600g (removed some protective paint form the head surface applied by machine shop).

Cleaned again with acetone.

And install DRY!!!!!

Do not over torque.

And don't forget not to over torque!

That'll do it.

123quattro

I put on the paper gaskets smeared with black permatex. They have been totally dry for 4 years.

GlenL

I wonder about your procedure. Cleanliness, prep, torque pattern and torque. I put them on dry, follow the manual and haven't had leaks and I'm no genius.

Some sealant on the cork gasket for the back cover plate and light re-torquing for that thing.

Then again, maybe the head is warped on the backside or the cam tower is.

checkmate1996

Glen - I'm wondering the same thing. But I would think it would show up faster??

Yes - I was very careful on my prep and used Indianhead copper last time to seal the gasket as a dressing. However, I do like the acetone and 600g sandpaper. idea as well.

I have not heard of greg brown's gaskets...I will look into that.

Great advice as always guys..thanks!!!

checkmate1996

Guys - I found a great post from Greg about this...reposting here. I will be calling greg for a set!

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The "Porsche/Reinz" cam housing gaskets were modified somewhere around 1990. They, for some unknown awful reason, added a "moly" type coating onto the both ends of the gaskets. This "new" gasket was/still is extremely difficult/virtually impossible to use. The "center" portion of the gasket "sticks" to the head/cam carrier and the end pieces do not stick. The result is the moly coated end pieces "shift" around, the gaskets split, and oil pours out.

I was doing a large amount of 951 engines, when this gasket got modified, and had virtually every cam carrier that I installed leak. I changed so many gaskets that I got to the point of wishing the cam carriers had "wing nuts" to make changing these gaskets easier.

It didn't take me very long to source a solution to this problem and I found a company that could furnish a gasket made from a different material that didn't have the coating. I've been using this gasket (and selling them to others) ever since....without any problems. Of course, like any gasket, common sense is required. The surfaces must be perfectly clean and flat. You need to clean the cam carrier enough that when you turn it over, no oil "drools" out onto the gasket surfaces, while you are tightening the cam carrier. And you can't use any type of sealant on the gasket or surfaces (which makes tearing the gasket much easier as you try to install the cam carrier.) Of course, when you turn the cam carrier over to install it, the lifters try to fall out...which also seems to lead to tearing the gasket.

Here's how I do it:

I remove the cam and lifters and completely clean all the pieces. I do not drain the oil out of the lifters, but I do clean the outside until the oil is gone. I re-assemble everything with a thick moly engine assembly lubricant, to "slow down" how quickly the lifters fall out. I install/turn the lifters so that when the cam carrier is installed, the oil holes point up, towards the center of the engine. I clean the head surface and then run a very fine small file gently over the surface to remove any nicks (I also do this to the cam carrier surface.) I then assemble, making sure that I tighten the cam carrier starting from the center bolts and working my way out, in a criss cross pattern, to the outer bolts. Torque all the hardware to 14 ft lbs. (no more...make sure your torque wrench is accurate at this low setting!)

While changing the gasket on a 944 engine only takes a couple of hours, this is certainly not the case on the 928 engine. This is a job that will "suck" up an entire day.

You can call Mary at the phone number listed below to get these gaskets.

The gasket are $12.95 each, or $32.95 for 3, $40.00 for 4....in case you tear one or two (I always seem to tear one or two, when I do this job with the engine in the car, so that is why I offer this option.)
__________________
greg brown

checkmate1996

I've got a phone call to order a set. How he described his issues is almost identical to what I was seeing. The middle of the gasket had didnt' stretch and stuck to the cam while the ends over stretched and ripped. Can't wait to get the new ones...

LT Texan

I did this and they failed in 1 year. Odd in that the permatex seemed to act like a lubricant and the gaskets broke and squeezed out. Probably over torqued too.

85euro928

Related question as I need to do this as well, did you pull the engine to change out the cam tower gaskets, or did you just do it in the car? I have the same problem as Checkmate but have been putting it off as I really don't want to pull the engine again unless I absolutely have to.

checkmate1996

On the 79, I can do the passenger side with the engine in the car. However, on your 85euro - you may have a few more things 'in the way'. I had to remove the antifreeze resovoir, fuel lines, loosen and move ac lines(not disconnect) and water lines, engine harness disconnect and move out of the way and sway bar. I also used air tools to remove the cam tower given the limited space. That helped a lot! Good luck!

LT Texan

I pulled the engine. Couldn't imagine doing without.

GregBBRD

More "general" information:

The "original" gaskets had some sort of a "glue" built into the gasket. Removing them from the head and cam carrier is generally very time consuming.

The factory "replacement gasket", with the moly on both ends, allowed the end pieces to move around, while the center part of the gasket stuck...which is why they tear.

Using any type of sealant on either of these gaskets was usually an instant disaster....but luck sometimes trumps proceedure.

If there are areas around the bolt holes that are "squished" or "distorted"....the gasket was overtightened.....regardless of who made it. 14 ft lbs. starting evenly from the center out, in a criss-cross pattern. No more! Make sure your torque wrench is accurate down at this range and you don't "yank" on the handle, but pull very slowly and consistantly. "Yanking" or quickly pulling on any torque wrench will change the result by at least 25%...always tighter.

And my final thought....

This job sucks and I'm sorry anyone has to do it a second time.

Kiln_Red

You're the man, GB.

I have done this job with the engine in the car and there's no way I'd consider doing it that way again. I'm 6'2 and my back can't take the punishment.