Cam Tower Figure 8 Gaskets
 

Hello all.

I read many posts about the thin figure 8 Gaskets underneath the lifter sleeves on early 16v engines. Some posts say to leave them out and use the Greg Brown gaskets over the sleeve. Some say to use the figure 8 and trim the new GB gasket. What's the latest consensus?

My can towers have some gaskets in some bores and some not.

Thanks

I'm firmly in the use-the-figure 8 gaskets, and trim the GB gaskets to fit. When you put the figure 8s under the lifter sleeves where they belong, the sleeves sit proud of the tower by roughly the same thickness as the cam tower gasket. So when you torque the cam tower bolts, everything compresses together as it should.

This is based on my n of 3 with cam tower gaskets, unfortunately all on one car. :)

^^ What Rob said.

Warning pay very close attention to these 8 gaskets as when they are fitted they can appear to not be installed.
thus adding new ones can make the lifter sleeves sit higher than the outer gasket.

Use a razor blade held perpendicular to the surface to find the old gasket.

The end result is that the oil will pour out the top edge of the gasket and flood the V with oil.

That said prior to firing it up i would suggest to take a feeler gauge of .002 and see if it can be fit into the top edge of the tower after its been installed.

if the gauge goes into the tower then you will have an oil leak

Use the figure 8 gaskets. Trim my gaskets, made for the cam carriers without the removable steel sleeves, enough to just barely clear the steel sleeves.

For some really stupid reason, on one of the early engines I assembled recently, I tried the early cam carriers gaskets with the connection pieces and no moly on the ends.

"These look like they should work....I'll give 'em a try."

Complete dumba$$.

Lasted almost two months before they split and leaked like a fountain.

Changing cam carrier gaskets on an early engine, with the engine in the car, might be the worst 928 job of all.....

I agree.

Thanks to all. I ordered some up thru Roger. I want to do this right while the engine is out. I don't want to learn how hard it is while in the car :)

I will never do it while the engine is in the car again. :)