mumzer

am i missing something? From back to front the cam box is sealed to the distributor assembly by a large o-ring that sits in a machined groove in the back of the distributor housing.

The cam passes through what appears to be a preload spacer or mandrel that take ups the thrust loads from the cheesheadbolt. This spacer is in turned sealed by a viton shaft seal that is pressed into the rear distributor housing from the front.

Finally there is some kind of weird donut looking button seal that sits in a small cylindrical recess on the back of the housing.


Is there a third shaft seal of somekind that i am missing? After assembly, i had a pretty significant leak at the front of the cam, behind the cam gear...it appears that oil is making it through the bore of the distributor housing and past the shaft seal.

Please help...

mumzer

bump----come on...i know some of you guys have done this...

am i missing someting?

anybody have the torque specs for the distributor housing to cam housing bolts?

Steve Lavigne

There is a clear very thin and flexible vinyl type washer that goes between the "mandrel" and the outer seal. Without this, you will have leaks.

There is a cork gasket that goes between the cam tower and the rear cover.

[quote]Finally there is some kind of weird donut looking button seal that sits in a small cylindrical recess on the back of the housing.<hr></blockquote>

I'm not sure what you mean by this. There is a hole on the distributor cover for inspecting cam timing that is usually covered with a piece of rubber.

[quote]Did you run the 2002 Open Track Challenge?

Well why the hell not?<hr></blockquote>

Do you have the factory manuals?
Well why the hell not!

BTW, check your private mail.

mumzer

Thanks Steve;

I'll check private email.

the vinyl seal is the piece im missing...i didnt see it in the gasket set that came from VR. This has got to be the problem.

I appreciate the info....I dont have the shop manuals because i foolishly lent them to my next door neighbor, who is presently on vacation...grrrr.

WillyC4S

Hello,

I'm in the middle of my water pump/seals/timing belt change-over, so your data here is very timely. I'm placing the order for the parts almost as I'm writing this. I'm working with Ian from 944online.com . Extremely knowledgeable fellow and very accomodating. Prices are hard to beat. His kit even has the 12-pt cambolt since that item always strips. That's very complete indeed!

I was always wondering how important that little thin onion-skin seal would be. Seems like it makes a major difference. Amazing!

BTW, the setup for the camshaft is very similar to the two balance shaft systems. This means that the two balance shafts have a thin onion-skin seal like the one that was missing for the camshaft. Did you replace the seals for the 2 balance shafts as well? If so, then you might want to check for oil leaks in that area as well if the thin seals were not installed.

Cam spacer gasket - 944.105.321.00 (1 needed)

Balance shaft spacer gasket - same part# as above (2 needed)

Hope this helps.


*****

mumzer

*****; the teflon oil seal was teh problem...not included in my headset (which is a little weird since it was a viktor reinz set (the factory vendor)

oh well...i know have the pieces i need and im sure it will be fine. Thanks to all for the assistance.

Dave951M

I'll repeat on this forum for those who didn't read it on the other-

Don't NEVER, EVER trust that your seal kit is correct. <img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[nono]" />

I've done two belt jobs on Porsches, and more than I care to remember on Fiats and with either make, it still holds true. Either the mentally incompetent or blind are being used to pack out these kits. Hope you get the right parts.

Dave

WillyC4S

Mumzer,

The teflon oil seal you are referring to, is it the thin onion-skin one or is it something else? It sounded like you had everything except for that piece.

Thanks,

*****

mumzer

***** ...it is the onion skin piece. it was not included in my head set from Reinz. I have put my hands on one and should be up and running in the morning.

tha nks to all

WillyC4S

Mumzer,

Good luck on the install and let us know if it fixes the problem.

*****

cruise98

Mumzer:

Front Engine re-seal parts list for 1987 and later 8 valve engines


Camshaft

1 each O-ring 999.701.602.40
1 each Woodruff key 900.117.045.00
1 each O-ring (onion skin) 944.105.321.00
1 each Spacer 928.105.139.04
1 each Seal 999.113.349.40
1 each Bolt (optional) 999.510.022.08
1 each Toothed roller 944.105.631.04
1 each Smooth roller 944.105.241.03

Crankshaft

1 each Seal 999.113.331.50
1 each Sleeve (oil pump drive) 944.107.161.02
1 each O-ring 999.707.283.40
1 each Woodruff key 900.117.036.00

Balance shafts

1 each Seal (upper, cw rotation) 999.113.282.40
1 each Seal (lower, ccw rotation) 999.113.281.40
2 each Spacer 928.105.139.02
2 each O-ring (same as cam)944.105.321.00
2 each O-ring 999.701.652.40
2 each Woodruff key N 012.708.2
1 each Tensioner 944.102.025.07
1 each Smooth roller 944.102.277.06

This is complete except for the "donut" seal, and belts.

Be sure you do not mix up the "spacers" and seals. The cam seal and spacer are different than the upper balance shaft now. Previously, they were the same. This may be part of your leak problem. Right seal, wrong spacer.

It is my opinion that skipping the installation new spacers with new seals is not a good idea, unless you want more quality time under the hood.

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

mumzer

allright...crap! got the car running properly again...valvetrain sounds great...headgasket sealed and water pressure is holding.

cam cover to head sealed, and other than the smoke screen i created from recoated headers everything is great

BUT: that goddamned cam seal (front) is still leaking and peeing oil past the distributor housing (rear) into the back side of the cam gear...WTF...are there tricks to this? Are cams and spacers honed to match one another? i cant figure this out?

Dave951M

Did you-
Replace the mylar seal?
Replace that "tube" between the dist housing and the cam housing?
Replace the bushing on the cam?
Replace the cam seal with the correct seal? These guys are directional and the wrong one (usually included with most reseal kits at no charge) will spew oil.
Replace the large O ring on the dist housing?

Not meaning to be picky, just trying to help eliminate variables.

Look at the cam seal for a directional arrow, this arrow should point in the direction of rotation of the cam. If no arrow is visible, look at the seal itself. There will be small ridges on the "wiper" part of the seal where it rides on the bushing. These wipers should be angled down, pointing in the direction of cam rotation. They function as wipers and are angled so that they "wipe" the oil back into the seal for a given shaft rotation. HTH