dutchcrunch

hi,i have 1990c2 19000 miles and have a minor oil leak at the timing chain cover gaskets on left and right side. upon removal noticed sealant residue on gasket.i belive this is from the factory because i have all the receipts from the service history and none has been in this area. to make a long story short do i use some sort of sealant on new rubber gasket or not.hate to put it back together with or without and it leaks.thanks dutch

Jeff Curtis

Dutch, use no sealant...you probably saw some orange residue? I didn't have any on my engine.

I have seen this orange stuff before, I guess it's possible that the factory used some type of sealant?

Somthing that may weird you out...look at your new gaskets...they are triangular shaped, sort of...one side flat, the other a rounded-triangle point.

The gaskets will mount the reverse of each other upon installation, this bothered me, but I was assured I had the right parts!

...and they were expensive too! <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />

Good luck on your reseal, mine wound up being the "O"-rings from the chain housing to the cam housings, also, the little Mazda rotor-shaped three-holed gasket is suspect.

Will find out EXACTLY what's going on in the next few weeks as I just removed my engine/trans. and plan to do a "refresh" on the engine while the tub is in the body shop.

If you are crafty, you won't have to remove the AC bracket, you can get the right side chain cover off...especially if the studs come out with the nuts. Otherwise, you'll have to remove your crank pulley to get the AC bracket off.

Bill Gregory

[quote]<strong>...and they were expensive too! <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />
</strong><hr></blockquote>
And $13 list for the aluminum gasket that goes on the lower tensioner...(mine's leaking, easy to get at)

horst

Bill: can you post a picture?

Jeff: Couple of years ago, I got some "official" case sealant for my Turbo engine case. It is funny stuff- expensive as hell, and come in a big plastic tube, that cautions to make sure you knead the tube before using, and make sure to have air in the tube when you close it. It is amazing stuff, and it is PINK.

Bill Gregory

[quote]<strong>Bill: can you post a picture?
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Here you go:



Note it has black rubber for sealing on it.

horst

Thanks...and at that price it must be made of unobtainum, not aluminum.

Jeff Curtis

Horst, what you speak of is in fact case sealant, it dries hard and is only used on the case halves, where they join and the mating surfaces of the heads and cam housing.

I assume Dutch was referring to some type of RTV, like high-heat copper sealant or something?

When you buy the timing cover "reseal" kit, it will come with both of the metal gaskets that Bill kindly posted a picture of.

I hope you have better luck locating the source of your leak than I did! <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />

...hoping the rebuild I have slated for this Winter will "nail" the leak!

horst

Jeff, I don't have that leak YET, but it is probably just a matter of time. I have had some slight leak around the cam covers that responded well to a bit of judicious snugging of the 10mm bolts. I asked Bill just understand the gasket, as it will probably eventually leak.

"12 qts of Mobil 1, all yearning to be free!"