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Author Topic: Rocker cover gasket  (Read 6272 times)

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Sir Tigger KC

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #60 on: 19 March 2014, 00:52:47 »

The question people need to ask is.

1) Should we advise a part which is known to work

or

2) Should we advise to use a part which we have seen failures on and for which there is not yet a known supplier that works as well as the genuine item reliably.

As stated, you can take a chance on alternatives, but you wont see me recommending them as there very hit and miss

Sadly I found stating similar logic here, falls on deaf ears to some. Who think we suggest geniune just for the fun/cost/snob factor

 :(

C'mon guys lighten up, I think you'll find by the most part there's a fair bit of tongue in cheek jesting going on here.  ::)  ;)  :)
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TheBoy

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #61 on: 19 March 2014, 09:46:21 »

The question people need to ask is.

1) Should we advise a part which is known to work

or

2) Should we advise to use a part which we have seen failures on and for which there is not yet a known supplier that works as well as the genuine item reliably.

As stated, you can take a chance on alternatives, but you wont see me recommending them as there very hit and miss

Sadly I found stating similar logic here, falls on deaf ears to some. Who think we suggest geniune just for the fun/cost/snob factor

 :(

C'mon guys lighten up, I think you'll find by the most part there's a fair bit of tongue in cheek jesting going on here.  ::)  ;)  :)
The problem is, esp on a new member's thread, it may not be clear to them what we mean.


In many cases, pattern parts are absolutely fine, and will give no issues. Oils (except Castrol!!), coolants, radiators etc etc.

In others pattern parts will work fine, but the GM ones are better (eg, air filters are noticeably better).

There are cases where the GM part is probably not much different to quality pattern ones, but the cost of the GM part on tradeclub is cheaper or about the same, so makes sense to use the genuine part. Plus my dealer delivers, which saves me the 40 mile round trip. Oil, plugs, filters, brake fluids, coolants etc all fall into this category.

Likewise, there are cases where the genuine part is so ridiculously expensive, we have found some pattern parts are "good enough" or as good, at a better price.

There are some areas where we've proven time and time again that we (as a group of enthusiasts who do an awful lot of our own work on our cars) have been unable to consistently find a pattern part that works suitably well - front brake pads for example.  V6 camcover gaskets fall into this area.  I'd love to be able to recommend a set of camcover gaskets that are cheaper, but we know that they are unlikely to last the warranty period, let alone the 7+yrs that the genuine ones last.


That's why we need to be clear on recommendations, and why, esp to newer members :)
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Bigron

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #62 on: 19 March 2014, 09:52:23 »

A worthwhile clarification, TB; thanks.
What's wrong with Castrol? Way back, it used to be a No.1 brand.

Ron.
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TheBoy

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #63 on: 19 March 2014, 10:01:31 »

A worthwhile clarification, TB; thanks.
What's wrong with Castrol? Way back, it used to be a No.1 brand.

Ron.
We have found, esp in the V6 engine, it seems to absorb quite a lot of moisture, leaving a decent amount of mayo in the top of the filler cap (other oils do this as well, if the car is used for a lot of short journeys, esp in winter, but the Castrol Magnatec ones seem to be far worse, even on longer trips). If you inspect the breathers, you will see that these start to block as well.

GM's own oil seems to be less prone to this (but will still do it to an extent on lots of short trips, but less than many other oils), thus a recommendation to use GM's oil in our cars, esp given the cost (on tradeclub) is about as cheap as anything else out there.


Castrol oils were never particularly good. But they did spend a lot on advertising ;)
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Bigron

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #64 on: 19 March 2014, 10:06:23 »

Thanks TB. I agree that they certainly did have a strong market presence; my early motoring memories include a terrific lubrication/grease chart for my 1938 Morris 12, a big poster which adorned my garage wall! Clever marketing, as I saw it daily.....

Ron.
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TheBoy

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #65 on: 19 March 2014, 10:41:28 »

Thanks TB. I agree that they certainly did have a strong market presence; my early motoring memories include a terrific lubrication/grease chart for my 1938 Morris 12, a big poster which adorned my garage wall! Clever marketing, as I saw it daily.....

Ron.
I do use Castrol grease though. So its not that I don't like the company's products, its just that I find Magnatec poor.
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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #66 on: 20 March 2014, 00:33:46 »

I have to agree on the most part with the use of non GM parts! I have had a couple of cases with my car where I have fitted pattern parts, only to find a couple of days (not weeks) it has to be returned for refund! For this reason I am now VERY choosy  with the parts I fit And can say that Elring gaskets "appear" to be O.k on the 4 pots and Shell Helix oil (10/40 HX7 in my case) performs well in the 2.2 petrol .... but that's not what this thread is about so I will Shhh  :-X
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dave irmscher

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #67 on: 22 March 2014, 12:11:07 »

So................. driving home from work last night, the battery light comes on !! The car slowly begins to die (electrics, lights etc) The RAC arrive and confirm that alternator is at fault and i suspect that the oil leaking from the rocker cover gaskets has got in to the alternator and knackered it :'(

I have contacted a local motor factors but they have 2 types, 100 amp & 120 amp. Does anyone know which one i need? I have the 2.6 MV6 ?!?!!?

Cheers

Dave
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pauls

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #68 on: 22 March 2014, 12:49:53 »

Its the 120amp :y
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dave irmscher

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #69 on: 22 March 2014, 14:33:34 »

cheers  :y Would it be possible to use the 100 amp alternator as the parts shop i use only have the 100 amp in stock ??
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cd 2.2

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #70 on: 22 March 2014, 15:38:18 »

If you can find a big engined astra / vectra ... they use the same alternator (only difference is the pulley) ! Save yourself a fortune and get a know good unit from a scrappy and swap the pulley over
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Sir Tigger KC

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #71 on: 22 March 2014, 16:23:42 »

I bought a 120 amp alternator recently from an ebay supplier for £70 delivered so have a look around.  ;)
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The Red Baron

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #72 on: 22 March 2014, 18:16:12 »

cheers  :y Would it be possible to use the 100 amp alternator as the parts shop i use only have the 100 amp in stock ??
got a couple of 120a alternators here dave. used of course.  :y
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chrisgixer

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #73 on: 23 March 2014, 07:11:09 »

So................. driving home from work last night, the battery light comes on !! The car slowly begins to die (electrics, lights etc) The RAC arrive and confirm that alternator is at fault and i suspect that the oil leaking from the rocker cover gaskets has got in to the alternator and knackered it :'(

I have contacted a local motor factors but they have 2 types, 100 amp & 120 amp. Does anyone know which one i need? I have the 2.6 MV6 ?!?!!?

Cheers

Dave

Sorry to hear this Dave. It brings back memories on a course of failures that where very much connected on my first 2.5 omega owned before I knew about the forum. Gaskets failed due to age and very blocked breathers, causing knackered ignition system, and later, alternator as well.

The advise then was the same as it is now. Gm parts as the guide. And for me, that includes the alternator as advice to a newer member. As your finding the factors don't know the exact details of the am page and pulley sizes, where's as the dealers do. They also do an exchange service, so on return of your old alternator it makes the cost of a 3.2 alternator about £111 iirc.
 Before the non believers stand up in arms at the cost, yes that is still more expensive than the factors. But there in comes the experience of the member concerned. Sone here know this and bring the old part in to check at the counter. Others know how to refurb the alternator and are happy to follow the guide as such., saving more money in the process. Fair do's.

Me, I paid for the new part, from the dealers,  and the 2.5 back on the road ASAP. The choice is yours. :y

Re gm parts, as TB says, and implies, it's no good people just shouting out what they did themselves as the best thing to do for everyone. If your nearest dealer has stopped doing trade club, why does that mean recommending nobody uses trade club? It doesn't, it means there's a valid reason to not use TC in that instance, but not necessarily everyone else. (Unless their nearest tc dealer also turns out to be miles away of course ;D)
 
While we need to make sure newer members get the best advice on a reliable value for money part that works. We also need members to pass on info about new to the forum parts. Exhausts being a prime example. It used to be the case that trade club exhausts where fantastic. £300 gave you an oe factory fit exhaust with clam shell design and chrome tips that lasted 6 or 7 years.
 That changed. We then get some other piece of crap that barely lasted two years that was noisy and blocked internally usually before it rusted away.

Then a member here piped up, James iirc, that Eternal (and now ETS) offered a decent alternative that's quiet and lasts for a third of the price of a TC exhaust. Happy days and good man James.

<rant on>
Frankly scoffing at accepted advise and spouting unproven rubbish to new members in technical areas isn't on IMO. Tongue in cheek or not, its a help section, the guy is asking for help, and getting confusing info.
<rant off>

:)

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chrisgixer

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Re: Rocker cover gasket
« Reply #74 on: 23 March 2014, 07:14:58 »

Being fair, he's also getting kind offers from local members too. :y
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