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[dublin.jd]

Hello,
Try not be sarcastic in ur reply but would drilling holes in cam covers (say 1mm) or putting pressure relief valves on the covers Prevent the gaskets from leaking? 99% sure it's leaking from there.

This is my 3rd omega (y26se) that has pissed oil all over my drive in. A litre every 2 to 3 weeks. Breathers are clean now but don't want to go through all the hassle of changing gaskets again only to get 6months out of it. I change oil and filter around every 5k.
Thanks.
Ps. I have fuel trim fault code for each bank. I think oil is in plug wells or lambda wiring connector as maf is ok and vaccum pipes are intact.
Thanks again

[Entwood]

mmmm .. please don't take this the wrong way .. but the gaskets only leak if ...

Breathers are not cleaned properly and regularly
Pattern gaskets used
Not fitted correctly
Oil changes not done regularly with a decent (non emulsifying) oil

Mine were done when I got the car 5 years and 50,000 miles ago, and (touch wood) are still perfectly dry. However, oil changes and breather cleans done every 5000 miles.

IMHO a better solution than drilling holes ......

[chrisgixer]

Ignoring the first paragraph then...


Maf is ok? Can you explain how you know.

Air leak post maf might be next place to look?

What gaskets fitted to cam covers?

[Kevin Wood]

You can't ventilate the crankcase in any way other than the factory breathers as this will cause an unmetered air leak into the intake. As said, if the breathers are kept clean, cam covers gaskets aren't unreliable.

[dublin.jd]

Yeah I'm fairly sure breathers are clean as I do them with oil change too. I haven't done the gaskets on this car yet but have done them on my previous omegas. (original Gm Opel, as I'm in Ireland) anyway I'm fed up replacing gaskets and was wondering if anyone came up with any other solutions/mods to solve this problem. Other than the norm.
I was gonna use adhesive such as tiger seal with new gaskets (original Gm of course) and drill a 1mm hole on each of the 4 covers. Or instead of the holes maybe a pressure relief valve.
Anyway I know how to do it the recommended way, just wondering if anyone has any other ideas.
Thanks for ur reply entwood, much appreciated.

[dublin.jd]

You can't ventilate the crankcase in any way other than the factory breathers as this will cause an unmetered air leak into the intake. As said, if the breathers are kept clean, cam covers gaskets aren't unreliable.

I'm not looking to ventilate crankcase, just to stop pressure blowing gaskets. A non return pressure relief valve would only let air out, it wouldn't let unmetered air leak in under negative pressure ie. Vaccum leak. I tested maf with "My Naff Code Reader". Voltages and air intake volumes seemed with in spec. I disconnected maf also. When reset the eml stays of for about 20-30 miles. But peddle trick shows fuel trim codes after about 5 miles without eml.
Again I'm not looking for the text book solution to the leaking cam cover gaskets.
Thanks again

[jonny2112]

When you say the 'recommended way' do you mean as illustrated on this forum?
Don't be tricked into applying more sealant to the covers. This seems to have the opposite effect than you would expect.
Follow the guide on here when you do them next time 

[dublin.jd]

Think of the solution as a back up just in case the breathers block in between cleanings.
I'm not looking for a lazy way out of cleaning breathers.

[dublin.jd]

When you say the 'recommended way' do you mean as illustrated on this forum?
Don't be tricked into applying more sealant to the covers. This seems to have the opposite effect than you would expect.
Follow the guide on here when you do them next time 

As I said earlier, I know how to do it the illustrated way. (thanks to this site)  I'm trying to prevent them blowing in future. Just in case I don't have time to clean them before they block. For the record I only use original parts and I clean my breathers regularly. Thanks

[chrisgixer]

The breathers keep the crank case at negative pressure, due to inlet vacuum. Don't do anything to decrease this effect or the the problem will only get worse.

I find it odd you think there's 4 covers having replaced the gaskets previously, obviously there are only two. But more importantly have the breathers been checked they actually flow air thought them? They may look clean, but are they working as designed...?
 An easy check is to remove the breather pipes back of plenum and physically blow through them both ways. Only then can you be sure they are clear. The breather box behind pot 5 might be blocked?

[chrisgixer]

Further, there are numerous cars on here running with no mods to the breathers. If your isn't right then something is being missed. Drilling holes in covers will only leak more oil with cams splashing around inside.

You need to find the cause, rather than cheat and create a bigger problem.

[dublin.jd]

When I said 4 covers I meant the intake and exhaust side of each cover. Obviously 1 hole or valve on each bank would do. You knew what I meant?
And if the cam covers where under negative pressure the wouldn't blow oil everywhere. They would suck air In !

[jonny2112]

When you say the 'recommended way' do you mean as illustrated on this forum?
Don't be tricked into applying more sealant to the covers. This seems to have the opposite effect than you would expect.
Follow the guide on here when you do them next time 

As I said earlier, I know how to do it the illustrated way. I'm trying to prevent them blowing in future. Just in case I don't have time to clean them before they block. For the record I only use original parts and I clean my breathers regularly. Thanks

No worries mate. Just didn't want you getting caught out. Been there 
You will definitely need to do them now in prescribed manner so at least you know. The pipes to the rear of the plenum are easily checked visually on a regular basis too. It does sound like there may be other issues,  but start with this and you can at least rule that out.

[dublin.jd]

My topic is titled "Just Curious" so let's assume I have no leak and want to find a way that it doesn't happen. Bearing in mind that service my car every time on time.

[dublin.jd]

Thanks Johnny2112, but everyone gets caught with this eventually. Sad fact of owning an omega.