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Author Topic: Cheap cam cover gaskets - results  (Read 3866 times)

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Migv6 le Frog Fan

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Re: Cheap cam cover gaskets - results
« Reply #15 on: 06 December 2017, 21:34:29 »

Your Courtney sport filter will probably knacker your MAF at some point by the way.
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Nick W

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Re: Cheap cam cover gaskets - results
« Reply #16 on: 06 December 2017, 22:23:15 »

In the pattern market, there is good, there is crap, there is stuff in the middle.

Compare a genuine GM air filter to a Halfords air filter, and anyone can visibly see the difference. Granted, the Halfords one was about 50p cheaper than the GM trade club one, but that was more than negated in fuel to pick it up.


What Nick W fails to accept is there are times when GM is better, there are times when pattern is better, and there are times when they are so similar (or it doesn't really matter), and you buy on cost/convenience only.  Brake pads are a prime example of where GM are better - if you want a cheap, sub £20 set of front pads, you'd be soft in the head to chose anything else than GM, as they are far superior to anything sub £60-70. Exhausts are an example of where pattern is better than GM.

As a club, we are uniquely placed to know what works where.



I do accept it. But in thirty odd years of working on stuff, common service items like plugs, filters, oil, gaskets, bearings, belts etc are simply not worth worrying about. I buy them when I need them from convenient suppliers who have them in stock. Always have. None of the five air filters I've fitted to my car have had any noticeable differences between each other or the (black and hairy) GM one that was on it when I bought the car. I took a chance on the pattern cam cover gaskets as they came in the head kit; if they had proved unsatisfactory I would have put another hour into replacing them with better. If they failed tomorrow, four years after fitting them I would consider I've more than had my money's worth.


We're talking about mass-produced cars that share many consumable parts with many others; not 'production' runs of 3 that were handbuilt from unobtanium.


I also think that this car has more genuine parts on it than all of the others I've owned put together. Most of those are because it wasn't worth the time and effort finding that they're only available from GM. Or are things like cam sensors, which I do believe are worth the small premium over branded pattern.
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laney101

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Re: Cheap cam cover gaskets - results
« Reply #17 on: 07 December 2017, 04:54:01 »

no need to poor laney101 me... my car runs great .. and just flew throuh yet another mot ... yes it may affect maf .. But when.. (2 years?) prove it was the filter and not age or just time for the maf to go ahaha..

car is 14 years old on original maf and its fine. it will go one day anyways .. i know filters can affect it but personally never had it happen fiesta had k and n oil performance filter on for 30k and no issues...  dads insignia v6 runs courtney air filter and no issues thus far with that either.

courntey filter been on a year now on omega runs better with nice little note change i have to say and can take it out clean it and re use it ..

as said use pattern rocker gaskets how long you expect them to last?? if half price of gm ones but last 2/3rds of the time still worth it.. i get what people say you may have to change slightly more frequently but certain things it fine it really is.. also things like air filter if running a normal one i change every year regardless of millage on each service (now i dont due to courtney) but if you buying a gm one and doing 4000 miles a year you either leave it in for another year.. or buy cheap one but replace each year? car will still run fine ..  may affect performance by like 0.000001% but whatever
 
as said i dont have issue with patten parts other makes etc my car always has run spot on .. still pulls a 7.4 0-60 .... only air filter and 3.0 cats mod from std. (car a 3.2)

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TheBoy

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Re: Cheap cam cover gaskets - results
« Reply #18 on: 07 December 2017, 13:21:47 »

laney101 - if you have the facilities for live data, try to keep an eye on long term fuel trims for both banks as part of your monthly quick check over.

The failure mode of 2.6/3.2 MAFs is normally a gradual failure, which is difficult to feel from the drivers seat until it gets to the point that its not running right.

If you see both banks drifting at all from 0% on the LTFT, suspect MAF (but check for air leaks etc as well), and look at changing it then :y


I'd suggest similar for all V6 owners not running LPG (as that oftern buggers up all trims ;D), but given you are using a (presumably) oiled filter, you suspectable to faster failure, as you're already aware.


Anything Courtney still sucks though :P ;D
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TheBoy

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Re: Cheap cam cover gaskets - results
« Reply #19 on: 07 December 2017, 13:35:53 »

I do accept it. But in thirty odd years of working on stuff, common service items like plugs, filters, oil, gaskets, bearings, belts etc are simply not worth worrying about. I buy them when I need them from convenient suppliers who have them in stock. Always have. None of the five air filters I've fitted to my car have had any noticeable differences between each other or the (black and hairy) GM one that was on it when I bought the car. I took a chance on the pattern cam cover gaskets as they came in the head kit
But you frequently claim that pattern is always the way to go.  Which is fine if that works for you.


The point we seem to disagree on is there are times that pattern isn't worth the effort/money/time.  And thats they point we frequently seem to cross swords over.  My point being, as a community, we have a wealth of knowledge specifically about this car about what works and whats not so good - be it pattern or GM.

Do you think my car has nothing but GM on it?  Of course it doesn't.

Granted, I use GM often out of convenience if the price is right, and pattern is no better, as the dealer will deliver at a time convenient to me, and its always a genuine part.  ECP etc will deliver at a random day a week or so later, and its been shown time and time again that a lot of the stuff isn't what it claims to be - only a month ago I was returning stuff because it clearly wasn't the branded part I'd ordered, despite want it said on the plain label attached to the sealed polythene bag it was in. Downside of living in the arse end of nowhere, everything not delivered is a 20+ mile round trip, thus adding £5-6 if its a special journey. I use Halfords, again for convenience - esp as there is one almost across the road from where I work.

Other factors and outlets are available, obviously, but similar applies with regards to convenience.
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laney101

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Re: Cheap cam cover gaskets - results
« Reply #20 on: 14 December 2017, 02:17:44 »

good top tip duly noted cheers.

i shall keep an eye on live data.. as said it may wear it out quicker but i only doing now 5-7k a year so it original maf and if last another 2/3 years still ok in my book... hopfully next year going standalone management do away with maf (woop woop)

cheers for info on checking fuel trims


laney101 - if you have the facilities for live data, try to keep an eye on long term fuel trims for both banks as part of your monthly quick check over.

The failure mode of 2.6/3.2 MAFs is normally a gradual failure, which is difficult to feel from the drivers seat until it gets to the point that its not running right.

If you see both banks drifting at all from 0% on the LTFT, suspect MAF (but check for air leaks etc as well), and look at changing it then :y


I'd suggest similar for all V6 owners not running LPG (as that oftern buggers up all trims ;D), but given you are using a (presumably) oiled filter, you suspectable to faster failure, as you're already aware.


Anything Courtney still sucks though :P ;D
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