Topic: How much oil have you seen from cam cover gaskets? (Read 1741 times)

VR4Dave · « **on:** 13 June 2011, 17:56:36 »

One for the experts, when you have changed cam cover gaskets that have been leaking for a while has there been a substantial amount of oil residue down both sides of the engine?

I did cam cover gaskets on my MV6 a few months back and there wasn't too much residue round the engine but i did catch them early.

Just got an elite and there seems to be a lot of residue (rather than fresh oil) down both sides.

Lazydocker · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 June 2011, 18:38:50 »

It can hang around for a while

henryd · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 June 2011, 18:54:14 »

Brake cleaner is pretty good for removing residual oil from the engine,when engine is cold of course

VR4Dave · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 June 2011, 19:48:32 »

What I meant was the amount of oil. down both sides of the engine right down to the oil filter and below.
I've only seen the small amounts from a recent failiure, I was sort of seeking confirmation that if they've been leaking for a long time there could be loads of oil.
I will clean it all up when I fit new gaskets and clean the breathers.

ninjapirate · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 June 2011, 20:20:45 »

do they still have the plastic cam covers? they warp and just leak all the time. new gaskets dont last long.

TheBoy · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 June 2011, 20:34:36 »

Quote

do they still have the plastic cam covers? they warp and just leak all the time. new gaskets dont last long.

Nope, they don't. Ever.

Its a myth put about by incompitent mechanics who shouldn't be allowed near cars, trying to cover up their poor parts and poor workmanship.

Entwood · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 June 2011, 20:35:30 »

Quote

do they still have the plastic cam covers? they warp and just leak all the time. new gaskets dont last long.

Nearly totaly incorrect ...

Plastic covers do not "warp" .. they get "bent" by idiots overtightening the bolts.

New gaskets last a long time IF, and only IF, genuine Vx ones are used.

So, do the job properly .. no problems ... do it wrong ..... replace in a few months ..

VR4Dave · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 June 2011, 21:09:10 »

Yes, I did the ones on my mv6 about 3-4 months ago and used genuine gaskets and tightened only to 8nm and they're fine. I've now got an elite as well and cam covers are leaking out of evrey o ring and round the edges. I just thought that the oil staining would remain local to the top of the engine as it is not flowing as such more of a weep.
But thinking about it it will quite easily cover the engine over time.

Mr Hagon · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 June 2011, 22:53:04 »

On mine I have seen oil work its way down all the way to the sump from what I assume was the cam cover gaskets as the source of the leak.

Once the gaskets had been done I was still losing oil, so I had to clean the block to find out that it was the oil pressure switch that was the remaining source of oil loss.

ninjapirate · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 June 2011, 00:33:18 »

Quote

Quote
do they still have the plastic cam covers? they warp and just leak all the time. new gaskets dont last long.
Nope, they don't. Ever.

Its a myth put about by incompitent mechanics who shouldn't be allowed near cars, trying to cover up their poor parts and poor workmanship.

ahh i see, i had oil leaks on my omega v6, took it in to have new gaskets fitted, it still leaked so got two new covers from vx, leaks fixed, didnt relise it was down to mechanics over tightening them!

VR4Dave · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 June 2011, 04:57:56 »

thanks mr hagon, that was the answer i was looking for.

Lazydocker · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 June 2011, 13:41:03 »

Quote

Quote
Quote
do they still have the plastic cam covers? they warp and just leak all the time. new gaskets dont last long.
Nope, they don't. Ever.

Its a myth put about by incompitent mechanics who shouldn't be allowed near cars, trying to cover up their poor parts and poor workmanship.

ahh i see, i had oil leaks on my omega v6, took it in to have new gaskets fitted, it still leaked so got two new covers from vx, leaks fixed, didnt relise it was down to mechanics over tightening them!

Did they fit genuine Gaskets? The pattern ones are (generally) shite and don't last. Genuine Vx have happily gone 60k/4 years on my saloon and were just starting to weep when it went

VR4Dave · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 June 2011, 13:53:18 »

Just removed the cam covers and i now know why there is so much oil round the block, gaskets and o rings are hard as rock and 7 out of the 16 bolts for the covers were so loose i undid them with fingers. I know that they shouldn't be tight but that was ridiculous!
4 plug wells were full of oil too.
Mental note, don't go to the garage that previous owner used as they haven't spotted leaks and they must have been leaking for a long time.

MutantCav · « **Reply #13 on:** 14 June 2011, 15:44:21 »

On my last car the oil filled all 6 plug wells beyond the height of the plugs...was still running perfectly and pulled like a train...I probably should have got round to it a bit earlier though lol

ninjapirate · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 June 2011, 15:54:54 »

Quote

Quote
Quote
Quote
do they still have the plastic cam covers? they warp and just leak all the time. new gaskets dont last long.
Nope, they don't. Ever.

Its a myth put about by incompitent mechanics who shouldn't be allowed near cars, trying to cover up their poor parts and poor workmanship.

ahh i see, i had oil leaks on my omega v6, took it in to have new gaskets fitted, it still leaked so got two new covers from vx, leaks fixed, didnt relise it was down to mechanics over tightening them!

Did they fit genuine Gaskets? The pattern ones are (generally) shite and don't last. Genuine Vx have happily gone 60k/4 years on my saloon and were just starting to weep when it went

tbh im not sure, it was a few years ago, i bought the car, then noticed teh leaks, it went in on warranty (was old but as far as im concerned if your a trader it has to be fit for purpose) they done the gaskets, it then carried on to leak, i was told due to the cam covers warping which i replaced, he sourced his own gaskets iirc unless they cam with the cam covers, then it was all done and fine. it had done a good 160k miles so could well of been over tightend and stuff over the years.

x1xv45 · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 June 2011, 16:50:18 »

Two omegas back, when I bought it it had leaks from the back of the camcover, and at the crankcase breather - it had oil all down the back of the engine, and had burned on the exhaust shield till that was rotten - lucky the exhaust itself was ok. Oil was getting as far as the transmission. Everything was fine after a gasket and breathers job and a scrub-up with brake cleaner - probably dumb luck that an ebay gasket I used was still fine 2 years later when I sold it. I remember now - it leaked about a week after I fitted it with some rubbish goo from Halfords, but I redid it with the proper black stuff and then it was ok.

mathewst · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 June 2011, 10:11:04 »

Mine is loosing (consuming) about 0.5 litres per 500 miles.
The mechanic changed the cam cover gasket 3 times but he managed to mess it up every single time.
So I'll need to do it myself eventually.
But where is the oil pressure switch located, cause this could also be worth checking?

Abiton · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 June 2011, 10:28:18 »

Quote

Mine is loosing (consuming) about 0.5 litres per 500 miles.
The mechanic changed the cam cover gasket 3 times but he managed to mess it up every single time.
So I'll need to do it myself eventually.
But where is the oil pressure switch located, cause this could also be worth checking?

On the 4-pots the oil pressure switch is at the rear of the oil filter housing. Leak from there would be fairly obvious I think.
Are you sure it's not just burning the oil, via (possibly) valve stemseal leakage? Not necessarily obvious at the tailpipe as the cat will burn most of it into invisibility.

henryd · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 June 2011, 11:08:02 »

Quote

On my last car the oil filled all 6 plug wells beyond the height of the plugs...was still running perfectly and pulled like a train...I probably should have got round to it a bit earlier though lol

Strange innit,mine was the opposite,missed like hell once the plug wells filled up

mathewst · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 June 2011, 12:00:15 »

Abiten I had the headgasket changed 20 000 miles and the head was skimmed plus the valves changed so I guess this would rule out the valve steamsel leakage.
And the back of the engine has oil round the cam cover gasket halfmoons so here it is definitely leaking

VR4Dave · « **Reply #20 on:** 15 June 2011, 15:29:12 »

Cam cover gaskets is not a tough job it's just a case of taking your time and doing it right.
If you are losing that much oil through leaking there will be serious puddles wherever you park

VR4Dave · « **Reply #21 on:** 15 June 2011, 15:30:20 »

The oil in my 4 plug wells was right to top of plugs and car was running fine.

henri · « **Reply #22 on:** 15 June 2011, 17:53:15 »

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On my last car the oil filled all 6 plug wells beyond the height of the plugs...was still running perfectly and pulled like a train...I probably should have got round to it a bit earlier though lol

just had mine changed and yes oil was all down sides of engine and round back down to oil filter,all plug wells had oil in them,replaced with genuine vaux parts , keeping fingers crossed that its done the trick

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Author Topic: How much oil have you seen from cam cover gaskets? (Read 1741 times)

x1xv45

Abiton