Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: doz on 05 April 2012, 13:59:30
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Right. I've been some research on the quality of cam cover gaskets. General opinion is to use genuine but what is genuine? You can bet your life GM do not make their own gaskets. From past experience I know the gaskets in the straight 6 for the head gasket are made by a outside company. So I did some digging around and found out some information on company called Elring. Now Elring make all sorts of gaskets for many of manufacturers as well as supplying to the trade who in turn sell them to the customer. Elring state clearly on their web site they supply to the makers. So I did some hunting and found a pair of gaskets and O rings. I've ordered them and they turned up today. On Elring's more than helpful website I was able to cross reference the codes and sure enough they are one and the same. Even on the packets they use the GM part number and Kat code. I don't know what the Kat code refers to however having them appear on both websites sounds promising. The quality looks excellent the moulding is spot on. Elring are well known in the VW air cooled scene for being of good quality. So I'm going to fit them and see what happens. As long as the breathers are kept clean I see these lasting another 70 k miles. I will not be using GM sealant (another item you can bet your life they've never made them self) Instead I will use silicone sealant engine RTV oil resistant. I've used this stuff for many years and my friends company who refurbish manual gearboxes use exactly the same without issue. Another bonus with this gaskets is they cost me 18.35 posted to my door. That's for two gaskets and 16 O rings. Part numbers for those who are interested are:-
GM 90511451
KAT 6 07 642
EAN 4041248190821
ELRING 372.320
These are just the numbers for the gaskets not the O rings. Hopefully this will lead to a cost effective alternative to OE gaskets.
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I can't for the life of me remember the manufacturers name on the Vauxhall supplied gaskets but i'm sure its not Elring
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Sounds good mate! Good research
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Full name is Elringklinger AG Which sounds a bit rude if you say it quickly :-[
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Full name is Elringklinger AG Which sounds a bit rude if you say it quickly :-[
What's price difference as mine need it asap inbox me :y
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I think GM charge around 25 per side
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The genuine ones have the makers name of Grainer or something similiar on them
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As Pete says. Took this a couple of weeks ago with the idea of similar research.
(http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p326/chrisgixer/079d15ba.jpg)
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Good information. From what I've found out Gm use several different suppliers for the same part. Still if they aren't genuine I'll still give them a go and see how they perform.
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:y
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I've only ever seen the Greiner ones and i've done a lot of cam cover gaskets in my time ;)
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klinger make the metal head gaskets for rover turbo lump and the kv6 and have a good name in that circle
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Send then back and save yourself some time and money. Some wise words from the Master contained in the link below :y
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=76791.msg1030981#msg1030981
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Strange that part number in the picture doesn't reference to the opel site for the gasket used in the 3lt
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And another one
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=82732.msg1084868#msg1084868
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Strange that part number in the picture doesn't reference to the opel site for the gasket used in the 3lt
Could be a 2.6 or 3.2 one as they are slightly different but still made by the same people ;)
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Don't bother. Use GM.
Autovaux, the lying scumbags, used to pass off Elring camcover gaskets as genuine (upon pressing, because Elring supplied GM, but not with V6 camcover gaskets). They, like others, do well to last 3 months.
For the small saving, compared to the costs and hassle doing them, don't bugger about.
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To clarify, for those in any doubt, there is no viable alternative to GM V6 cam cover gaskets.
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Oh dear,im now going to stir up a huge arrgument now,i replaced both of my cam gaskets in september time,with ebay parts,and used black rtv silicon from motorfactors,and so far so good,ive also cleaned the breathers when i did this,i think its down to how the person fits them,taking there time,making sure everything is clean etc :y
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Oh dear,im now going to stir up a huge arrgument now,i replaced both of my cam gaskets in september time,with ebay parts,and used black rtv silicon from motorfactors,and so far so good,ive also cleaned the breathers when i did this,i think its down to how the person fits them,taking there time,making sure everything is clean etc :y
I don't think it is. A few years ago I gave the cheap Ebay parts a go on an old Saab V6, they didn't last.
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When i do the job I'll do a comparison of the gasket
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As usual, the advice on here is tried and tested with experience over the entire life of the part.
The no. on the side of the lobe pictured, is one of 2 differant numbers one on each gasket. Two gaskets in the bag with a differant number again on the bag, ie the part number, tells me that moulded number is not a part number a customer would recognise. Part shown was for a 3.0 litre.
While on the one hand it's always good to test theory's and ask questions of tried and tested practice in search of improvement. On the other we need to make it clear to less experienced members that risks are going to be present when trying alternatives.
There are numerous posts on here of people trying to find cheaper alternatives to various parts, and failing. Crank/Cam sensors, brake discs, wishbones and bushes to some extent. But absolutely top of the lst of failure to find a cheaper alternative would be cam cover gaskets.
Experimentation is one thing. But if looking for the most reliable part available for cam cover gaskets, history has tought us, fit GM only.... From a dealer. :)
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I've only ever seen the Greiner ones and i've done a lot of cam cover gaskets in my time ;)
You changed mine about a year Pete. NO LEAKS.
P.S. I didn't own the car then. Danny did. :y