Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Andy B]

I've an oil leak somewhere on my car. It's dripping off the front of the gearbox & making a nice slick on my drive. So suspecting the usuall culprit of cam covers I've had a look. Driver's side all bone dry, however there's a little oil around the front of the cover.
I replaced all seals on both cam covers last summer - OE from Andy C.  The easy side still has 3 dry plugs    The slightly testing passenger side has 1 dry plug, 1 slightly damp & the No2 plug is just starting to paddle in oil.  I've just removed the cover for a look-see. The gasket is still pliable & no signs of it having been trapped or twisted etc in its groove. Has anyone put a straight edge across their cam covers when they were off?
I'm starting to think the impossible ........ warped cover 

[0795omega]

a garage who did mine once did phone me up and say your covers are warped and so had to do them aswell not cheap!! nothing is though is it!

[Andy B]

a garage who did mine once did phone me up and say your covers are warped and so had to do them aswell not cheap!! nothing is though is it!

warped covers is often a cover story for their earlier ineptitude at fitting the proper gaskets or not clearing the breathers. 

[0795omega]

yeh mind you this certain garage new i loved the car and i think i was a bit of a cash cow to them to be honest!

[Elite Pete]

I have seen warped cam covers but it was a result of them being over tightened. I'm not suggesting that's what's happened in your case Andy

[Andy B]

I have seen warped cam covers but it was a result of them being over tightened. I'm not suggesting that's what's happened in your case Andy

But Your Honour!!!!  Not guilty! 
Putting a straight edge across all 4 edges/sides allows a little rocking of the straight edge. Length wise they look pretty straight using rack o'th'eye
All back together again with black sealant in the appropiate corners & D section.

See what happens. 

In all honesty, as there's a brass insert in the cover where it's bolted on, over tightening is only going to crush  the insert, I stilll can't really see how it applies pressure on the cover to warp it. 

[Andy B]

Phoned local Vauxhall for a price for a new cover. £120!!
I'll see what happens now after re-fitting my old cover.

[The Red Baron]

ive had to change the covers on the elite ive just done the heads on as they had gone very wavey down the sides, so the gasket was pushing out the sides. thankfully i had a decent spare pair in the shed. still have 1 good un spare tbh.

[Elite Pete]

They seem to go wavey on the outer edges opposite the bolt holes

[Andy B]

They seem to go wavey on the outer edges opposite the bolt holes

Which makes my cover reasonable .....