V6 cam covers

[Webby the Bear]

Evening guys. I need replacement cam covers for my 2.5 v6.

I had an eye watering quote from Vauxhall.

So two questions. 1. would motor factors sell them and if not 2. does anyone have any non warped ones for sale?

Cheers ladies

[Doctor Gollum]

Dbug used a specific set of pattern gaskets to apparent good effect, but be buggered if I can remember who made them... Might have been Payen?

That said, isn't that what you fitted last time

[Webby the Bear]

Thanks al. I mean gollum. Lol

It's the actual covers I need. I noticed they were warped last time but I didn't have replacements on hand. Now they've started leaking prematurely I'm convinced it's due to the warpage.

Therefore new covers needed. Though still happy to keep playing with different gaskets

[Doctor Gollum]

Ah ok, shop around, including US/Germany... Be dealer only otherwise 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Could do with a 246 bank cam cover myself. When I think of the number of them Ive binned in the past because no-one wanted them. 

[zirk]

Could do with a 246 bank cam cover myself. When I think of the number of them Ive binned in the past because no-one wanted them. 

Yep, sods law that one, the amount of almost new or near immaculate stuff Ive stored, then needed the space, tried to sell, give them away, then binned, only to find was needed only months later by myself or another member.

Just a shame we cant all chip in all together and find a nice cheap dry National Storage unit somewhere were we can donate spares to be of use later in life.

[minifreek]

Mine was warped and I replaced them with Vectra covers with genuine gaskets, been replaced for well over 18 months now and not leaked once - even after removing them a couple of times for various reasons (cam swaps and HG replacement)

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Make sure you keep your breathers spotlessly clean. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I was looking at mine when I had them off last week and I don't really understand how over tightening them can have any effect, as the bolt holes have a metal insert. 

It's always been accepted wisdom on here that if you tighten them over 8nm then they will warp or go out of shape and hence leak, but surely the metal insert should stop that happening? 

[Nick W]

I was looking at mine when I had them off last week and I don't really understand how over tightening them can have any effect, as the bolt holes have a metal insert. 

It's always been accepted wisdom on here that if you tighten them over 8nm then they will warp or go out of shape and hence leak, but surely the metal insert should stop that happening? 

The problem is that the bolts should be around the outside edges of the cover, not in the middle. The plastic covers aren't very rigid, and the narrow gaskets exacerbate the problem.  Fitting rigid aluminium covers is the classic solution (a £5 MG Metro rocker cover permanently cured the oil leak on Deb's 1300), but on the V6 highlights the deficiencies of the breathers.

[Sir Tigger KC]

I was looking at mine when I had them off last week and I don't really understand how over tightening them can have any effect, as the bolt holes have a metal insert. 

It's always been accepted wisdom on here that if you tighten them over 8nm then they will warp or go out of shape and hence leak, but surely the metal insert should stop that happening? 

The problem is that the bolts should be around the outside edges of the cover, not in the middle. The plastic covers aren't very rigid, and the narrow gaskets exacerbate the problem.  Fitting rigid aluminium covers is the classic solution (a £5 MG Metro rocker cover permanently cured the oil leak on Deb's 1300), but on the V6 highlights the deficiencies of the breathers.

Hmm the bolts arn't in the middle though.  There's 4 on each side of the cover, but granted they're not on the edges.    I still think though that the metal inserts in the bolt holes should stop the cover from splaying outwards unless seriously over tightened, something like 20nm

[Webby the Bear]

Well I'm not sure it's owt to do with tightening torque. Reason I say is last time I fitted mine they were torqued to 8nm. At this point they were straight and true.

This time round there's definite warpage.

Not saying anyone's wrong etc. just relaying facts on mine.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Not saying you've done anything wrong Webby. 

To be honest I've always thought that they go out of shape anyway over time with heat and vibration.   

I had a chat with one of the parts guys at my local dealer a while back and he said that when the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary had Omegas, they used to change the covers and gaskets when they started leaking, no messing!    but at £250 odd for new cam covers.... 

[STEMO]

Not saying you've done anything wrong Webby. 

To be honest I've always thought that they go out of shape anyway over time with heat and vibration.   

I had a chat with one of the parts guys at my local dealer a while back and he said that when the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary had Omegas, they used to change the covers and gaskets when they started leaking, no messing!    but at £250 odd for new cam covers.... 

Worth more than most omegas, then.

[Webby the Bear]

Yep £312 I was quoted including the gaskets.

Does anyone have any non warped ones for sale???

If not I'll have to have a dig around the garage though 99% sure I don't have any