Freaking Cam Cover gasket

[Robbie693]

p.s. What's the best stuff for removing Wellseal?

I find methylated spirits gets it off reasonably easily

Robbie

[AussieJohn]

I use any old contact adhesive to stick the gasket to the cam cover and grease on the head side; seems to work, gasket never moves from the cam cover.

[pharriso]

Think I found the source of the problem....

The cam cover is warped about .016" where it was leaking:

Too much for Wellseal to plug...

Looking on the mating face there is a witness mark:

Looks like someone has pried the cam cover off at some point.

So I now have the cam cover assembled to the gasket with a good bead of Elring Dirko lying on a flat surface to bond overnight.

Still need to decide whether to use Grease or RTV on the bottom face...

p.s. For removing Wellseal, Acetone > denatured Alcohol (meths) > paint thinner.

[Robbie693]

Glad you found the problem. I'd try grease first - easier to clean up if you need to go to RTV. It was the cleaning up of the RTV that prompted my decision to change to Wellseal - all the laborious scraping, paranoid some would flake off and end up somewhere it shouldn't...

Robbie

[vincereynard]

Glad you found the problem. I'd try grease first - easier to clean up if you need to go to RTV. It was the cleaning up of the RTV that prompted my decision to change to Wellseal - all the laborious scraping, paranoid some would flake off and end up somewhere it shouldn't...

Robbie

Exactly why I decided not to use RTV twixt gasket and head. I was similarly paranoid about bits dropping into the head. Using it just to stick the gasket to the cover and you can check no nasty blobs are sticking out first.
So I ended up with a similar arrangement. Cover - RTV - Gasket - Wellseal - Head. (Plus 5mm O rings on the studs.)
So far it is dry - until I have to take it off to check the valve clearances.

I also found that some cork gaskets fit far better than others.

[JJDraper]

Having used a cometic gasket for the thermostat housing with great success (good seal + easy to remove & replace for summer/winter thermostat), I too thought that one for the cam cover would be a good move. Disaster - oil leaks from the 'D' plug areas. I don't think it could cope with the slight change in section as well as cork & it was only fitted for about 20 miles. The idea of a combination of cork & cometic hadn't occurred to me, but sounds to be worth a try (I kept the gasket). I tend to use a smear of oil on the cork & nothing else, especially after a rebuild, as the cover has to come off soon to check the clearances after a few hundred miles (paranoia), and the gasket can usually be re-used..

I also get oil mist/leaks out of the filler cap, but with all the other grot in the engine bay, I just call it patina...

Jeremy

[el-saturn]

jeremy - use oil on all surfaces, .................. then, due to more SPONGE to compress A N D more thread which many of you fellas forget, you can, if still leaky zero-in by 1/4 revolutions (90?) and all of a sudden SHE's dry! sj

[JJDraper]

El-Saturn - a picture for you...

On our last trip through Switzerland.

Jeremy[attachment=0]Fluellapass CH 2400m.JPG[/attachment

[pharriso]

Well I went middle of the road: Elring Dirko RTV cam cover to gasket, Wellseal Gasket to head. Also replaced the Oil filler cap seal ($2 at RDent.) Dry so far...

So my advice would be:

1. Check Cam cover for flatness, machine if greater than .020" (0.5mm)
2. Clean all surfaces with Acetone
3. Assemble Cam Cover gasket to Cam Cover with RTV, lay on flat surface to set & take out any deviations in the Cam Cover, also assemble 1/2 moon seals to engine with RTV.
4. Assemble Cam cover to cylinder head using Wellseal.
5. Use new Seloc washers & do not over torque the Nyloc nuts (spec is 7LbFt.)

Thx for all the helpful advice guys!

[el-saturn]

phil, that's the classical solution (more or less) and i'd always use copper washers HOWEVER AND NOW: nothin' sticks to nothin'!!!! and of course the rubber semi-circle "bits" stay where they're supposed to: what a relief: and checking valve/chain "clearanes" is the real reason isn't it??!! sandy
PS: isn't that a great ride: from davos to sent?? never done it in my elan though (my 3l tdi audi 4wd is also a nice "RIDE". thanks for the lovely picture also showing some real alpine weather (like uk weather: our magnet is our local hill called saentis (almost 8000 ft). also love the red and gold paint job!!! sj

[jimj]

Davos, or-------------------- " nearby ", in BETTTER weather, and !!!!!!!!!!!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,a dirty car.
Jim