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[jmax]

Just finished fitting replacement heads to my '97 V6. Took the car for a run last night and lost about half a gallon of oil. There is a steady leak coming from somewhere that wasn't evident while the car was on the drive.. Suspected it might be the cam shaft gaskets/oil seals. Took the timing belt covers off and no oil leaks in that area. I have just taken the plenum off and the intake and there is a load of oil in the well between the heads. The cam shaft gaskets are sound and can't see any leaks from the oil cooler. (New washers fitted and the cooler cleaned out) There is a film of oil on the intake face of the right hand head - but again can't see any leaks. Any ideas?

[Big_Al]

Had a nightmare oil leak on my '99 2.5 . Just could not find it . Changed cam cover gaskets & cleaned breathers TWICE

 Long story cut short  . . it was  warped cam covers .

 Critical they are only torqued down to 8NM which is hardly tight at all . Follow the guide on here to the letter.

To lose "half a gallon"  that is a big leak  . . . make sure half moons at back  are located properly .

If you are losing that much you should be able to see where from .

Mine was laying in the V around the oil cooler plate & then running down to top of sump along the front below the pulleys.

Sounds similar to my leak  . .  but BIGGER !    HTH 

[Andy H]

To lose "half a gallon"  that is a big leak  . . . make sure half moons at back  are located properly .

Classic cause of a big leak after work on the top end of the engine.

[jmax]

Cam covers and half moons are ok. Been advised that gasket may be on wrong way. ( If it is -public flogging will be arranged) Watch this space>
Big public thankyou to The Red Baron for all his help. Top Man.

[Andy B]

Cam covers and half moons are ok. Been advised that gasket may be on wrong way. ( If it is -public flogging will be arranged) Watch this space>
Big public thankyou to The Red Baron for all his help. Top Man.

If I 'd seen this earlier I could've offered you my opinion, I've been off work today. Not sure it's possible to fit a rocker gasket on 4rse about face 

[Big_Al]

Cam covers and half moons are ok. Been advised that gasket may be on wrong way. ( If it is -public flogging will be arranged) Watch this space>
Big public thankyou to The Red Baron for all his help. Top Man.

Think they only go on one way  . .     gaskets come as a shaped pair for each cam cover . pretty sure they would fit no where near if round other way and upside down the half moon would be totally wrong 

[jmax]

Thanks Andy B. The gasket i was referring to was the head gasket. Both the camshaft gaskets look ok. No sign (that i can see) of any leaks around them. Loads of oil in the well, down the back of the engine and some down the front. I have cleaned the breathers several times. There is quite a bit of oil on the inlet faces and the plenum so it must be drawing it up.

[Andy B]

Thanks Andy B. The gasket i was referring to was the head gasket. Both the camshaft gaskets look ok. No sign (that i can see) of any leaks around them. Loads of oil in the well, down the back of the engine and some down the front. I have cleaned the breathers several times. There is quite a bit of oil on the inlet faces and the plenum so it must be drawing it up.

So, it's had head gasket(s) changed? Again, not sure how you'd get  them wrong (I've only helped with one car's head gaskets though  ) Where were they done?

[jmax]

I did them. Like you cant see how i put em on the wrong way - but its possible. Must be some pressure in the oil pump to force its way between the block and the head. Either that or i damaged the gasket dropping the head on. I dont really want to take the heads off again but as they say "onward and upwards". You are quite welcome to have a look. We 're not that far apart.

[dbug]

Check the oil cooler bolts and seals

[jmax]

Have done. Seals ok, bolts tight but will double check again in daylight.

[Andy B]

....
We 're not that far apart.

I'm at Brandlesholme 

[jmax]

I'm on Sunnybank

[Andy H]

Several years since I had the heads off my last Omega but it looks to me as though the oil would pish out if one or both head gaskets were fitted upside down.

The oil pressure feed is above and to the right of cylinder 3 in this photo (the middle cylinder in bank 1 facing the camera) .

[Andy H]

That part of the head gasket must stick out a little bit. I imagine it would be easy to damage it before fitting