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Author Topic: The dreaded cam cover.....  (Read 2338 times)

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Steve 1564

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The dreaded cam cover.....
« on: 02 December 2009, 09:39:42 »
Hi Everyone...
Long time viewer, 1st time poster !... this site has been a great help... Thanks.

However, I recently bought a 98 2.5CDX - I needed a large estate for work (long story) and it fits the bill well.
after about 1wk the cam cover gaskets needed doing, replaced them (the guide is great) and all was well, after about 3 wks got the expected missfire so decided this w/e to replace the plugs & leads, Horror of all horrors the pass side plug wells are full of oil.... so removed the cover and checked to see if i had snagged the gasket on the way in... nope all good, (bah!)... cleaned up & re-fitted with new sealent... the bloody thing still leaks (drivers side is fine).. oh and yes i did clean out the breathers (lots of goo - checked - no pressure build up )
oil leak is different now - seems to be on the inside (so fills plug wells rather than dripping on the manifold)
How common is it for the covers to distort ? (didn't check that).. and would it be a big deal to fit the alloy ones of the vectra ?

Thanks

Steve
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Welung666

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #1 on: 02 December 2009, 09:54:23 »
Were the cam covers genuine Vx? Cheapo copies always fail without a cause.

The covers can distort when over tightened, the bolts barely need pinching up (something like 8nm from memory). Fitting the alloy Vectra type will only cause you more problems. When the breathers block up again and the cam covers can't blow because of the solid rocker covers the oil will escape elsewhere, normally front or rear crank seals and they are an a$$ to change! :y
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Kevin Wood

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #2 on: 02 December 2009, 09:55:37 »
Welcome to the forum, Steve.

Accepted wisdom is that the covers don't warp. Vectra ones will fit but the position of the oil filler cap then becomes quite awkward.

I am sure yours probably failed a second time due to the breathers being blocked rather than warped covers. Now the breathers are clear changing the gaskets again should effect a long term cure.

BTW: Those who have tried report that non-genuine gaskets are generally not worth bothering with as they fail quickly, so go for genuine GM gaskets.

Kevin
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amba

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #3 on: 02 December 2009, 09:57:51 »
The "urban myth"is that the plastic covers warp due to heat or some other mysterious reason and this causes the leak which kills the leads etc.
In reality they may well be distorted and not sealing correctly but this is almost certainly due to being over tightened in a previous life and now they will not seat correctly.
I had similar issues and ended up buying 2 new GM covers.(only good thing was the price did include the seals,but from memeory they were about £150 the pair)
If you have checked and checked again and you are sure that the sealant is correctly sited,all torqued correctly and no cables are trapped,then yes,they could be warped but for the reasons above.
Don,t go down the route of the vectra metal ones to replace them as have read that will cause more serious issues should you have a oil leak.
Either remove yours again and check with a long metal ruler for a straight edge,or buy a new one and then know it is sound.
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Steve 1564

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #4 on: 02 December 2009, 10:05:27 »
Hi Guys...

Thanks,
I did clear the breathers when i did the gaskets, dont think they were Vauxhall originals though... (ebay item 350105334439) they seemed to fit well, i guess i'd done about 3k before i noticed it, and of course the passenger side is the "pig" one to do... I'll get some genuine VX gaskets & do it again (D'oh) - need to sort it though as I'm doing around 4K/month....

Thanks

Steve
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Marks DTM Calib

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #5 on: 02 December 2009, 10:36:53 »
If they are genuine Vx parts then I must be the Popes secret love child.
« Last Edit: 02 December 2009, 11:36:38 by Mark »
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davethediver

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #6 on: 02 December 2009, 11:09:18 »
Quote
Hi Guys...

Thanks,
I did clear the breathers when i did the gaskets, dont think they were Vauxhall originals though... (ebay item 350105334439) they seemed to fit well, i guess i'd done about 3k before i noticed it, and of course the passenger side is the "pig" one to do... I'll get some genuine VX gaskets & do it again (D'oh) - need to sort it though as I'm doing around 4K/month....
Thanks

Steve


Need to speak to Lazydocker about sorting LPG on them kind of miles :y
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Marks DTM Calib

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #7 on: 02 December 2009, 11:37:52 »
I should add that I have never seen a warped cam cover (and I have done quite a lot of these!)

The worst I have seen is some distortion along the outside edges.....but this would not result in oil in the plug wells
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Steve 1564

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #8 on: 02 December 2009, 11:46:47 »
LOL Mark...
"Bless you my child"... (great how to by the way)
so are the NOS gaskets really that bad ? - like i said they seemed to fit well....
But i'll get some VX ones and try again (this time i'll check the covers for warps) -
Ummm... got some leads as well - ebay 250523697106 now they were identical to the ones i took off - what do you think of these?
LPG would be great, but the car was cheap... and my co pays for fuel (woo-hoo !) And it's RWD with winter comming (hehe)
I bought it to fill in while the company i was working for went bust & started up again (dont ask)... they have rented vans for some of the engineers, but to be honest it's nice doing your calls in a v6 leather clad (oil smelling) womb, so i get a car allowance, its allready paid for itself... the longer i can keep it going the more cash it makes (to spend on repairs!!) - of course i could just go and get a diesel skateboard but i like the omega...
Steve
« Last Edit: 02 December 2009, 11:48:51 by Steve_1564 »
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Elite Pete

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #9 on: 02 December 2009, 12:22:15 »
Hi Steve and welcome to the forum.

Genuine Vauxhall gaskets should solve your problem and the other thing to mention is the use of a torque wrench, its a must :y
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GastronomicKleptomaniac

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #10 on: 02 December 2009, 12:29:14 »
Genuine gaskets are the only way to go.

 I foolishly trusted a garage to do mine, and they were leaking again within the month. (And there was a bolt left out of the cam covers, but that's another story).

 I did it myself, using genuine gaskets, and it's not lost a drop of oil in 6000 miles. Apart from when I changed it :y
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Steve 1564

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #11 on: 02 December 2009, 12:50:05 »
Excellent - That's what i wanted to hear...
don't tell the guys at work - my most used phrase is "there is never enough time to do the job properly, but we allways find the time to go back and fix it !"...
that'll learn me !
I only "nipped" the bolts does anyone really own a torque wrench that does 8nm !! - (i will borrow one)....

Thanks

Steve
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JamesV6CDX

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #12 on: 02 December 2009, 12:59:51 »
Yep, mine from halfrauds does 8nm  :y
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neilr

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #13 on: 02 December 2009, 15:28:49 »
i got mine from screwfix well worthwile
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Steve 1564

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Re: The dreaded cam cover.....
« Reply #14 on: 02 December 2009, 18:33:31 »
This forum is great... quick too...
Thanks for all you help & advise...

(Ahem!)  Just decided that we need a 3/8 drive torque wrench at work... some of the guys have been overtightning screen brackets - Fancy that !!! -

Phoned VX - got quoted £45 for the gaskets...
is that right ? seems expensive [size=8](if anyone wants to quote from lock, stock please feel free)[/size]
Guess i'd better replace the inlet mf & plenun o rings as well....
Spanner rash awaits :(
Anyone put a pc in there omega yet ?
Cant really find a good place to put a screen... the ideal would be to replace the CID but i like what it does and wouldn't want to loose it,
Whats the VX sat nav like that they fit in the elite?

Steve
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