Turbo valve covers and she still drips oil

[tbitz]

After my wife complained that the porsche smells burned oil I decided to fix the oil drip by installing the turbo valve covers.

I opted for the more expensive green silicon gasket to insure I would not have a leak.

Unfortuantly she still drips oil from both valve covers. The right one is the big problem because the oil falls on the heat exchanger burning instantly and smelling bad.

I torqued the covers the to 8lbs. After I increased torque to 12lbs still she drips...increased torque to 20lbs still drips.

What should I do?



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Tony
'78 911SC

[Early_S_Man]

Sorry, Tony, but I think you will need a new set of the 'green bead' style exhaust valve cover gaskets ... you have probably ruined your new ones by your progressively higher torque sequence!

The spec book lists 6 lb-ft, 72 in-lbs as the proper torque!!!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

[tbitz]

Do the beaded gaskets have a bead of silicon on both sides? Does the bead go around the screw holes?

I have some high temp orange silicon in a tube. Could I just put a bead of this stuff on my current green gaskets? I guess I have nothing to loose by trying this. How thick is the bead on those gaskets?




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Tony
'78 911SC

[Jim Smolka]

I know that some may disagree, but I do not recommend using a silcone type gasket sealer. Instead, I use Loctite 518 on the gasket. Good stuff IMHO, though a little expensive (about $14 a tube).

I also recommend cleaning the turbo covers the best you can and possibly a fly cut.

[tmctguer]

i'm going through a similar thing. although, i'm not convinced it is my valve covers that are leaking. i'm still tracking where the oil is originating from. i suggest you degrease the bottom of the engine, and make sure you know where the drip REALLY starts from.

repost if you ever figure it out. you may help me solve my problem as well !

[tbitz]

tmctguer,

At first I didn't think it was driping from the turbo valve covers. So I did just that, I degreased the engine to find out where the oil was comming from. I am fairly sure it is from the covers.



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Tony
'78 911SC

Try the Silicon Gaskets from Automotion/Performance. I know they cost more, but they are reusable and will pay for them selves after a while. I have used them on 2 cars and have had no leaks even after many tune-ups. They do warrenty them so if they do not work you should be able to get your $ back.

Ken

[Roland Kunz]

Hello

Mostly the upper valve covers do leak.

Check all valvecovers for truiness, Clean them and lay them flat on the table. If you can wiggle them then yoü can trash the upper ones while the lower ones will get normaly thight.

An other important item is to use the correct aluminium seal washers. There are wrong units around. Some are to soft and you have to unscrew them from the studs ( If correct tourqued ) the other are to hard and will not seal correct.

Next iten are the Poly Stop nuts, don´t use normal nuts as the nylon will not withstand higher temperatures. Porsche has special Poly stop nuts.

Porsche sales a service package with 34 nuts and washers. They run around 6$ in germany.

The nuts can also be suplied by Würth. The washers are not DIN conform and where special made for Porsche. However the manufactorer is saleing a minimal amount ( smalest package unit ) to industrial costumers. ( Well enough for 750 services )

Grüsse

[Adam]

I couldn't agree more with what Roland is saying. I've got the turbo covers too. Easiest job I've ever had to do!

I used new gaskets, new poly/nylock nuts and some gasket cement (just a light covering) and they've been as tight as a drum. It doesn't leak ANYWHERE!

Also, don't think those aluminum washers aren't essential. They do a great job and only cost a few extra $$$.

Good luck with it!

AC

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Adam Chaplin - 1976 911 Coupe
My Pelican Gallery Page
My Owners Gallery Page

[This message has been edited by Adam Chaplin (edited 07-08-2001).]

[poorsche]

Hi Tony
Thought mine were leaking too. Already had 930 valve covers from PO. Turned out to be cam oiler thingies that bolt into upper valve covers. Were leaking down but couldn't see them leaking from inside engine. Now dry, no leaks anywhere. Makes me want to try synthetic oil. Heard syn. oil makes small leaks big leaks.

Joseph
'86 T-look

[tmctguer]

cam oiler thingies...........where exactly are these?

i'm chasing a leak that appears to be coming from the top of my lower valve covers near cylinder #1. maybe my thingies are leaking to !

[poorsche]

They're the cam tower lines. One one each side of (my) engine. Driver side starts behind distributor and goes in at valve cover just under rear most spark plug. Passenger side at oil pressur gauge sensor to valve cover. Just tightened connections at valve covers and stopped leaks.

Joseph
'86 T-look

[tbitz]

I think the gaskets from "REAL gasket corp" Ken is talking about area good investment (even at $70), since they are guarenteed for life.

After reading Roland's reply I ran to the garage to check my intake covers, but they show no signs of oil leaking.

I also checked the cam oil lines like Joe mentioned but they look OK.

I ended up putting the orange high temp silicon gasket on my current gasket. I put a bead on both sides of my right gasket. After driving for a while I still see oil dripping, however after close inspection it doesn't look like it is coming from the valve covers.

The saga continues.....

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Tony
'78 911SC

[Roland Kunz]

Hello

The Intake valve covers are most critical at overtourqing.

If you look at them you will see they only have 6 studs, two on each chamber diagonaly opesite. If you bolt them on to hard they will lift get bend and the corners from Cyl 1 or 6. The oil usually runs down into the gap from the lower cover and makes that look like leaking.

If you have a bend upper cover you can rebend it, a bit overbending will not hurt.

But it weakens the structur from the cover and sometimes they flap back to the old position like a memory effect.

The lower turbo valve covers are uncriticall and have enough studs to tourqe them even.

The challenge are the thinner pre SC covers and the early S 6 stud with cork.

Overtourqing is generally bending the covers on the long run. Also the covers can´t move enough under heat up and cool down cycles.

Turbo valve covers came with the 930 and had been used on all engines after 1977. The left turbo cover has the finnes decked away to the middle.


Other oil leaks are the seal beetween cam tower and chain box. And the camtower to head contact is also critical if the engine gets overheatet. I also check the rocker arm shafts.

Grüsse