I need a tutorial on how to change a cam tower gasket.
 

My cam tower (valve cover) gasket sprung a leak about a month ago. The previous owner was going to come and replace it for me, but he works two jobs, is on call 24/7, and who knows when he will have time to come over and do it.

I'm tired of waiting around for him, and since no one around here works on these things, I figured I would give it a try. I've checked Clarks garage, but cant find any instructions on how to do it.

I dont have any repair manuals of any kind. Does anyone know of any online instructions that I could use?

u'll need tools:

ratchet,
10mm deep socket
extension bar,
6mm allen head socket,
8mm allen head socket,
scraper/razor blade


what 944 is this? 8v? 951? 16v?

his sig reads 83 N/A..

IIRC he will also need a 13mm wrench, and 17mm wrench for the timing belt... release tension on the belt and everything else can remain in place while the cam tower is removed.

Not incredibly difficult, just a bit time consuming for a stupid little gasket..

OP, you might considder checking the torque on all the bolts holding the cam tower to the head.. I have gotten small leaks to close by retorquing them.. it's worth a try before diving in deeper!

didn't see that sig there before hehe.

ez fix: torq down all the 6mm allen head bolts.
ez fix #2: clean oil leak with degreaser and brake cleaner (cold engine!!!) apply rtv to leak area



correct fix:
1) set engine to TDC
2) remove timing belt upper (and maybe lower too) covers (10mm sockets)
3) loosen timing belt tensioner (17mm or 19mm wrench/socket)
4) wiggle the timing belt off the cam gear
5) undo fuel injector clips and remove fuel rail. and (4x 10mm bolts)
6) undo 4 cam tower plugs (8mm allen key or socket)
7) undo CAREFULLY inner cam tower bolts (6 i think) (6mm LONG QUALITY allen key or 6mm allen socket with slimmed outer body) apply assembly lube to tip to hold the bolts or use magnet
8) undo outer cam tower bolts (16 or so)
9) hold cam tower by both front and rear and rotate slowly until the lifters are visible. have another person push each lifter into the cam tower's hole so u don't drop any.
10) in one smooth motion, rotate the cam tower towards passenger side and lift out. hope none of the lifters drop out. if lifter drops out, put it back in the same hole it dropped out of.
11) use razor/xacto to remove/clean up mating surface on both the cam tower and the head
12) put new gasket on, make sure both locator dowel pins are in the head.
13) put cam tower back on, don't lose those lifters again
14) start thread but do not torque on all inner and outer allen head bolts
15) completely thread but do not torque all inner and outer allen head bolts
16) torq bolts from inside to out working in giant diagonal pattern. i think there's a torq spec...but "yea that's tight" is usually what i go for
17) put timing belt back on cam gear. u may have to retime the balanace shafts
18) put fuel rail back on, put some lube on the orings before u try to push em into the intake mani hole.


thats.... it going off memory

jeryst,

krystar & johnkoawood have posted information that you will need.

Have you looked at the official web manual on the 944?
Clark's Garage Home Page

Here, I'll make it easy for you.

Camshaft Assembly Removal
Camshaft Assembly Installation
Camshaft Assembly Oil Seal Replacement

We are here to help if you don't understand a step or have trouble.
We are here to offer tips on how to avoid disaster.

Here are mine:

Wake up the cam Bolts!!
Allen Head and Cheesehead Bolt Removal

Use an expensive hex---not a cheap hex or you will strip the cam hex bolts. There was one in the tool kit of the car if you have it.

Put a thin piece of steel plate under the cam so you do not drop the lifters.

Test the lifters---toss any that are soft and get good used.

Do you know how to tension the cam belt?

Gl
John

I followed this procedure and it worked great:
http://blog.dietersmotorsports.com/?page_id=113

I read Dieters procedure in the link and even though I don't have the probem (yet) I especially liked the part about modifying the allen wrench tool and why to fit his needs. Great stuff.

i just took my 6mm allen socket and put it on my drill. then while spinning on drill, put it against my bench grinder to take off excess "body" material. it works good :)

RM512,
I like the Dieters link.
Thanks

jeryst,

I included changing the front cam gear seal and Dieters did also.

Both procedures make it seem to be an easy job. It is not.
If the front seal is not leaking---leave it alone.

You should buy the cam gear camshaft upgraded bolt-Pelican.

Pelican Parts - Product Information: 999-510-022-08-M260

The old bolt cannot be retorqued. The new bolt is a stronger 12point head bolt.

If you do not replace the camshaft bolt you may strip the keyway on the camshaft if the bolt becomes loose.
The Porsche 944 Cam Tower


If you need to do it here is an easy to understand DIY with pictures:
Another Tutorial:
Bennington Motorsports

GL
John

I just (essentially) did this job on my 924S... it's not very difficult. You'll spend more time removing the old gasket from the head than anything else.

Is the oil leak from the back of the cam? Before you pull the cam housing, you might want to check the three bolts holding the rear cover plate/engine lifting bracket to the cam housing. All three of mine had worked themselves loose, causing a fairly serious oil leak. I've been told this is a common problem.

Get a small tube of assembly grease, when you pull the cam pull the lifters out and before putting the cam tower back on put a small bit of assembly grease on the lifters, and re-install them in the same hole they came from.

The grease will hold the lifters in the came tower while you set it back onto the head. Then you don't have to worry about keeping them all in and placing the cam tower at the same time...

I can't think of anything off hand that would be a good idea to replace while your there...

Head-gasket comes to mind, but it's not much of an issue...

Put a paint pen mark on the timing belt and cam gear for quick relocation of correct timing. Put a zip tie around the timing belt so it can't move on the crank or tensioner.

There are 15 cam housing bolts. Count them. 6 inside oily ones - 9 outside dry ones. When you remove the cam housing, remove the lifters in order and THOUROUGHLY check the housing with a snake light and wand magnet for bolts that others have left behind. Don't laugh. The cam hits them once or twice, crushes them into the walls of the aluminum cam housing and they stay there .........until they don't. Then they blow the top off the cam housing! Seen it twice. Install the lifters back in the same holes.
People often over torque the cam housing bolts, which crush their captured washers (Don't mix up/confuse these 8mm allen head bolts for the intake manifold bolts. Those don't have captured washers). When the washers get crushed, they break in half and fall off. They'll normally just go down the oil return ports and sit in the pan. The oil pick up screen will prevent them from getting sucked up. BUT, you lose the torque setting on the cam housing and get leaks.
IT"S ONLY 14 ft/lbs! (168 inch/lbs.)
I like to use a piece of cardboard to keep the lifters from falling out during disassembly. It can't scratch anything. I'd do the cam housing rear seal while the housing is off. It's cork and looks like a cow's head, which is why we call it the "cow seal." It's only a buck or two and 3 6mm bolts.