oil leak dilemma part 2 (damn!)

[JJ 911SC]

Here is the correct link: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/609149-oil-cooler-seals-leekage-engine-wall.html

I put the Red/Brown one from Elring, torqued at 25Nm and it did not leak.

[JJ 911SC]

Did anybody has an explanation for the bulge on your old ring? Seem they have escape from the side.


Also, stop swiping napkins from McDonald

[Flojo]

Oh, look at THIS !

Broken up! (inside is OK)

[uwanna]

Me thinks you may have found your elusive leak! Ain't this forum the cat's meow!
Good luck.

[Flojo]

yes indeed, this forum is great!

[Lapkritis]

Flo,

Enjoy the dry engine.

[Flojo]

Your words in God's ear, as we say in Germany!

[Discseven]

Nice photo documenting FLO!!!

[bcoats]

Great post Flo, I'm in the same boat and feel I have exact same situation. . .good stuff, Danke!

[Flojo]

I've read, that the OEM seal mentioned in the bulletin is a "silicone"...

would that here be a better option:

loctite 3463, 2K metal-epoxy, metal-klay

[JJ 911SC]

I've seen this one on some one else thread, same problem. I think it was R-mm

Can remember how he solve it but it might have been JB Weld. Here is the link:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/772047-1st-drop-top-end-observations-questions-4.html

[JJ 911SC]

OK, find it... Check Post 290 and next he 30.

Actually, thanks to R-mm, the whole thread is a nice read.

[Flojo]

so. I can report: all is tight and dry.
I hope this is a long time reward, as I am a bit fed up now... I just cant crawl under the car every day as its has been the lasst 2 month (finding time next to family and work).

to round up the percentage of doing well, I also changed the valve cover seals.
thus I also checked the valve play and head studs. all is good.

right top


right bottom


left top


left bottom

[Flojo]

hello!
I have one last issue... maybe a neglectable/minor one in your eyes, but I dont want to surrender!

As you see above, I#ve replaced the valve cover gaskets.

After the first test drive, I noticed some oil dripping from the lower corner at the left bottom.
OK, after cooling down, I retorqued the nuts.
Astonishingly, most of them felt like they really needed a retorque, still 10Nm (how's that?!).

Today, I did the second test drive... and comimg back, again, I found that drip!!
What worries me is, that the head is oilwet from BEHIND.
So the oil does not leak through the outer edges of the gasket.
May it leak through the "center" of the valvecover?
Should I take it off and check its alignment on a glass?
Or do I have a more worrying issue (cylinderhead)?!

[Flojo]

no idea? anyone?

[tuchan]

Has it leaked from there previously that you know of? If not then it may need a re-seat...

[Flojo]

sorry, what exactly do you mean be "re-seat" ?

[Pezza]

Hiya Flo,

I am going through the same set of processes with my 1985 Ruf Carrera. Your leak on your LHS cover is exactly the same leak that I have and now I am fedup with it.

I found the mating surfaces of the cover to be somewhat corroded and not all a mirror finish. Mine was leaking from the same place as well as from all studs. The most severe leak was from the bottom-most-forward studs. It leaks quite a bit after running the engine and then a slow weep when standing. Frustrating. The excess oil collects at the forward most end where the leak persists - the stain on the cover bears witness to where the standing oil sits.

I now have the cover off and I have my Dremel out and I am polishing the mating surfaces to a mirror finish - I am being careful to only polish and not make the suface uneven. From my experience in my day job working with large oil filled transformers, if you do not remove all the gunk from the mating surface, you are introducing a leak after a number of heat cycles.

My surfaces have minor gunk and corrosion just the same as yours. My cover casting is best described as rough. I have most gunk around the bottom-most posts. Mine look about the same as yours - 30 years of heat cycles, wet roads and mechanics who do not have time to surface prep the area.

The job is a no-brainer PITA working with 1500 grit water paper, brake cleaner as a lubricant (I do not use water around open covers) and now I am about to unleash the Dremel with a light fibre polishing wheel. The LHS has taken 3 hours so far.

When complete, the new gasket supplied by our host will be installed with new washers and nuts. Incidentally, the new gasket has a silicon bead on it - perhaps pointing to many others having a similar problem...

Cheers

Pezza

[dicklague]

I like the all silicone reusable seals from our host. I feel they seal better.

[Flojo]

Pezza, thanks for the hint to "mirror finish" the surface where the seal is gonna sit on.
Honestly, I was aware of that, as it was obvious to me that the surface must be as clean/even as most possible can be.
So I did clean it, believing it was best I could.

But as I (stil) have that on-drop-leak on both sides, I'm now really believing that this must be reasoned in a leaking rocker shaft seal.

I will re-attend that, when the next service interval is sceduled by end of october.
So right now I have my cloth and the brake-cleaner at hand for the clean up ritual after every drive...