oil leak

[0to60n10minutes]

ok i do realize that there is a thread like right under this one about a mystery leak..but i have a simple question, i think. i have a pushrod tube seal leaking. its on the engine side of the tube. how do i get to replacing this seal, and/or the rest of them. do i have to take the head off? anyway good tips would be..kool with a k. thanx

[BenI]

It's really not bad.

Jack up the side of the car
remove the valve train cover
remove the rocker assembly on the leaky side (two nuts)
remove the push rod
remove the pushrod tube

You can leave the tube in place, but it's much easier to replace the seals if it is completely out of the car. The only trick to reassembly is making sure the pushrods have seated in the lifters. The lifters have a little cup that mates to the end of the rod. When you install the rod, you will have to aim it towards this cup, and hold it in place a little so it doesn't fall out. You will know it it NOT in the cup when you start installing the rocker shaft and you notice the valve springs compressing too much.

While you are in there, you might check you valve lash too.

good luck!

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

A few other pointers:

- The tube simply slides out of the head. It is not sandwiched between the head and the case like the Bug pushrod tubes (or 911 oil return tubes) are.
- You can slide the tube only halfway out of the head and replace the seals. This is handy for the tubes that don't give you enough room to get around the suspension parts.
- Set each cylinder to TDC before you remove the rocker assembly on that cylinder. Both valves will have some slack, so you will not be tightening the rocker stand nuts against the valve spring pressure. Otherwise, you won't even get the rocker assembly seated against the head by the time you get to the 10 lb-ft torque spec. (DO use a torque wrench on those nuts! Yeah, I know it's tough to get in there. Do it anyway!)
- Make sure the retaining wire for the tubes rests on the shoulders of the tube, and does not poke down into the tube. If it does, it will wear away the soft aluminum of the pushrod and you will wind up with cool custom notched pushrods--and rocker arms with no oil...

--DD

[0to60n10minutes]

alright cool. thanks you guys. ill see what happens and repost tomorrow or somethin.