Head Gasket oil leak

[doug73cs]

I finally got around to pulling the head to replace the head gasket/upper timing cover gaskets in the hopes of eliminating the classic oil seep at the timing/head junction.

In this case it is the lower timing cover surface that is low relative to the block. Pretty significant at .011" at the upper (high pressure oil port) side and .006" at the lower. I'm hoping that RTF will bridge that gap. Any suggestions on maybe building up the timing case surface? Lay down a couple of thin layers of RTF allowed to dry?

No rush - heavy snowfall warning in effect.

Doug

[slash02]

weird. Doug try this goo called "the right stuff"

I think rtv will work. let it set for 10-20 before putting things back together,

I finally got around to pulling the head to replace the head gasket/upper timing cover gaskets in the hopes of eliminating the classic oil seep at the timing/head junction.

In this case it is the lower timing cover surface that is low relative to the block. Pretty significant at .011" at the upper (high pressure oil port) side and .006" at the lower. I'm hoping that RTF will bridge that gap. Any suggestions on maybe building up the timing case surface? Lay down a couple of thin layers of RTF allowed to dry?

No rush - heavy snowfall warning in effect.

Doug

[Simeon]

Did this recently but for a short top cover.

Apply a bead and profile it across the width of the cover so that it comes to a point when you look at it in section. You want it slightly taller than the gap you are filling as it will pull down when you tighten the bolts. Best to put a thin layer of the same stuff, in your case, on top of the head gasket and back to the joint with the head. Nothing actually under the head but the usual squeeze in the corners.

Leave the profiled sealant to dry and then install, doing the vertical bolts last. If it is right you should have to push down a bit to get the horizontal bolts started. I used Loctite grey sealant but anything that sets would be good.

A bit ghetto but it seems to have worked on mine.

[c.d.iesel]

you'll be puking again with goop

resurface the timing cover (s)

on a flat glass surface

to eliminate your gaps

Use a full sheet of course- EMORY cloth

taped to the glass and light hand pressure

to true up the sealing surface

finish it up with fine- EMORY

the concern is why are your covers so warped?

not usual - is there something/someone fuching it up?

[Simeon]

That is definitely the correct answer for the usual problem but in this case the lower timing cover is lower than the block. In my case it was the upper cover was shorter than the head.

Mine is just a temporary fix until I can get a new cover machined to match the head (or more accurately the correct cover that was machined with the head but got broken in transit).

[doug73cs]

CD:

It's the lower timing cover that is low not the block. Why that is the case, I don't know. Whoever rebuilt the engine (stock engine with no issues) probably used covers from other engines and didn't check.

So either the engine comes out and the block gets decked .011" to match the lower timing cover - which is hard to justify for an oil seep - or a new/diferent timing cover which may/may not match the block height or RTF.

I'll consult the local knowledge base and report the results.

Doug

[KFunk]

Maybe cut the end off an old head gasket, and squeeze that in there?

[Guest Anonymous]

The block is typically pinned so that the front cover fits squarely. It is possible that yours does not have these locaters and the cover is not sitting on the right spot.

for 6-11thou I would not sweat it, use some RTV or right stuff as Karel mentioned, read the directions and assemble, you will not have issues.

A