Huge oil leak from bottom right of cam cover

[Jon Tilson]

If you have a crane handy just swing the engine out.
Then you can sort this problem and the downpipe flange etc etc...

If its running ok other than just this oil leak I wouldn't bother disturbing the head gasket, but its well worth having the timing cover
off too...and a good look at the clutch cross shaft is always a good idea....

Jonners

[misterp]

Woohoo....

Some decent ezi-outs and the troublesome helicoil is out (and thrown!).

At least it gives me a fighting chance of running the tap down the hole, and the new insert in without having to remove the engine. Just got to wait until the UNC helicoil set Ive ordered arrives (murphys law..I have a UNF set, a metric set..but no UNC..ah well, I do now).

Fingers crossed

[trackerjack]

Just one point to note.
These screws are 1/4 UNC standard and not 5/16 as stated.
The other fault that could cause a huge leak is if the screw was forced so far down that it cracked the bottom of the tapped hole.
I do not use a gasket at all and just a smear of silicone (do not use a lot as it breaks down and clogs oil ways).

[xvivalve]

It's been drilled out to 5/16 Jon, and retapped/helicoiled. I wondered on a similar vein as yourself whether the side walls of the hole had been compromised...

When this corner leaks traditionally, it is a massive burn off on the manifold, were the leak lower than the mating faces though, it might just leak without burning...

[trackerjack]

Hmm yes I see that it has been enlarged to 5/16 however the helicoil should be a repair to return it to original.
I work in aluminium daily and I would put a complete alloy slug tapped in to reinstate the correct 1/4 thread and would be happy to do this to fix this problem.

[Jon Tilson]

Sadly TJ the dude is in Oz...

Still - nice holiday for you...

Jonners

[misterp]

Just a brief update..

All fixed.

I ended up making a new thinner rubber gasket from tracing around the cam cover, and then using slightly longer capheads to clamp it down.

Interestingly enough I think the main issue was actually a clogged up breather causing the cam cover to pressurise and blow the oil out. When I checked the leak I noticed it had stopped when I removed the filler cap so chased it from there.
Cleaned the breather with some petrol a few times and re-fitted, clamped down and now leak free

Just a few leaks around the spark plug tubes now..I ordered a set of new O-rings for them thinking I had the standard setup, but after I took it all apart, I found out that I have the stainless aftermarket set that the PO had fitted and these have more O-rings than the standard type. So..more O-rings needed.

Anyway..first 'proper' drive out today after 5-6 years off the road and stored in a barn. Not bad going although the indicator flasher unit is not working (blinks occasionally..just worn out I think) and the horns are both not working (open circuit).

Looks alright after a wash



and the engine bay..



Roll bar ends and sorting the exhaust knocking are the next jobs.

Thanks everyone for the advise.

Happy days.