Replaced driver's gasket & bolt rubbers last month and it's leaking again

What could I have done wrong?

I used a thin bead of ThreeBond along the gasket's one exposed edge. This was applied when the gasket was in the rocker cover groove (so the inside half was left dry)

Any suggestions for the second attempt? And do i need a new gasket?

Thanks

 

hi wondered is it leaking out the half moon seal is it?? was it genuine gaskets you used

 

^ Just looked - doesn't seem to coming from the gasket itself - far as I can make out

There's oil dropped down from the lower rear of the cover, and also looks like oil around the rear spark plug recess - the bolt above is weeping but I don't know if this has put the oil into the recess. There is also weeping from the front top bolt

Should I just try tightening the bolts?

Didn't use genuine gaskets, no. Was recommended somewhere from off here

 

could do but from memory arent they shouldered and only go down so far?? did you replace the chest seals around the sparkplug recesses too.when i did mine i used three bond around the camshaft carriers and also accross the half moon seal.

 

Just about to do the same gasket on mine.

It strikes me as odd, having to use this Threebond stuff, i mean, you spend £10 on a genuine gasket (price not for the bolts seals/half moons etc etc) yet have to spend £30 on a damn sealant

im going to buy a genuine gasket,but am in line to try a normal gasket sealant http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165691


or,if the gasket is fine,not split etc why do we need new ones at £40 a set and not just use a sealant on them ?????


As im only buying the main gasket new, i shall use sealant on the half moons/bolt seals

 

They are indeed shouldered. There is a trick of running a washer so the bolt can pull the cover down an extra tad...

 

Rig - I would use sealant all round - threebond is what folk say is the best stuff to use, although on the gasket packaging there was a warning saying 'fit dry, do not use sealent'...

 

This is what i do, ensure the slot in the cover is clean and apply a small amount of instant gasket in the lower half, make sure the gasket is also nice and clean and press it into the slot and bed it into the sealant. Clean off any excess and smear a small amount onto the gasket face. fit 8mm washers to the shoulder bolts an bolt it all up, job done.

 

The washer trick - brilliant, thanks.

Might just take the bolts out and fit washers first then

 

where do the washers go then ?

fit a washer over the bolt,then fit the rubber seal ?

i think it`s luck with all this ealant/seal leaking lark,i`ll do as above,fit some normal loctite sealalnt in the recess,fit gasket,then use a tad more on the seal itself and fit rocker cover

 

The washers go on the shoulder before the seals, it pulls the hasket down a bit better, it's worked for me for the past 10 years.

 

Rubber seal/washer/bolt - so the bolt pulls the cover down tighter before bottoming out on its shoulder

 

It was the centre bolt which seems the fly in the ointment, and you can just make out the rear one too, but much less. Oil was running down into the spark plug recess and finally onto the manifold

 

cool,glad you found the fault.

how did you stop it leaking out of the bolt seal, use a sealant also ?

 

A washer

Remeber to dunk your new bolt seals in oil

 

cool,so just so i have this correct.

you put a washer down the thread/shoulder,like you would any bolt/washer setup, THEN fit the oil seal ?

cheers

 

Are you sure its just the bolt? Did you replace the spark plug recess gaskets as well? Otherwise there is your problem, the flow of oil out of the recess is much bigger than the little trickle out of the bolt hole.

Washer doodah works, but I think you can buy the seals off Camskill though, also I used Hylomar Universal Blue Sealant and this worked perfectly.

 

when i do mine,im going to use sealant on all the gaskets lol,JUST TO BE SAFE !

 

Update:

I replaced the gasket, it leaked, so this time decided to get in some help.

Impreza rally mechanic

He's currently working for a Porsche racing outfit and bought round some super thick and black gasket sealant.

Clean everyhting first. he had a sprayer full of brake fluid - gets anything off anything

Fill gasket recess on cover, fit gasket, apply sealant over gasket, and over spark plug rubbers. Fit cover.

Apply sealent to underside of rubber washers

Use washer spacers underneath cover bolts and tighten to feel threads bottoming

LEAVE OVERNIGHT TO DRY

Next morning, back on the road