Oil leak 1.8 petrol camshaft cover gasket

[Reality_Cheque]

I've got a small oil leak on my 1.8 Vectra. Wouldn't be an issue, but it seems to be coming from the camshaft cover at the front, running down the front of the engine, and ending up on the exhaust manifold. Result? ... When I start it in the morning, all is OK until the engine warms up, then there is smoke coming from the bonnet for a minute or two as the manifold heats up. Embarrassing if stopped at traffic lights!

Anyway, I'm looking to change the rocker cover gasket, and just wondered if it's a simple replacement job with the new gasket fitted 'dry', or if I need to add some gasket compound to any areas when reassembling. Also, what's the torque setting? Any other tips?

Cheers for any help! - Mike

[dave1419]

Its easy enough to do to be honest,when you remove the rocker cover clean up the guide's where the gasket fits--when I changed mine I didn't use any sealant.the gasket is like a soft silicone to touch and you need to locate it in its correct position--easy to do and the torgue for the bolts is not much--just looked and its 8nm or in English money--6lb for the bolts--------Dave

[Reality_Cheque]

Thanks Dave! Good to hear that it's straightforward. That's my job for the weekend, then.

[troutybrown]

Are u sure its the cam cover as the oil cooler can leak which is behind the manifold.

[beavor-bob]

Are u sure its the cam cover as the oil cooler can leak which is behind the manifold.

I had both, oil cooler done by a friend - Cam Gaskit fixed by easing the bolts at the front & forcing some mastic in - then retightened. No leak now!

[JagRigger]

Had to use some sealant on mine. Also done the oil cooler and camshaft bridge - totally leak free now.

[Reality_Cheque]

OK...all fixed.

Pulled the rocker cover. Tried to fit a replacement gasket sourced from one of the sellers from eBay, but it was fairly quickly obvious that it was the wrong one. Refitted the old one with lots of the red haematite stuff. Though the gasket had been in there years (from new, I'm guessing) and must have hardened up a bit, it wasn't it too bad condition with no obvious cracks or splits. Been a few days now and no sign of a leak, so fingers crossed. (i still have one or two other probs to sort out though lol)

EDIT: A friend helped me do this, and he did mention one tip that might be worth passing on. After using the haemetite and replacing the cover, he only lightly tightened the bolts up. He then left it an hour for the haematite to go off a little, and only then torqued the bolts down properly. He said that this way haemetite gives a better seal as it doesn't just immediately squeeze out of the gap. Seems to work!

[beavor-bob]

Thanks for that tip.
Other than these minor problems, the 1.8 engine is pretty reliable & economical as well. They are nearly all over 10 years old now.

[beavor-bob]

As a Postscript - as the Plug coils were in a swimming pool of oil, I had the Cam cover gaskit changed as well. Seems fine now. Where is the next oil leak going to come from?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROCKER-COV...kAAOSwQiRUlsUT

The right one that I used for the Z18XER - at £10, just as good as the £25 ones!

[andyrfc]

Going to need to do mine soon, how does the wiring trough come off as I dont want to break it