[V8] re: gaskets

[dsaad at icehouse.net]

Rodger -

Not to second guess the pros, but there are lots of places for oil to leak that 
could look like a head gasket. Unfortunately you have to remove the timing belt 
to get to most of them. Look at the exploded diagrams of the heads and you will 
see a bunch of o-rings. The cam bearing caps also need gasket sealer. 
I would suspect one of these before a head gasket, but by the time you pay the 
labor to get to them maybe it would be smart to just go ahead and do a valve 
job??

You can replace the valve cover gaskets and o-rings for the 
distributor/distributor mounting flange, and re-seal the rear cam bearing caps 
without pulling the timing belt. maybe you will get lucky.

Dave


Quoting "Roger M. Woodbury" <rmwoodbury at downeast.net>:

> Actually, as we speak, we are about ready to "undress" the front of the
> engine. Even with a borescope, it is impossible to rule in, OR rule out
> the
> head gasket or anything else withough taking some stuff off.
> 
> We actually don't think it really IS the headgasket.  This all began by
> thinking that it was the gasket for the housing that holds the oil
> filter.
> But removing that and regasketing, didn't fix anything, and in fact, to
> my
> surprise, it appears that this piece was off the engine at some point in
> the
> 60k miles before me.
> 
> Right now, the leak is for sure above the oil filter housing, and it
> could
> be valve covers, head gasket, and even possibly, I suppose one of the
> gazillion other gaskets available for failure, like camshafts or
> something.
> 
> Stay tuned...this should prove, ah, interesting.
> 
> Roger
> 
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