XKR X100 2005 Right hand drive. Car was running fine before unnecessary left hand (facing forward) cam cover removal (to replace tensioners that didn’t need doing!).
Refitted the cover with new gasket, RTV sealant and bolt rubbers as per manual, having cleaned out airway. All bolts replaced in advised order/ sequence to 12 nm torque. May have initially overfilled with engine oil due to problem seating dip stick tube o ring. Ran engine on tick-over in this state before correctly seating o ring and draining excess oil.
Symptoms are now - No suck or blow if hand is placed over open oil filler hole. I have an oil leak which may be coming from the rear of the cam cover (difficult to tell). It appears to be dripping onto the manifold as there is some smoking within the engine bay under rear of cam cover. Oil pool becomes visible in a floor drip-tray beneath LH cover, when left overnight.
When starting car after a couple of weeks lay up, copious oil burning off initially, out of exhausts. RH exhaust continues to be more smokey than LH after warm up? None of these faults were present before removing the cover.
First thoughts are that the oil leak was caused by over-pressuring due to excess engine oil (+1/2 litre).
Has the oil gone somewhere it shouldn’t?
Really don’t want to strip it down and am not sure what I would do differently I did. What are people's thoughts and the best way to solve? If the cam cover is leaking, will higher torque nip it up and, if so, what is a safe limit? What are the chances that it may sort itself out if it is over-pressuring and I drive it? Could this cause damage? Thanks.

 

What brand of gasket did you buy? Not all aftermarket gaskets are good. After a few rodeos with this, I concluded that only OE gaskets and bolt rubbers will do for the cam cover gaskets. Everything else will leak on the 4.2 engine.

No, higher torque will not nip it up and may actually cause micro-cracks on the cam cover which will perpetually cause leaks.

 

Have just enquired from seller “british parts), not ebay. Dave.

 

Don’t say where you used it, but RTV sealant does not belong directly on any gasket.

Z

 

Just for clarity, I think I recall that a daub of RTV silicone is used at each timing cover-to-cylinder head seam, and that silicone comes into direct contact with the cam cover gasket..

pcock111, did you only use RTV at the timing cover seams, or elsewhere?

Is it possible that your new cam cover gasket slipped out of its groove at the rear of the cover? It is easy for this to happen...

Is it possible that the full load breather hose was damaged/collapsed during the cam cover gasket replacement? This could cause the crankcase pressures to go positive.

Cheers,

Don

 

RTV applied as per manual, not on gasket.

Agree with positive pressure theory as smoke from exhausts on start up suggests it is accumulating in the head and leaking or being pressurised down the valve guides. It didn’t do this before the cam cover replacement, so, don’t believe guides are worn.
I’m not sure what pressure is normal when you place your hand over the oil filler with the engine running. Slight negative, i believe. Mine is neutral, not positive?
If I can be satisfied that the cause of the leak is not over pressuring, then the next in line is perhaps the gasket having moved. I was happy it was a snug fit in the groove, at the time.
Does anyone think there is a mechanism whereby previous overfilling by 0.5L and running before removal, could have developed these symptoms?

 

I overfill by 0.5 liters often. No ill effects, certainly nothing relating to leaking or over pressurized crankcase.

mine is a 2002 XKR


Z