4th of July Engine Fun

[WYSpider]

15 miles from home and I get a whiff of burning oil. Once I get home, I pop the hood and see plug #1 and plug #2 have decided to go swimming: the recessed area plug #1 sits in is completely full of oil, plug #2s area isn't that far behind.

Power wash the engine, blow dry it, run the engine with the car parked and see nothing. Take it for a spin (70 mph in 5th) and discover oil is starting to collect in the low area near head bolts #9 and #10 (front of car, nearest coolant tee).

Head was rebuilt 16k miles ago, torqued to factory specs, haven't adjusted the values (and suspect it's too late at this point haha).

Hoping I have really, really good luck and it's just a head gasket, suspect otherwise.

Don't have pictures to share. Car is garaged 6 hours from where I type.

What are your thoughts?

p.s. earlier this year, maybe 1k miles ago the engine was pulling hard in 4th gear and there was a single jerk, like the ignition cut out, it hasn't recurred and the car has been running great until now.

[RRoller123]

Not from the Cam Boxes?

[AriK]

Before you suspect a head gasket check cam seals, they may be leaking and blowing oil toward the head.
If you are banking on good luck hope for cam cover gasket(s) or oil cap seal.
Bet you wish you're not 6 hours from your car now, huh!

[WYSpider]

Yeah, I definitely wish my car wasn't a 6.5 hour dive away. Lol

My first thought was oil cap seal. After power washing, I did swap out the oil cap with a spare I carry in the trunk that has a new seal. No dice.

So possibilities include:
- cam cover gasket(s)
- cam seals
...

[aj81spider]

I had that exact problem and it was the valve covers. Make sure you haven't torqued your valve covers down too tightly (they will warp - ask me how I know). I also had an issue where I had the cork valve cover gaskets - those leaked as well. Switched to rubber gaskets, finger tight on the valve cover bolts + 1/2 turn and the leak is gone.

[WYSpider]

I had that exact problem and it was the valve covers. Make sure you haven't torqued your valve covers down too tightly (they will warp - ask me how I know). I also had an issue where I had the cork valve cover gaskets - those leaked as well. Switched to rubber gaskets, finger tight on the valve cover bolts + 1/2 turn and the leak is gone.

Jon Logan did rebuilt with rubber gaskets. I have some laying around. I'll replace them, torque to your specs and keep my finger's crossed!

[BammBamm]

I had the same thing happen but it was the seal on the oil filler cap. only at high rpm would it leak.

[WYSpider]

Not the oil filer cap gasket or the valve/cam cover gaskets. Pulled the covers, placed them on a flat surface, and used a feeler gauge around them. Don't think they're warped.

Time to power wash the engine again...

[klweimer]

You might check your crankcase ventilation system. Possible pressurizing of the crankcase forcing out oil? Check head bolt torques? You might run a compression test to see if anything looks funny there.
Kirk

[WYSpider]

Thanks Kirk, those are all good ideas.

[seabeelt]

+1 on the bypass pressure. If you pull the hose off the air breather, you should get some air and noise from the hose. If not most likely the flame retardant wire mesh thing is plugged up

[WYSpider]

Flame retardant wire mesh is clear.

Did the dye / black light combo tonight. Looks like it's the front cam seal on the exhaust side. A new area to learn about.

[WYSpider]

Looks like the existing front seal behind the cam wheel is red rubber/hard plastic. This was installed by Jon Logan several years back and now it's leaking. Is this a common front seal?
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u48 ... kysno4.jpg

Here are the ones I got from AR:
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u48 ... 0lyn8s.jpg
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u48 ... dqfyjf.jpg

So the question is: can I install the AR cam seals without removing the cam housing?

[aj81spider]

I changed my exhaust cam seal without pulling the cam housing. I think the intake would be the same. Here's my story

http://www.fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic ... am#p209556

I think I had to pull the radiator to do it but it wasn't that bad a job - I'm pretty much a novice mechanic.