New Rocker Gasket - Is it easy?

[Adam Moran]

Cleaned my engin in the sumer and it came up really well but...... over the cold months i havent been able to spend as much time washing/cleaning/polishing the engin ans i'm getting alot of oil leakage from the rocker cover. If i change the gasket do you think it will solve the problem? Also is it a case of undoing the bolts, place the new gasket on then doing them back up again?

Cheers

AJ

[whitey]

Yeah should solve your probs! Its very easy!

You need gasket and new bolts! You shouldnt really use the old ones! Just remove the old ones diagonally top left to right and take off rocker cover. Clean up any crap on it and remove gasket!

Place on new gasket and rocker cover. Fit new bolts into place like removing them and dont overtighten them!!

10 Mins max and done!

[burgessovsalford]

IT may not solve your problem as oil may be leaking from other gaskets aswell...

[whitey]

True, but always first stop! Clean up engine a bit after that, run it for a few days and check again! If you see no oil between there and the next gasket but oil after after, then it is the gasket below! If you see none SORTED!

[ade]

I agree with Whitey 0 if the oil is staining the front of the engine block (just underneath the rocker cover) its gonna be oil leaking up through the gasket - driving excessively and hard acceleration can cause this. Replace gasket (heard non cork ones are better - ? from Vauxhall and about ?1.50 for 8 bolts).

Theres no torque settings, just remember the amount of effort it took you get the nuts off and retighten gradually and evenly (to equalise pressure along gasket).

Oh - and make sure non of the old gasket bits fall into the open engine top (it wont but just be careful). :o

Ade

[Alex]

Do NOT overtighten the bolts as they do sheer off and are a bitch to get out again.

[blaiz]

fink iv got da same problem, but not sure...
iv startd 2 get oily coloured staines (loads of tiny round dot shaped fingz that look like splashes) on the underneath of my bonnet!
together they form the shape of the engine block, but im not sure wether its cumin from the rocker gasket, or head gasket as most of the block is coverd.. :s

wots it more likely 2 b ne1 kno..??!

[ade]

staining yer underside of bonnet will prob be air from road forcing loose dirt up onto the bonnet from engine. if gasket is going you normally see the oil (mixed with road debris etc) leaking and staining down the from of the engine (or back). Builds up over time to a thick black sludge

I have a slight leak of oil beneath my dizzy unit where it bolts into the engine. Need to keep an eye on it.

Ade

[mikeoxford]

why not use cork gaskets ade?

[blaiz]

o yer, i have all that sludgey stuff on the block aswel, infact quite a bit of it! :?
but the staining on the bonnet is like its bin sprayed ther, high pressure sort of style...?!?! :| not like its air thats dun it. its like its forced out of either the rocker cover or head gasket area, but not sure which :roll:

[mikeoxford]

sure its not flicked up by your alternator belt?

i got a one inch stip of dirt on my bonnet, always comes back as well when i clean it LOL

flicks off the alternator belt and the alternator pulley / fan shaped thing itself

[whitey]

Its that Mike! They all have it more a less!

[ade]

read on here somewhere that cork gaskets are ok but the newer non cork ones were better/didnt crack.

Sure it was on here and that way round - about 6 months ago.

Hmmm - youve got me thinking now...

:roll:

[mikeoxford]

strange cos the cork gasket i did have on was well upto the job and never leaked, as soon as i fitted the other nylon style one, it was craking where the bolts went through and leaking like a sieve :? :|

[Alex]

cork gasgets when compressed will not spring back into their original shape as well as ribber ones. They will also absorb some of the oil which will reduce their lifespan compared to more expensive rubber ones. They are still ok to use though, they just dont last as long

[mikeoxford]

hmmmmmmm wonder why my rubber one has cracked.... heat? and cold wind i guess?