Rocker Cover Gasket

[MTND]

Hi All

I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on changing a rocker cover gasket. I'm not doing it myself but wondered if anyone has any thoughts and pitfulls that I should look out for?
My cars a Xantia 1.9 TD 1995 SX with 152k on the clock.

Cheers

Mark

[CitroJim]

Te breather hose between the cover and the oil filler pot gets hard and brittle Mark and is best replaced along with the main gasket.

Citroen call it an Oil Vapor Hose and it's available from your local dealer for not a lot under part no. 1180 86

[MTND]

Cheers Jim
Thanks for the info

Regards
Mark

[oscar]

For that part try Peugeot as normally cheaper than citroen stealers i found when i did gasket change.
One other thing i found was to be carefull with bolting up the joint in inlet manifold as it bolts into alloy.
As when i did mine i found that they had gone loose as before had kacked them up plus over time they wear. so had inserts put in it

[Chlorate]

If you're pedantic, there's no rockers under that cover

As previously noted, the breather is the only trouble really, mine broke once got a replacement from a Peugeot dealer saying the equivalent is in the 306 TD, I think it was less than a tenner (but still too much for a bleedin' 6" hose).
It's a bit of a funny gasket due to the shape of the cover but easy enough to fit. Just make sure the mating surfaces are nice and clean, and a little bit of sealant doesn't hurt if you want to go belt and braces.

Alex

[addo]

There is pressure there, especially as an engine wears. Bike people constantly grapple with this issue as the cover gets more stressed in a lot of applications (hotter and more crankcase pressure). Sealing the official gasket to both surfaces (well cleaned prior with solvent) is one approach; Hondabond and ThreeBond1211 are well respected. I've only ever used the latter and so far - no leaks...

[MTND]

Well all done today by Duxford Motor Group and all went well I'm very pleased, they changed the breather hose as well and in fact they also cleaned up all the area around the cover so all looking spick and span!!!
Not only that they look over a couple of other things for me and charged £118 for the lot inc VAT, who says Citroen Dealers are Stealers they aren't all!!

Anyway next thing to look at is a new centre part of the exhaust as after 17 years and 152k miles it might be about time for one?

Regards

Mark

[charentejohn]

Can I pose a related question here as the comment that pressure on an older engine can cause a leak made me think of my car' problem. I did think this was probably a head gasket leak but impossible to see the problem area.

Whan under the car I can see oil dripping from a rear gland (I think this is a turbo link) and thought it may be leaking. As the oil was all over, top to bottom, the idea that it was being leaked on from above was more likely.
I can't see anything above this only the rocker cover so assume this is the problem.
Car is a 2001 90hdi

I am going to change the gasket, which I assume is the original, anyway as worth a try and will make sure it is sealed well when done.

[MTND]

Whan under the car I can see oil dripping from a rear gland (I think this is a turbo link) and thought it may be leaking. As the oil was all over, top to bottom, the idea that it was being leaked on from above was more likely.

Hi

I've had an advise of small leaks top and bottom for a number of years although I don't need to top up between services.
It might be that your leak coming from the gasket is gradually running down below?
How many miles has your car done? They all get some oil under the bonnet in the end but doing the "rocker cover gasket" may help?

Regards
Mark

[charentejohn]

Sorry, should have said the mileage, 120k so I did expect an oily engine because of spills if nothing else.

The car doesn't seem to use any oil, or very little so not really worried. I am 99% certain it is the gasket as I can't see any parts above the oil 'drip' so assume it must be the gasket. I have some work to do soon changing an injector etc so may do it all in September or so.

[MTND]

Well all done today and all went well

Mark

Fatal last words as that was ten months ago and I've notice this weekend that there's oil around the rocker cover again !
I presume that as it's settled in the seal has been not quite right so may have to get it done again? Any thoughts does this happen sometimes that the seal is not easy to make tight?
I tried to tighten up the bolts a bit but I'm aware that they shouldn't be tightened to much so might have to go back to Duxford for another gasket?

Mark

[Old-Guy]

I'm sure others will disagree, but I deliberately did not use any sealer on the cam cover gasket. More than forty years ago, I was taught that that a soft gasket is designed to 'give' to maintain a good seal as the sealed components contract and expand. Just like oils seals (which are a more complicated form of soft seal), soft gaskets start to leak with age when the polymer hardens and loses the essential ability to 'give'. At least one seating face of any new soft gasket should be be lightly lubricated with the appropriate fluid - clean engine oil in this case.

The original seal had been factory-fitted without any sealant (so clearly designed to move on both cover and head). It had only started to leak because it had gone hard with age (17 years) and the cover bolt nearest the sprocket was barely more than finger tight.

With all seals, absolute cleanliness is the key to success.