Cam shaft and seals

Kablaamo · Post by **Kablaamo** » Fri May 11, 2012 12:48 am

What would one need to fix leaking cam seals and shafts..?

Post by **Bennoz** » Fri May 11, 2012 7:20 am

New cam seals?

Sorry had to. Its a cock of a job, you gotta pull the cams out... which means timing belt off.

Post by **Zx7rdale** » Fri May 11, 2012 7:39 am

It is possible to stop or at least slow the leak from the outside. You need to degrease the engine and use a very good quality instant gasket or sealant. It's a job best combined with a cam belt/water pump change.

Kablaamo · Post by **Kablaamo** » Fri May 11, 2012 7:59 pm

balls... though engine is still super clean never any oil or anything under the car... just thinking is this mechanic who serviced my car just trying to milk money out of me?

spoke to a friends dad who said its rubbish if there is nothing under the car...

confirm this?

PHIL069 · Post by **PHIL069** » Fri May 11, 2012 8:06 pm

Look for an oil trail running down the engine block or coming from the bottom of the timing cover.
I have a small leak from my rocker cover at the moment, I can see oil trail + oil on bottom of sump + small stain on driveway, not enough to drop sump oil levels.

Post by **Zx7rdale** » Fri May 11, 2012 8:07 pm

Both mine and Julie's Fto have this problem if oil isn't making a huge mess or you need to top up regularly its really not worth the bother. Mine uses around 20ml a week but over time this makes a mess that ends up on the altonator. I'll be doing ours when I do the cambelt in 10,000 mile it's really not worth it as a seperate job.

Kablaamo · Post by **Kablaamo** » Fri May 11, 2012 8:15 pm

Had a look today with my friends dad not single bit of oil anywhere that we could see from under neath the car or above... and i havent had to top oil up for awhile... checked it about a week ago still just about full

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Fri May 11, 2012 9:23 pm

If you have not removed your timing case to determine the leak, 80% of the time it's your rokcer cover gasket which is really common on mitsubishis. To change your cam seal gasket, you really have to rip your timing belt off to do so, which is a lot of work.

If you haven't already rip your timing case off to determine where the leak it coming from. More often than not, it's your rocker cover.

Sahin · Post by **Sahin** » Fri May 11, 2012 9:27 pm

My mechanic is doing cam seals and I had a look when He looked at it the other day on the hoist and mine is coming from the bottom of the timing cover...

PHIL069 · Post by **PHIL069** » Fri May 11, 2012 9:37 pm

Sahin wrote:My mechanic is doing cam seals and I had a look when He looked at it the other day on the hoist and mine is coming from the bottom of the timing cover...

So is mine Sahin......Read this thread......
http://ftoaustralia.com/v3/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=25720

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Fri May 11, 2012 9:43 pm

Sahin wrote:My mechanic is doing cam seals and I had a look when He looked at it the other day on the hoist and mine is coming from the bottom of the timing cover...

If your rocker cover gasket is leaking it will leak under your timing cover and drip to the bottom of your timing cover.

If your mechanic did not open up the top of your timing cover, I would not go back to him. It is impossible to determine if the leak is coming from your rocker cover or cam seals without opening up your timing case.

Obviously your mechanic would have told you the leak was coming from your cam seals if he did not open your timing case as its going to cost you $500-$700 just in labour to do your cam seals compared to $100-200 to do you rocker cover gasket.

A timing belt kit with cam seals if $300. Labour is 4-7 hours. So that's $700-$1000.

A rocker cover is a quarter to half hour labour on the front bank or 1-1.5 hours for the rear. So with parts it's $100 for the front bank or $150-$200 for the rear bank.

See why he would have told you it's your cam seals??

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Fri May 11, 2012 9:48 pm

PHIL069 wrote:
Sahin wrote:My mechanic is doing cam seals and I had a look when He looked at it the other day on the hoist and mine is coming from the bottom of the timing cover...
So is mine Sahin......Read this thread......
http://ftoaustralia.com/v3/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=25720

Yep people need to be more aware when going to mechanics as a lot will take you for a ride. Bad thing is a mechanics are great liars when it comes to car diagnosis, and most don't even know they are take for a ride.

PHIL069 · Post by **PHIL069** » Fri May 11, 2012 9:55 pm

Yeah, I don't have to worry about that because I do it all myself

Always have since 15 years old.
I would hate to pay mechs rates, If I am wrong with my own diagnosis it only costs me my time, which aint worth didly

You young peoples should learn to do your own work, grab a manual and read how to's.
I always thought "whatever the trouble is, it's only nuts and bolts".

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Fri May 11, 2012 10:04 pm

It even helps to sort of know what you are talking about sometimes. I notice if a friend of mine calls for a quote I will always be able to get it cheaper at the same mechanic without trying to get a cheaper price. In this case instead of booking in the car for a cam seal leak, I will ask "how would you know the leak is coming from the cam seal, and not rocker cover without removing the timing case?" This will let the mechanic know you are mechanically minded" and may help you not getting ripped off.

If I did not know my cars, I will rip off the timing case as it's not hard and see for myself where exactly the leak is coming from. If you knew your engines and you had a mechanic diagnose a leak as your cam shaft seals without ripping off the timing case, it's so stupid it's not funny. I would say he was on drugs!

If oil is dripping from the bottom of your timing case not only can it be a rocker cover or cam seal it can be also a head leak, crank shaft seal, oily type leaks can also leak from your water pump seal and hydraulic tensioner. So without removing your timing case how can your mechanic diagnose a leak as your camshaft seals? A crank shaft leak is way more common that a camshaft seal leak!

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Fri May 11, 2012 10:10 pm

PHIL069 wrote:Yeah, I don't have to worry about that because I do it all myself Always have since 15 years old.
I would hate to pay mechs rates, If I am wrong with my own diagnosis it only costs me my time, which aint worth didly
You young peoples should learn to do your own work, grab a manual and read how to's.
I always thought "whatever the trouble is, it's only nuts and bolts".

Yep sure is good to do it yourself! Costs me $200 to do a timing belt change and $50 to do a rear cover cover gasket. It's all labour when you need the specifics done.

Sahin · Post by **Sahin** » Fri May 11, 2012 10:25 pm

He's a family friend lol, and he didn't exactly say it was a camshaft leak. he said it looks like it's coming from under the timing cover, and he'll look at it more on Tuesday, and before he does any work he'll call me and let me know...
He's a really good mechanic and I love his work lol. even let me borrow his hoist, so I could do my services on my civic myself for $50
Does all my roadworthies

Kablaamo · Post by **Kablaamo** » Fri May 11, 2012 10:26 pm

Id love to be able to do it myself i just dont trust myself to not break something or to do it wrogn and wreck my car

only time id do major stuff is if supervised XD

I guess the only way i know is if i get a mechanic to check it or i remove it all myself and check it'

Thanks to everyone for thier time and advice

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Fri May 11, 2012 11:33 pm

Kablaamo wrote:Id love to be able to do it myself i just dont trust myself to not break something or to do it wrogn and wreck my car only time id do major stuff is if supervised XD

I guess the only way i know is if i get a mechanic to check it or i remove it all myself and check it'

Thanks to everyone for thier time and advice

Yep that is true, but a mechanic should say to you, "I need to rip the timing case off to determine where the leak is coming from" instead of telling you it was a cam seal.

Ask your mechanic when you drop your car off and ask him how he determined it was a cam seal and not a rocker cover leak or crank shaft seal. Love to hear his answer.

Sahin · Post by **Sahin** » Fri May 11, 2012 11:37 pm

Are you talking to me or him?
If me he didn't say it was a camshaft leak he said it was just a oil leak of some sort so he's pulling it all apart on Tuesday for me and having a look then he'll consult me lol

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Fri May 11, 2012 11:45 pm

Sahin wrote:Are you talking to me or him?
If me he didn't say it was a camshaft leak he said it was just a oil leak of some sort so he's pulling it all apart on Tuesday for me and having a look then he'll consult me lol

You. You said he said it was the cam seals!!

FTO AUSTRALIA