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Leaking timing chain seals

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Old 09-15-2009, 05:02 PM
  #16  
TRINITONY
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Originally Posted by boulderbobo
This is not true. Sorry man you are all wet on this.

Once the engine is out it is a very easy job.

Bob-
Thank you very much!
Old 09-15-2009, 05:05 PM
  #17  
boulderbobo
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Originally Posted by TRINITONY
Once the engine is out, how much work (hours) is involved?
Taking your time, you could easily do both side in a couple of hours. Albeit with the engine out and cat removed.



Bob-
Old 09-15-2009, 05:08 PM
  #18  
Chris Prack
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Please explain to me why you would pull your motor, tear the front down only to replace the cover gaskets? What about the chain case to engine case gasket? What about the orings and gaskets behind the cam retainers? Don't you think they are just as dried out as the cover gaskets?

I think you are do yourself a disservice by not doing the whole job. All the pieces come in a kit for a reason. Yes, you can buy just the cover gaskets but why?
Old 09-15-2009, 05:12 PM
  #19  
lowblow
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I think you are do yourself a disservice by not doing the whole job. All the pieces come in a kit for a reason. Yes, you can buy just the cover gaskets but why?

Chris- This is what my Indy is telling me. The problem I'm having is that he wants 35 labor hrs for the "overhaul". Thats $4,200 in labor, NOT including the 12hrs for the remove/ replace of the motor.

Screw this....I will put a drain pan under the car for as long as necessary.
mike
Old 09-15-2009, 05:18 PM
  #20  
Chris Prack
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Originally Posted by lowblow
I think you are do yourself a disservice by not doing the whole job. All the pieces come in a kit for a reason. Yes, you can buy just the cover gaskets but why?

Chris- This is what my Indy is telling me. The problem I'm having is that he wants 35 labor hrs for the "overhaul". Thats $4,200 in labor, NOT including the 12hrs for the remove/ replace of the motor.

Screw this....I will put a drain pan under the car for as long as necessary.
mike
35 hours for an overhaul is cheap IMO but I think what he is selling you is just a reseal. I think. Anyway, I would check around with some other shops and see what they think or just ask your guy to price resealing the chain housings if this is where your leak is.

I have done a ton of these on 993/964 motors. Very common repair.

There is some confusion here as to what was asked. I quoted you time for resealing the chain housings but see in my post I typed chain covers. My mistake. IMO opinion as a factory trained Porsche tech with 25+ years on Porsche cars, it is a waste of your resources to just replace the cover gaskets. But that is my opinion and as you can see, others feel differently.

Good luck with the leak.
Old 09-15-2009, 05:36 PM
  #21  
mongrelcat
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Originally Posted by lowblow
Screw this....I will put a drain pan under the car for as long as necessary.
Why not ask here for a recommendation for another mechanic? Second opinion couldn't hurt. Best of luck with it.
Old 09-15-2009, 05:37 PM
  #22  
TheOtherEric
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Your shop wants to tear down and reseal your engine just because of a TIMING CHAIN COVER leak?!?!? WTF??? Seriously, if that's true then you need to fire his *** right now.

The argument that "all the pieces come in a kit for a reason" makes absolutely no sense, as people commonly replace just the timing chain cover gaskets.

Perhaps your guy just doesn't know exactly where the leak is coming from. Before tearing the engine down, you should first figure out the leak source. If the problem is (for example) the o-rings on the head thru-bolts, then yes you'd need a reseal. But timing chain cover is an easy fix.
Old 09-15-2009, 05:45 PM
  #23  
TheOtherEric
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Originally Posted by Chris Prack
Please explain to me why you would pull your motor, tear the front down only to replace the cover gaskets? What about the chain case to engine case gasket? What about the orings and gaskets behind the cam retainers? Don't you think they are just as dried out as the cover gaskets?

I think you are do yourself a disservice by not doing the whole job. All the pieces come in a kit for a reason. Yes, you can buy just the cover gaskets but why?
Originally Posted by Chris Prack
...IMO opinion as a factory trained Porsche tech with 25+ years on Porsche cars, it is a waste of your resources to just replace the cover gaskets...
These are perhaps two of the stupidest posts I've ever read on this forum. You're telling me that if the timing chain cover is leaking, you should completely tear down and reseal the entire engine? If that's what you're saying, your either a crook or a fool.
Old 09-15-2009, 05:57 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by TheOtherEric
Your shop wants to tear down and reseal your engine just because of a TIMING CHAIN COVER leak?!?!? WTF??? Seriously, if that's true then you need to fire his *** right now.

The argument that "all the pieces come in a kit for a reason" makes absolutely no sense, as people commonly replace just the timing chain cover gaskets.

Perhaps your guy just doesn't know exactly where the leak is coming from. Before tearing the engine down, you should first figure out the leak source. If the problem is (for example) the o-rings on the head thru-bolts, then yes you'd need a reseal. But timing chain cover is an easy fix.
I'm glad you said this first. I was really scared of the way the thread was heading there for a minute.
OP: My chain covers were "seeping" 2 & 1/2 years ago when I bought my car. They are still seeping today. It's my daily driver. I get a drop or 2 of oil on my garage floor occasionally. I wash it off. I've read a DIY where you can replace the gaskets without dropping the engine. But it's probably a wash since the whole back end of the car comes off instead. Even then I think it was a "partial drop."
My advice would be to: 1. clean the crap out of the bottom of your engine. 2. figure out as well as you can where the oil is coming from. Take pics and post them and we will be happy to help on that. 3. if it's the chain covers, wait until you are doing the clutch or some other engine drop work, and have them replaced.
FWIW, I don't think I'd be inclined to use the mechanic you've gotten the quote from, based upon the info provided...Way overkill for what you've described...
Old 09-15-2009, 06:02 PM
  #25  
boulderbobo
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Originally Posted by TheOtherEric
Your shop wants to tear down and reseal your engine just because of a TIMING CHAIN COVER leak?!?!? WTF??? Seriously, if that's true then you need to fire his *** right now.

The argument that "all the pieces come in a kit for a reason" makes absolutely no sense, as people commonly replace just the timing chain cover gaskets.

Perhaps your guy just doesn't know exactly where the leak is coming from. Before tearing the engine down, you should first figure out the leak source. If the problem is (for example) the o-rings on the head thru-bolts, then yes you'd need a reseal. But timing chain cover is an easy fix.
Originally Posted by TheOtherEric
These are perhaps two of the stupidest posts I've ever read on this forum. You're telling me that if the timing chain cover is leaking, you should completely tear down and reseal the entire engine? If that's what you're saying, your either a crook or a fool.
Ya got to love the rawness of the east.

BTW I totally agree with you.



Bob-
Old 09-15-2009, 07:17 PM
  #26  
cabrio993
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FWIW, I had both sides of my chain covers gaskets replaced last year with the engine on the car. It was about 8 hours of labor, 2 gaskets and new rubber gromets.
Old 09-15-2009, 07:20 PM
  #27  
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Has anyone ever tried just torquing the bolts a little to see if it buys you a few miles?
Old 09-15-2009, 07:36 PM
  #28  
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I tried torquing the bolts and I replaced the small grommets on each bolt (a couple could not be reached without major work hence the difficulty changing the cover gasket).

it did not really improve the leak but I have lived with it given the high cost of replacing the underlying gaskets. I lose a pint of oil in 5000K and its just a minor nuisance.

I'll wait for a clutch change or something to address it then.
Old 09-15-2009, 07:56 PM
  #29  
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I always have cardboard under the car, to detect leaks. After about a week or two in the garage, I usually find a drop of oil on the board. It is the driver's side chain cover.
I am pretty **** with the car, but honestly I learned to live with it. It does not hurt anything. I figured that if it's the only leak on a 100k miles engine, I am doing pretty good!
Do the same and save your money for the important stuff.
Old 09-15-2009, 08:06 PM
  #30  
Edward
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A slight tweak on the cam-chain-cover nuts did not help me at all. That said, it is still not a big deal to me as all I "leak" is a few drops in maybe two weeks of daily driving. Decide for yourself if it is all worth it ...barring an actual puddle, I'd say enjoy driving it and spend the money elsewhere.

Edward


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