Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Road-race engines and ancillaries - general discussion
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Brit01
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Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by Brit01 »

Recently purchased a service kit including all gaskets and oil seals for my Alfa boxer.

The old gasket between the cam support and cylinder head was a thin plastic sheet. I heard this was the original one.

In my kit I have a paper gasket.

I'm concerned about oil leakage through the paper gasket as the camshafts sit in a pool of oil.

But I'd be surprised if the manufacturer would provide gaskets that are inappropriate.

The paper one should be fine as long as it's torqued correctly no?
Torqued very highly as the head bolts also go through the camshaft support. It's in 2 pieces.
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Guy Croft
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Re: Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by Guy Croft »

Nothing wrong with a paper gasket - loads of heads use them in that app - eg: SOHC Fiat.

G
Brit01
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Re: Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by Brit01 »

Great good to know.

I assembled the first cam into it's housing last night, prepping the lobes with molykote, new oil seals, and filled it with new oil, slipped in the new INA tappets and popped on the head.
Guy Croft
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Re: Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by Guy Croft »

As with any cambox gasket make sure it's oriented right and don't block off any oil feeds!

I did that once - melted a GpA Skoda.

G
Brit01
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Re: Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by Brit01 »

Yes I saw that this morning. Before going to work I was just looking at the head gasket and placed it over the face.

I saw the oil feed hole had no hole in the gasket!! Strange I thought. Then realized the other gasket had one, they were in reverse.

Yes easy to miss!

Also I saw the upper hole on the gasket for the water coolant channels is much smaller than the lower one. Just the size of a pencil width.
Why is this? The old one was the same.
To create a pressure within the passages and slow down the water to absorb the heat??

The lower holes in the gasket open the entire channel.



thank you
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Guy Croft
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Re: Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by Guy Croft »

sorry clueless there, I would need the parts around me to make that call!

G
WhizzMan
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Re: Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by WhizzMan »

I don't even put a gasket in between the cam housing and the head for the Alfa 8V boxer engines. I use a very thin film of blue silicone. If you're worried, in my opinion, you'd be best off thinly coating the paper gasket both sides in blue silicone.
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Brit01
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Re: Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by Brit01 »

blue silicone.
Never heard of blue silicone or seen it here. I have seen gasket maker here, like a glue which sets. But you have the risk of bits overlapping and falling into the oil.
I'll have a look for it this Sat.

Just thinking about it, the end caps to the cams have a paper gasket and never had a leak there.

The cam support and head cylinder are bolted to the block together with tremendous torque so that paper is going to be squeezed together so thin.

With the previous plastic one, I had a tiny tiny leak through one bolt.
Guy Croft
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Re: Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by Guy Croft »

1. Gasket paper only - good only if mating faces are flat and relatively score/scratch-free. Works best if pre-oiled with something like WD40 - this aids the compression. Tends to settle and on thing slike camboxes the fixings should be tightened and left overnight then relaxed and final torqued next day. GCRE stocks a huge range of different thicknesses for different applications which is by way of saying get the right one. Thicker paper will tolerate more deviation in surface condition but settles more (it can be a LOT) whilst thinner paper gives a more robust joint.

2. Silicone only - some grades will seal coolant and oil successfully others will not. Avoid unless you have proven experience with the type you're using. Some grades which seal superbly are impossible to free-off without a hammer and chisel and I do not know of any solvent that will release them (and quite right too because that would kindof defeat the object ofthe sealant..!).

3. Silicone & paper gasket. Good solution on older parts that are a bit out-of-true or scratched/corroded. A joint of this type however cannot be 'relaxed' and retightened with risk of parting the silicone and ruining the seal.

There are other good ways of achieving seal between metal faces but none of them are any use in this app. and I know them all.

G
Brit01
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Re: Gasket in between camshaft support and cylinder head

Post by Brit01 »

Option one I consider the best choice. Thanks Guy.

Besides the triangular covers that fit onto the ends of the cams have paper gaskets and no oil leaks from them.

Should be fine. I'll make sure the surface is spotless and smooth.

Also the petrol pump has a paper gasket with the oil on one side splashing about, no leaks there either.
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