cam retainer plate gasket?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 27
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From: oklahoma city
i put a straight scale across it, and it is completely flat. hmmm.........
well, it's internal so i don't really see a huge problem if it doesn't make the tightest seal. i guess i'll do my trunion upgrade while i think about this.
well, it's internal so i don't really see a huge problem if it doesn't make the tightest seal. i guess i'll do my trunion upgrade while i think about this.
It's a big deal if it doesn't seal. It's a pressurized area behind there that feeds the lifters.
RTV is a no-no.
Many people reuse them. We just did on a friend's H/C swap. But make sure that seal is mint. No funny spots. If you do buy a new one, make sure you have the correct bolts. They changed to a countersunk bolt on the new version. Problems will arise from using the wrong bolts. The plate with seal is about $20.
RTV is a no-no.
Many people reuse them. We just did on a friend's H/C swap. But make sure that seal is mint. No funny spots. If you do buy a new one, make sure you have the correct bolts. They changed to a countersunk bolt on the new version. Problems will arise from using the wrong bolts. The plate with seal is about $20.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 27
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From: oklahoma city
i really, really wish i would've heard your advise yesterday. incase you haven't seen my post i put up about 2 hrs ago...........i started it up and i had oil pressure for about 1 min, then lost all pressure.
i'm now taking everything off down to the oil pump. i'm going to take off that plate and check it out.
by the way, i did put a tiny bead of rtv around that gasket. do you think this has caused me to lose pressure?
i'm now taking everything off down to the oil pump. i'm going to take off that plate and check it out.
by the way, i did put a tiny bead of rtv around that gasket. do you think this has caused me to lose pressure?
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I had my seal blow on my retainer plate and had really low pressure. I ordered a new one with the new bolts and all problems solved. It took me a while to figure it out but thats what it was. Its not expensive. You should order a new one just for piece of mind.
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Brett Foote
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From: PA/MD
My last engine failure was due to a ball of RTV that worked its way through the oil passages and plugged up the hole right under the "barbell"
On first fire up I had 50+ psi, test drove for about 30 miles. Shut the car off. Drove for about 3 miles the next day and oil gauge suddenly dropped to 0.... killed lots of parts quick
On first fire up I had 50+ psi, test drove for about 30 miles. Shut the car off. Drove for about 3 miles the next day and oil gauge suddenly dropped to 0.... killed lots of parts quick
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: oklahoma city
i bought a new O ring, it does look more fat than the old one. also bought a cam retainer plate (they don't sell just the gasket $20, not to bad).
here's a photo of my used plate, i noticed a wear ring on the inside diameter from the timing sprocket. what could cause this?
is it possible i torqued my cam too much, or the plate not enough? i torque to the chilton manual specs.
here's a photo of my used plate, i noticed a wear ring on the inside diameter from the timing sprocket. what could cause this?
is it possible i torqued my cam too much, or the plate not enough? i torque to the chilton manual specs.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: oklahoma city
i just wanted to update this thread also.
i now have oil PRESSURE!!!!!! this morning i changed out my O ring with a new one and also the cam retainer plate.
i really thing it was the O ring, but could've been a combination of both.
either way, don't use RTV on it, and always change out your O ring.
thanks for the input, guys.
i now have oil PRESSURE!!!!!! this morning i changed out my O ring with a new one and also the cam retainer plate.
i really thing it was the O ring, but could've been a combination of both.
either way, don't use RTV on it, and always change out your O ring.
thanks for the input, guys.
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 16
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From: Round Rock, TX
I have been fighting excessive valve-train noise for awhile now. I was running out of options. I talked to someone at a local pro shop and found something that I had not thought of - the cam plate (I reused my old one when I did the head/cam upgrade). If the seal on it is still good enough to hold enough pressure to read at the sending unit but bad enough to let too much oil leak out then the drivers side lifters will starve for oil (which is the side that I have excessive valve-train noise on).
I am going to tear into the engine one more time and replace the cam retainer plate this weekend. I hope this works because I am at wits end here. The other thing that he mentioned was it could be a bad valve guide but that my symptoms did not seem like that was the case (when the engine is cold the noise is barely noticeable, but after the engine gets hot the noise is really bad). Wish me luck.
I am going to tear into the engine one more time and replace the cam retainer plate this weekend. I hope this works because I am at wits end here. The other thing that he mentioned was it could be a bad valve guide but that my symptoms did not seem like that was the case (when the engine is cold the noise is barely noticeable, but after the engine gets hot the noise is really bad). Wish me luck.
