Replace OLD cam retainer plates to prevent yourself from this.
12-22-2015, 03:11 AM
#1
Replace OLD cam retainer plates to prevent yourself from this. Replaced the oil pump O-Ring looking for a weird oil pressure issue and as soon as I got the car up to temp the oil pressure issue popped back up, so I tore into the engine a little more and found the culprit. I should have replaced this originally when I went into the engine. The O-ring on the cam retainer plate was tore in two spots, it seals the oil galley between the cam and the mains, IE: it caused a HUGE pressure leak. Sure is easy to work on these LS motors in this car 
And the culprit, tears at top left and bottom center. The whole O-Ring was pretty smooshed. My mistake to reuse it
And the culprit, tears at top left and bottom center. The whole O-Ring was pretty smooshed. My mistake to reuse it
12-22-2015, 03:25 AM
#2
Mine wasn't even tore, i even tried 3 old ones, all 3 leaked out the top between the center bolt and end bolts.. i did how ever reuse one once and it worked out ok.. but i think i got lucky.. the cam retainer plates are way cheap i have no idea why i just didn't buy one to begin with.. haha now iv got a stock pile of new ones lol .. it isnt happening again 
Last edited by the404man; 12-22-2015 at 12:48 PM. Reason: by to buy
12-22-2015, 08:56 AM
#5
Victor Reinz which is a large aftermarket gasket company manufactures an LS camshaft retaining plate that uses the regular bolts. I have used them quite a few times without any issues.
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Glenn ***
Sales Tech
www.bmrsuspension.com
813.986.9302
Find a Quality alignment shop near you!
12-22-2015, 11:24 AM
#6
TECH Senior Member
Replace OLD cam retainer plates to prevent yourself from this. I wonder if any one makes a flat non-o-ringed reusable plate and a separate high-pressure gasket.
12-22-2015, 12:46 PM
#8
12-23-2015, 06:45 AM
#11
TECH Addict
I bought the counter sunk one last time and used the regular bolts with no problems. For $20 i always replace that plate weather it looks good or not. $20 is worth it to not have to tear everything apart again.
12-23-2015, 07:50 PM
#13
Anytime I swap cams, I replace this part. I hate the new design though, so I still get the old design and use the regular bolts. The counter sunk ones are annoying.
Here is the old style retainer plate
Here is the old style retainer plate
12-23-2015, 09:39 PM
#14
Replaced the oil pump O-Ring looking for a weird oil pressure issue and as soon as I got the car up to temp the oil pressure issue popped back up, so I tore into the engine a little more and found the culprit. I should have replaced this originally when I went into the engine. The O-ring on the cam retainer plate was tore in two spots, it seals the oil galley between the cam and the mains, IE: it caused a HUGE pressure leak. Sure is easy to work on these LS motors in this car
And the culprit, tears at top left and bottom center. The whole O-Ring was pretty smooshed. My mistake to reuse it
And the culprit, tears at top left and bottom center. The whole O-Ring was pretty smooshed. My mistake to reuse it
What were your symptoms and how did you determine this was the problem? I'm quite skeptical on this, just can't get my head around this being a massive leak point. If my engine wasn't already completely together, I'd be happy to try a priming rig with a new cam plate against an old one with the gasket scraped completely off. These pumps do about 5 gals/min, some of it through the relief port. I just cannot see a gap of a couple thou giving up enough oil to even close the relief spring let alone lose pressure...
12-23-2015, 09:55 PM
#15
Coke,
What were your symptoms and how did you determine this was the problem? I'm quite skeptical on this, just can't get my head around this being a massive leak point. If my engine wasn't already completely together, I'd be happy to try a priming rig with a new cam plate against an old one with the gasket scraped completely off. These pumps do about 5 gals/min, some of it through the relief port. I just cannot see a gap of a couple thou giving up enough oil to even close the relief spring let alone lose pressure...
What were your symptoms and how did you determine this was the problem? I'm quite skeptical on this, just can't get my head around this being a massive leak point. If my engine wasn't already completely together, I'd be happy to try a priming rig with a new cam plate against an old one with the gasket scraped completely off. These pumps do about 5 gals/min, some of it through the relief port. I just cannot see a gap of a couple thou giving up enough oil to even close the relief spring let alone lose pressure...
Last edited by DietCoke; 12-23-2015 at 10:01 PM.
12-23-2015, 10:05 PM
#16
Possibly, but I'd love to see it actually tested. Your talking about leaking almost 5 gals/min thru nothing more than a hairline gap. Bet with that plate tightened, you couldn't get a 0.002" feeler gauge in the seam. Besides, being an aluminum block and steel plate, wouldn't the plate get tighter (reducing any gap) with heat?
12-24-2015, 02:42 AM
#18
Yeah i used the starter to turn the engine to make sure it would get pressure while it was still on the stand with timing cover off, so after filling the prime port to the right of the oil pump on the front side of the block, i tuned the engine over and once the pump got primed up... the oil started gushing out of the top of the plate like a water fall, and my starter only turns my engine at like 140ish or so rpms
Edit: though the oil was gushing out of the front of the oil pump as well, even more than the retainer plate.. i figured this was normal .. note not out of the oil pump cover plate.. but between the gears where they come out of the pump to be turned by the crankshaft..
neways thought id throw that in.. never the less, it wouldn't pump up the valve train, until i put the new retainer on.. Edit: the engine gets 55ish psi cold idle, 45ish hot, and at WOT it goes off the gauge hptuners shows it at 90+, the rebuild has 100 miles on it, now noticing the hot idle is now around 37-40 and WOT at 70ish iv driven it like a mad man.. changing oil at 150 miles.. but yeah so i can only figure the oil out of the pump like that must be normal, but yeah thought it might be helpful to someone to throw that bit of info in..
Edit: though the oil was gushing out of the front of the oil pump as well, even more than the retainer plate.. i figured this was normal .. note not out of the oil pump cover plate.. but between the gears where they come out of the pump to be turned by the crankshaft..
neways thought id throw that in.. never the less, it wouldn't pump up the valve train, until i put the new retainer on.. Edit: the engine gets 55ish psi cold idle, 45ish hot, and at WOT it goes off the gauge hptuners shows it at 90+, the rebuild has 100 miles on it, now noticing the hot idle is now around 37-40 and WOT at 70ish iv driven it like a mad man.. changing oil at 150 miles.. but yeah so i can only figure the oil out of the pump like that must be normal, but yeah thought it might be helpful to someone to throw that bit of info in..
Last edited by the404man; 12-24-2015 at 03:59 AM.
12-24-2015, 06:58 AM
#20
Not trying to hurt anyone's feelings, but it seems prudent to inspect parts before reinstalling them. Damage to that seal likely happened during uninstall, storage or reinstall. It's also a good idea to check new parts.