Hello again after a while of no new news.   First day off work for a while to get the spanners out and have a look at this pesky oil leak from around the chain tensioner.   Started off rotating engine to TDC should anything cause problems with refitting.  Then I removed the paraphernalia associated with the coil packs and also removed the charge pipe from the turbo to the intercooler for easier access.  

 

Cam cover off, tool and new gasket at hand and ready to start.

 

 

After considering whether it was possible to change the gasket that sits under the chain tensioner assembly,  it seem easier to remove the inlet cam.   Then it could be manoeuvred out of the way without having to unhook the timing change from the sprocket.  I had though put a blob of paint on the sprockets and chains to be safe and check to be sure nothing would be out on refitting.

 

 

Old gasket looked a bit mankey 

 

 

Getting the cam out of its bearing caps meant I could give the surfaces of the chain tensioner assembly a goods clean prior to putting the new gasket set in. 

 

 

Then everything was put back together and a litre of oil added to top it back up to max mark.

 

 

Also went back to red cam cover.   First thing to report is the car starts and runs so seems it all went back together correctly.   I will give it a test drive later to see if the leak has been solved! 

 

Meanwhile arty photo of car down at Exmouth the other month. 

 

Edited 21 July, 20178 yr by Leeboy

GOOD WORK and fingers crossed 

I'm pleased to finally report oil leak is solved!!  This week saw me in Yorkshire and no real chance to test the car beforehand so after a round trip of 580 miles, we are oil free around the side of the cylinder head at last  

 

 

Car drove as expected despite my reservation about removing cam shafts which I haven't done before on one of these engines.  And satisfying to know that the tool and gasket cost less than £25 off ebay saving me probably at least 2 and a half hours labour at a garage!

 

Now need to think what I can fix next!

Sounds like a job well done and glad you got a result mate. Just to clarify you replaced the cam cover gasket and the one under the tensioner assembly. Is that all needs doing? 

Any tips or points of note removing and replacing the cam shaft/caps or fairly straightforward??

Did you have a 'practise run' on the other engine first

9 hours ago, huwants2no said:

Sounds like a job well done and glad you got a result mate. Just to clarify you replaced the cam cover gasket and the one under the tensioner assembly. Is that all needs doing? 

Any tips or points of note removing and replacing the cam shaft/caps or fairly straightforward??

Did you have a 'practise run' on the other engine first

 

As it happens,  I reused the cam cover gasket I already had as it hadn't done that much service but if your's is original I would,  and yeah, new chain tensioner gasket.  Taking out the front inlet cam had me thinking that I will probably need a new camshaft seal at the timing belt end, but I'd started the job without a replacement.  As it turns out, it's fine.  

 

You'll need some sealant for the end cap at the timing belt end as this one covers both cams and forms that end of the cylinder head to which the cam cover bolts down over.

 

I followed Haynes manual instructions on unbolting the caps.  Turn engine around to TDC and it was something like start with 3 and 5, then 2 and 4 and the end caps.  They are all numbered so just work methodically and in TDC, the cam followers are fairly evenly spread.

 

I didn't practice as I could be bothered to drag the old engine out of the corner of the garage!  Give it a go and don't rush!