[luvinlife]

I replaced the gasket last week, but it's still leaking oil.
I'm tearing it down again, and had a couple questions.

1. Is there a particular re-assembly pattern for the housing bolts? Like on a head, or intake manifold.
2. What are the torque specs for the housing bolts?

 

[flashmeow]

this sound like a silly question but did you install the gasket dry or wet. silly as it may be, it makes a big difference

 

[new//M3fan]

I replaced the gasket last week, but it's still leaking oil.
I'm tearing it down again, and had a couple questions.

1. Is there a particular re-assembly pattern for the housing bolts? Like on a head, or intake manifold.
2. What are the torque specs for the housing bolts?

22Nm/16lbf ft

However, I used 19lb/ft since I read it might leak if torqued to spec. I'd say going up to 22lb/ft would be acceptable.

As far as the tightening/torque sequence.

I tighten all the bolts down by hand until stopped using the typical criss cross method (same one that is used when torquing the cylinder head).

Then, I set my torque wrench to 12 ft/lbs and tighten them all with the same tightening pattern.

Lastly, I set my final torque value and tightened--again following the same tightening pattern.

That procedure netted me absolutely no leaks and it's been over 15k miles since. Although, I may have over done it;it helped ease my attention to detail OCD by knowing it was done right, evenly as possible and helped me sleep at night.

:thumbup:

 

[luvinlife]

Good info. Thanks.

I installed it dry. I cleaned off all the surfaces and cleaned out the gasket channel. Should I have covered it in oil?

Do you think it's OK to use the gasket that's in there, it's about a week old? Maybe for $7 I should just replace it.

 

[new//M3fan]

Good info. Thanks.

I installed it dry. I cleaned off all the surfaces and cleaned out the gasket channel. Should I have covered it in oil?

Do you think it's OK to use the gasket that's in there, it's about a week old? Maybe for $7 I should just replace it.

You're very welcome!

I would replace it.

Installing it dry may cause it to bind during install. I used silicone spray myself--I would recommend liberally spraying some silicone spray or window cleaner and spreading it evenly on the gasket just before mating it to the block.

Also another thing to keep in mind is this.

If the OFH was ever torqued unevenly it may have warped over time. Also, if the mating surfaces were ever cleaned using a pneumatic surface grinder/re-finisher may cause it to leak.

The right way to clean an aluminum mating surface would be to use one or a conjunction of these

-metal brush
-razor blades
-carburetor cleaner
-elbow grease

 

[flashmeow]

Good info. Thanks.

I installed it dry. I cleaned off all the surfaces and cleaned out the gasket channel. Should I have covered it in oil?

Do you think it's OK to use the gasket that's in there, it's about a week old? Maybe for $7 I should just replace it.

no dry is the correct method. i guess the only option left is try newe46fan comments about torque spec and pattern. GOOD LUCK

 

[new//M3fan]

no dry is the correct method. i guess the only option left is try newe46fan comments about torque spec and pattern. GOOD LUCK

Dry is a method--not the only viable one.

 

[luvinlife]

Thanks. I'll try and get it all clean again, and see if I can't get it right this time.

 

[new//M3fan]

Thanks. I'll try and get it all clean again, and see if I can't get it right this time.

You're welcome!

Good luck and report back!

 

[330iDiot]

I replaced the gasket last week, but it's still leaking oil.
I'm tearing it down again, and had a couple questions.

1. Is there a particular re-assembly pattern for the housing bolts? Like on a head, or intake manifold.
2. What are the torque specs for the housing bolts?

How badly is it leaking? Did you thoroughly clean off the block? On mine, there was a considerable amount of oil in all of the engine crevices. If you didnt clean these out, it is logical that this oil would continue to drop for a while.

Tom

 

[puppysensei]

how badly is it leaking? Did you thoroughly clean off the block? On mine, there was a considerable amount of oil in all of the engine crevices. If you didnt clean these out, it is logical that this oil would continue to drop for a while.

Tom

+1

 

[luvinlife]

Yes, I cleaned them all out, so that I would know if it started to leak again, I could see where it's coming from.
Looks like around the middle bolt on the right side of the housing. I used my little mirror to confirm before I took it apart again.

Off to work now, but I should have it all buttoned up tomorrow morning.

 

[LivesNearCostco]

I used same method as newe46fan. Criss-cross pattern, 16 foot-lbs, still leaked. Raised torque on all 6 bolts to 21 foot-lbs and it stopped leaking. Either the Bentley manual has the wrong torque spec or my OFH is slightly warped and needed the higher torque to make it sit flat against the block.

22Nm/16lbf ft

However, I used 19lb/ft since I read it might leak if torqued to spec. I'd say going up to 22lb/ft would be acceptable.

As far as the tightening/torque sequence.

I tighten all the bolts down by hand until stopped using the typical criss cross method (same one that is used when torquing the cylinder head).

Then, I set my torque wrench to 12 ft/lbs and tighten them all with the same tightening pattern.

Lastly, I set my final torque value and tightened--again following the same tightening pattern.

That procedure netted me absolutely no leaks and it's been over 15k miles since. Although, I may have over done it;it helped ease my attention to detail OCD by knowing it was done right, evenly as possible and helped me sleep at night.

:thumbup:

 

[luvinlife]

I think I may have a leak somewhere else. There is a pool of oil above the filter housing. And there is a small "tray" above the one shown, that has oil in it too. The previous owner said they always spilled oil when they changed it, but I'm not sure it would still be there.
My wife is sure she cleaned that spot the last time I replaced the gasket, but I don't remember it being there. And I can't see any evidence of a leak above, or in that area.

 

[Silver01]

Vanos line leak?

 

[luvinlife]

That's what I thought, but I just replaced all that last week, and checked it before I took it apart this time. No leak there.

 

[jdstrickland]

I replaced the gasket last week, but it's still leaking oil.
I'm tearing it down again, and had a couple questions.

1. Is there a particular re-assembly pattern for the housing bolts? Like on a head, or intake manifold.
2. What are the torque specs for the housing bolts?

Not to be a buzz-kill, or anything, but are you sure the housing mount gasket is the leak?

The VANOS Oil Supply Line MUST be removed to get the housing off, and if you twisted the hose against the fittings, then you destroyed the fittings and this is the new source of the leaks. If you removed the bolts holding the housing on, and simply pushed the housing out of the way so you could get to the gasket, then you twisted the fittings on the hose, and this is a bad thing.

You need to remove the two banjo bolts, one at each end, and take the hose off. The hose has fittings that are crimped on, and if the crimp is loose then oil can come out. This is a high pressure oil supply, so the integrity of the fittings is very important. You are gonna need the 4 copper washers to seal the banjo bolts again.

Since you are gonna need the hose and washers, you may as well get a new gasket.

Having said that, I think you can remove the hose without taking the housing off. If so, and the crimped fittings are damaged, then you can replace the hose and washers without disturbing the housing, saving the need to go after the gasket again.

 

[luvinlife]

I'm not 100% certain that the gasket was the leak, but I'm 99% sure. As I said before, I checked it out before I took it all apart again, and it looks like the middle bolt on the right side of the housing. I could see oil seeping out of it.
However I am 110% certain that the vanos is NOT the source.

 

[luvinlife]

Alright, what size nut attaches the pos. cable to the alternator?

I'm an idiot, I can't find it anywhere... :hmm:

 

[LivesNearCostco]

In my case it was a big plastic nut, about 17mm on the outside, maybe M6 thread on the inside? But I seem to have an unusual Bosch alternator.