Tonight I finished checking the valve clearance on my 1984 Mondial QV. Should I replace the cam seals, even if they are not leaking? They are all within spec. Below is the text file from my Excel spreadsheet, where I keep my records. Front bank Rear bank Intake Intake 1-1 0.229 Intake 1-1 0.229 0.2 0.25 mm Intake 1-2 0.229 Intake 1-2 0.229 7.874 9.8425 mil Intake 2-1 0.229 Intake 2-1 0.216 Intake 2-2 0.229 Intake 2-2 0.021 Intake 3-1 0.229 Intake 3-1 0.229 Exhaust Intake 3-2 0.229 Intake 3-2 0.229 0.3 0.35 mm Intake 4-1 0.216 Intake 4-1 0.229 11.811 13.7795 mil Intake 4-2 0.229 Intake 4-2 0.229 Exhaust 1-1 0.356 Exhaust 1-1 0.305 Exhaust 1-2 0.33 Exhaust 1-2 0.33 Exhaust 2-1 0.318 Exhaust 2-1 0.305 Exhaust 2-2 0.305 Exhaust 2-2 0.305 Exhaust 3-1 0.33 Exhaust 3-1 0.33 Exhaust 3-2 0.356 Exhaust 3-2 0.35 Exhaust 4-1 0.31 Exhaust 4-1 0.31 Exhaust 4-2 0.33 Exhaust 4-2 0.33 The front bank was actually easier to check, as it has the access plate behind the rear seat. Checking valve clearance while sitting on a leather seat was great! I was hoping to have some valves way off tolerance, so I would find an excuse to take the cams off for adjustment and replace the seals. The cam seals do not leak, so: Should I replace them now or wait for the next valve check? I know its only 10 screws, but every time touch this car, I replace something, even if not needed. If I decide to replace the seals: my concern is not the O-Ring, but is the cam seal. Is it easier to remove the cam pulleys with the cams off? BTW, this car was always service at Ferrari of Beverly Hills. The valve cover gaskets were put on dry, with no sealer. Not even where the O RIngs meet with the valve cover gasket. Amazing, not a single leak. I also included a picture for Verell showing the marks on the cam shaft and the mark that is visible from the oil cap. In my case, it is a white line. If the white line is visible, then PM 1-4 is in the compression cycle in cylinder 1. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
You're going to have to replace the seal housing 0-rings, as it's unlikely they're still soft enough to seal properly. So might as well replace the seals while you're at it. BTW, you don't have to remove the cam gears to change the seals, just pull the cam & slide the housing & seal off the other end. With the old belts still on & tensioner locked down, I put the engine on PM5-8, lock up the drivetrain, then break the rear bank cam gear bolts loose with an air impact wrench. Then put the engine on PM1-4 & do the front bank. I'm jealous, sure wish the 308 had that front bank access panel!!!
Hi Verell, Thanks for the tip. I am following your posts for the belt replacement. The front access panel in my car is great. I do not understand how anybody can access the front bank from the top on a 308 or GT4. Someone adviced me to remove the throttle cable first and the valve cover came right off through the opening. If the cam gears to not need to be removed to replace the seals, then why do I need to break loose the cam gear bolts? By looking at the following picture: http://www.ricambiamerica.com/images/diagrams/full/MONQV_005.jpg It appears to me that once the cam is removed, with the cam gears still on, I should be able to slide the O-ring #45 to the rear. Then it appears that the cam seal #44 is attached to the cover #43 and both slide to the rear of the cam. Do I still need to remove the cam gears? Thanks in advance
You're pretty close: The o-ring stays on the #43 seal housing and the cam seal housing #43 (aka cover) with seal & o-ring on it slides off the cam's rear end. Similarly mount new seal & o-ring on the housing & slide it back on, being careful to not nick the seal's edge as it goes over the cam lobes(not too likely with care). However, IF your timing isn't dead on, THEN you'll need to break the cam gear bolts loose in order to re-pin the cam gear to the cams using a different set of holes.
Verell, as usual, you are the best. Your posts encourage me to continue "while I'm at it....". I started with a simple timing belt change and here are I am with half an engine apart and missing most of the summer driving. The PM was VERY difficult to fine in my engine. Two of us looked while turning the flywheel. I had to stick a wooden rod in rear cyl 1 to look for the PM. If you look at the picture below, it is a very faint white dot in the clutch access plate. Not like the clearly marked PM1-4 in your engine. All cams align with the mark. If you look at the first posting, are the valve gaps ok? Or "while I'm at it..." with the cams off, should I change the exhaust ones that are close to the 0.3 mm limit? I was going to take them to Volvo and get 0.03 mm thicker ones. Cheers, Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Were the smaller QV shims a Volvo application as well? Another question: When my belts were done prior to taking possession of my car, the valves were not done. I am about to start on that job now, but she is beautifuly leak free and I'd like to leave the cams in place thus leaving the seals alone. Chances are, of course, that the O-ring is hard. Is it acceptable to use a tiny amount of RTV on the outside half of the Oring? I am certainly not a fan of using RTV at all, seen engines destroyed (not Ferrari) by application of too much of it, but in this situation it would save me the work of taking cams and belts off, which is due next year. Opinions? (I know, I shouldn't ask and do it all now....)
You are where I was 2 weeks ago, no leaks. I started off only to replace the timing belts and bearing and I ended up replacing all the seals. I still need to order them. I'm shopping on line for the best prices. Regarding the Volvo shims, I was planning in taking one to the Volvo dealer close to my house for a match as I do not know which Volvo model to reference it to. As to RTV, I have seen many different opinions in the forum. My Ferrari was only serviced at Ferrari of Beverly Hills since new and only used original parts. There was NO RTV on the valve covers. Not even next to the O-Rings. I am still scratching my head as to why it never leaked through the small gap between the O ring and the gasket. I will use a very small amount of RTV in that infamous section. The job is not that difficult and it will help you get familiar with your vehicle. I finally found my gasoline pin hole leak and a broken ignition wire. There is plenty of help from the forum.
