KV6 camshaft seal poll
 

A recent thread prompted me to have a look on DMGRS web site , and I noticed that Matt now offers camshaft oil seals in place of the end caps . I have read several threads on here about problems with the end caps coming loose , but have not experienced any problem with the few that I have replaced . I do admit they are tricky to fit properly !
So to investigate further I thought a poll might be of interest to see how common the problem is .:}
Please note this poll is mainly only for people who have had the caps replaced as I assume failure of original caps is a different matter , but I have added an option for those who have had a failure of the original "untinkered-with" items !

Had mine replaced when I had the belts done 6 years ago and they have been fine, although the tooling for them would have been "fresher" back then. Doing the belts this time I have fitted the seals as supplied by DMGRS with again no problems so far. From a design point of view the caps are just that, a cap that fits in the cam housing, and I can see why they can fall out, DMGRS ones are an actual seal that positively locates around the cam and housing so I would imagine a lot less likely to blow out.

My own suspicion is that the replacements that fall out were not fitted properly :shrug::getmecoat:
They need to be fitted squarely and fully home .:}

I recently had to perform an engine swap on my V6 and used the caps from my old unit as I forgot to order the new ones.
It is, of course, a lot easier to pull them out, and fit them with the unit out of the car but Chris is correct. They have to be fitted fully in and square.
I smeared a bit of Holymar on them to get a seal. Been in for a couple of thousand miles now and they are still there.
Had to clean the white sealer stuff off them that the previous guy had used so this may be the third time they have been used.
May seam reckless but as I say, they are still there. Steve

Replaced mine over 5K miles ago with original type caps (not seals), no problems.

They were a complete and utter pain in the rear end to fit properly.:mad:

I agree:}

One point about using seals not caps - I have seen on another engine (Pug XUD in a Rover 218 R8 shape) the end of the camshaft that sticks out beyond the seal go rusty, and the rough rustiness spread to where the seal seals, and damage it resulting in a leak. So I'd rather fit caps.

Bump ! Could do with a few more votes on this one :}
Anyone else ?

Camshaft cap seal
 

I am in the middle of timing belt and am belt change on my Rover 75 2.5 petrol connoiseur. The rear cap went on with little difficulty. The front one was an absolute pig (sorry pigs, will be more PC in future). Some gremlin who resides within the engine kept tilting it out of true. I spent hours trying to get it square. Eventually I made up a simple tool that worked first time. I bought some 5/16 inch screwed rod in the local farm suppliers I am sure screwed rod is also available on eBay. Then cut off a 41/2 inch length, threaded two nuts on one end and locked them together and ditto about 2 inches from that end. then on the other end a nut and washer and a half inch drive 20 mm socket. I screwed a nut on the end so that the socket would not fall off. This was a simple screw jack with the socket as the load bearing end. The gadget was then located between the car wing and seal cap the 20 mm socket bearing against the cap. The lenght was adjusted via the nut and washer behind the socket. I allowed about one inch of the rod to protrude into the socket. Then preventing the rod from turning via the two locked nuts and a plumber's pliers I advanced the socket along the rod thus pushing the cap into place nice and squarely. I was surprised by how much force was needed to push the cap on. It was a little tricky getting everything in place because of the lack of room but it worked and quashed my suicidal thoughts.
Hope this helps someone

Fred

The lip seals would undoubtedly reduce the pressure force acting on the seal by perhaps 50%, but a dust cover would be a must in my opinion or the lip seal will fail early. Hence my logic is fit the original seals fully home and perpendicular, and all will be good.

Remove bumper 20 mins

Remove headlamp 2 mins

Full access to front cam seal achieved :icon_lol:

There should be an option for: no failure, still on original seals

Which, I guess, would be the case if you leave them well alone.:icon_question:

When I took one of my cars several years ago to a well known person on here,
having the belts and a service done he left the caps off and said they were not needed ???, Are they needed. not that I have the car now.

Rev.

:( :wot:

I have seen the same thing happen on a Rover 75 when the caps were missing; very poor practice in my opinion.

If the original caps are removed carefully they will be much easier to refit than a new one and they will still provide an effective seal.

Simon :)

Just when I get around to adding to the poll I find it's closed.

Well I'm going against the grain here, yes my daughter's Tourer blew a cap. One winter when it was really cold (about -25c) I heard of three 75 owners who suffered blown caps, two were lucky blowing the rear caps and near home, the third owner wasn't so lucky. Front cap blew contaminating everything, engine wrecked.

A local mechanic made some safety brackets and fitted them to every 75 that came into the workshop. I've got them fitted to my latest V6.

Regards

When I did the belts, both on my 190 and my pervious Freelander I knocked the caps off with a hammer and screwdriver. I found the new caps impossible to fit (More trouble than my motivation allowed anyway!) so I reused the old caps complete with the screwdriver dents. I installed them with a good smear of Hylomar and haven't had any problems since. I had the DMGRS seals as a backup in case the caps didn't fit but ended up not using them. No leaks, no problems.
If the caps are blowing out it may be a good idea to check the crankcase venting as that much pressure shouldn't be building up in the engine.

Of course they may not be "blowing out", that may be an assumption when in fact they are falling out due to insecure fitment.

If crankcase pressure is suspected, start by checking the breather tubes under the engine acoustic cover followed by the pinhole orifice in each cam cover which becomes blocked with carbon deposits.

Simon

It shouldn't build up but it does even with a breather system which has been cleaned as per the book. I recently did some work on a KV6 and found an extended Shannon tube that fed air from around the exhaust to counter this possibility.

Have a look here: https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...=104108&page=3 describing the situation in Russia with roughly the same low temperatures.

From what I see of your winter temperatures on-line you should be safe there in Vancouver, just be careful where you visit in the winter months.

Regards

That's correct Vitesse. The weather here is the most mild in Canada. I am in the very south-west portion of the province, only a hill away from being in sight of the Pacific. (Technically the Salish Sea which is attached to the Pacific)
In the past few years our winters have been milder that yours in the UK. Mostly rain, rain, rain with an occasional snowfall so it is easy on the cars.
I try to stay near home in the winter as travelling any direction but south means going through the mountain passes with vert treacherous winter conditions. On the off chance that we have to venture that way we will press the wife's 4wd Kia into service. Last year I had my Freelander so there were no winter worries. It was traded for the ZT but I have already told my boss that anything more than a light dusting of snow will have me taking a holiday day. :icon_lol:
There are literally NO spare ZT body parts in Canada so why take chances?