QUESTION
I have recently purchased a Jensen-Healey that has a Lotus 907 engine.
There is a significant amount of oil leaking coming from the lower exhaust cam cover.
How do I remove this, reseal it and stop it leaking oil?
M.H. - Elsternwick, Melbourne
ANSWER
The first step is to remove the 6mm bolts securing the cam cover with a suitable ring spanner or socket (10mm AF).
Before removing the cover, its wise to place newspaper underneath to prevent escaping oil from coming into contact with the exhaust manifold immediately below.
Once the 6 bolts have been removed, the cover should be carefully prized off.
As the cover is removed, oil will most likely run out of the lower lip of the cam cover - this is normal.
Removing the cover will reveal the old gasket and what type of sealant has been used to secure the cover in place.
Excess oil needs to be soaked up before attempting to remove the remains of the old gasket and sealant
Both the camshaft housing and cover must be scrupulously clean before reassembly can take place.
To ensure an oil tight joint a new gasket and Loctite Grey MAXX should be used in this application.
It is highly recommended that Loctite ® 7471™ Primer T™ be used in the final cleaning process.
This solvent based cleaning product removes every last trace of oil which ensures Grey MAXX adheres to the various surfaces.
Reinstalling the cover is recommended to be a two stage process (to guarantee an oil tight cover)
The new gasket should be gently formed to follow the curvature of the housing and cover.
Lotus 907 cam cover gaskets are available from Lotus Marques in a composite material that is tough and re-usable.
NOTE - For quality and reliability reasons, Lotus marques DOES NOT supply 907 cam cover gaskets manufactured from card, rubber or neoprene.
Next, apply a liberal coating of sealant to the cam housing metal surface only.
Locate the gasket on the cam housing and install the metal cover with 4 bolts whilst checking the gasket alignment.
Gently nip the cover bolts and let the sealant cure over night.
By applying sealant to one surface only, prevents gasket movement and subsequent misalignment problems.
After the sealant has cured, remove the cover and make sure the gasket is correctly located.
If the gasket is in the correct position and is sealed, then apply another liberal coating of sealant to the cover.
Install the cover with new Seloc washers and torque the cover bolts to 3 - 4 ft/lbs
For comprehensive details of torque loading figures for the Lotus 907 engine, see the table in the technical section.
Copyright © 2012 Lotus Marques
I have recently purchased a Jensen-Healey that has a Lotus 907 engine.
There is a significant amount of oil leaking coming from the lower exhaust cam cover.
How do I remove this, reseal it and stop it leaking oil?
M.H. - Elsternwick, Melbourne
ANSWER
The first step is to remove the 6mm bolts securing the cam cover with a suitable ring spanner or socket (10mm AF).
Before removing the cover, its wise to place newspaper underneath to prevent escaping oil from coming into contact with the exhaust manifold immediately below.
Once the 6 bolts have been removed, the cover should be carefully prized off.
As the cover is removed, oil will most likely run out of the lower lip of the cam cover - this is normal.
Removing the cover will reveal the old gasket and what type of sealant has been used to secure the cover in place.
Excess oil needs to be soaked up before attempting to remove the remains of the old gasket and sealant
Both the camshaft housing and cover must be scrupulously clean before reassembly can take place.
To ensure an oil tight joint a new gasket and Loctite Grey MAXX should be used in this application.
It is highly recommended that Loctite ® 7471™ Primer T™ be used in the final cleaning process.
This solvent based cleaning product removes every last trace of oil which ensures Grey MAXX adheres to the various surfaces.
Reinstalling the cover is recommended to be a two stage process (to guarantee an oil tight cover)
The new gasket should be gently formed to follow the curvature of the housing and cover.
Lotus 907 cam cover gaskets are available from Lotus Marques in a composite material that is tough and re-usable.
NOTE - For quality and reliability reasons, Lotus marques DOES NOT supply 907 cam cover gaskets manufactured from card, rubber or neoprene.
Next, apply a liberal coating of sealant to the cam housing metal surface only.
Locate the gasket on the cam housing and install the metal cover with 4 bolts whilst checking the gasket alignment.
Gently nip the cover bolts and let the sealant cure over night.
By applying sealant to one surface only, prevents gasket movement and subsequent misalignment problems.
After the sealant has cured, remove the cover and make sure the gasket is correctly located.
If the gasket is in the correct position and is sealed, then apply another liberal coating of sealant to the cover.
Install the cover with new Seloc washers and torque the cover bolts to 3 - 4 ft/lbs
For comprehensive details of torque loading figures for the Lotus 907 engine, see the table in the technical section.
Copyright © 2012 Lotus Marques