[alfa] Re: alfa-digest V9 #1055 - Oil Leaks on Alfa Four

[AlfaNeely@xxxxxxx]

    Torque the cylinder head and see what happens.  You are correct that a 
bit of oil leakage may not be a major problem unless it gets into the coolant or 
if coolant gets into the oil.  If either happens, you need a new head gasket.
    You may also find that the leak is worst when the engine is cold.  When 
it warms up, the metal expands and MAY close up the leak.
    There are six oil passages on the outside of the cylinder head.  Each 
supplies oil to one of the bearings the cams turn in.  There is an O ring around 
each connection between the head.  In days of old, the O rings would not 
retain their shape - they would turn to a pretzel shape.  Then someone came up with 
the idea of putting roll pins in the passage where the head joins the block.  
Plus a material called Vitron came along.  Vitron O rings plus the roll pins 
to keep them round seems to have solved the problem on most late model Alfa 
four cylinders.
    I am not sure exactly when Alfa started putting the roll pins in at the 
factory.  But I am pretty sure all L Jetronic spiders had them, so the change 
may have been about 1982.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City



In a message dated 1/3/2004 11:37:21 PM Central Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:
Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 15:33:27 -0800 (PST)
From: Stacy Faught <onethumb@domain.elided>
Subject: Re: Oil leaks was Re: [alfa] Las Vegas shop

Perhaps I should have been a bit more specific:  There is evidence of oil 
leaking at the head gasket, directly under the exhuast manifold.  There may be 
oil leaking at the rear of the head gasket also, since a majority of the oil 
underneath the car was on the rear of the oil pan.  The valve cover shows no 
signs of leaking.  I didn't check the vapor canistor return line--it didn't cross 
my mind at the time since I see evidence of oil weeping out of the head 
gasket.  Mabye I'm lucky and that is the source of the problem, but it will have to 
wait until my post-Vegas flu goes away.
I too have had the valve cover leaking issue on my spider--I only wish it 
were that simple this time :)

So let me reiterate the question:  Is oil leaking from the outside of the 
head gasket a *bad thing*, or can it be lived with as long as the oil and coolent 
aren't mixing?  Mabye it's just a matter of time before the leaks get more 
serious, and then it will be a moot point...I'm trying to avoid any major engine 
work until after my last smog check, at which time a TS will replace the 
current engine...

Thanks again for your help!
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