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

["Dean" <tessiedog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've seen plenty of oily alfa head gaskets. even a bit of leaking coolant in
really cold conditions on start up. Suppose it depends on how much its
leaking. Retighten head nuts go a bit more than factory if you dare. All
that roll pin and oring stuff works and only use a genuine gasket.
Aftermarket head gaskets are rubbish(my opinion).
Cheers dean
----- Original Message -----
From: <AlfaNeely@domain.elided>
To: <onethumb@domain.elided>; <alfa-digest@domain.elided>
Sent: Monday, January 05, 2004 1:04 AM
Subject: [alfa] Re: alfa-digest V9 #1055 - Oil Leaks on Alfa Four


>     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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