At 12:14 PM +1100 18/3/99, Craig & Karen Bentley wrote:
>Greetings listers, I know this subject has been approached before but I
>guess I wasn't paying attention. I am trying to install the external rocker
>shaft oil line on my engine and can not get the thing to stop leaking. I
>knew that as soon as I put oil in the engine I'd probably have leaks but any
>how my problem has to do with where the line bolts to the head. I have
>already ruined one banjo bolt and four sealing washers and am on my last
>set. It seems to me upon closer inspection that the drilling in the head is
>not perfectly square with the surface on the head that the sealing washer
>contacts. In other words the banjo bolt goes into the head at an angle. The
>angle is small but it is visually detectable. Anybody got a solution? Is
>this common? Any thoughts most appreciated, TIA Craig Bentley
Yes this connection is a pain. Part of the problem is caused by the bolt,
which has a sharp step in its profile. The washer has to sit over this
step, but inevitably falls off the step when the bolt is being installed
and then gets crushed by the step in the bolt (then leaks). The other
problem is that the recess in the head is too deep and the line fouls the
head before the bolt is tight.
My solution was to forget the small crushable copper washers that are
supplied with the line (I did not have much choice after ruining four of
them). Get some standard copper washers. Smear them with thick grease and
place two of them in the recess in the head. The grease keeps them in
place and I found that standard washers were the same diameter as the
recess in the head and were automatically centred. Two washers provides
some little clearance between the head and the line (use three if
necessary).
Then install the bolt with another copper washer between the bolt head and
the line. Make sure that the bolt does not snag on the inner washers.
Tighten carefully (do not break the bolt as I did).
One of the small crushable washers could be used under the bolt head and
would look neater, as the standard washers stick out quite a bit around the
junction of the oil line and the bolt head (but I did not have any left by
this stage). The washers between the head and the line are not visible.
After you have finished this, you can look forward to leaks from the rocker
cover.
The bolts are available with different inner bores. The one that I broke
had almost twice the bore of its replacement. A large bore will provide
excess oil to the rockers. With good oil pressure, a small bore (1.0 to
1.5 mm) is adequate.
This summarises many hours of experimentation and frustration. Best of luck.
Trevor Jordan
74 TR6 CF29281U
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