DOHC problems continue...

slow'n'steady · Post by **slow'n'steady** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 7:38 pm

OK, the TA is being set aside for a while so i can get back to focusing on the fiero.

Now, first thing first... that damn oil leak. Where can i get the o-ring for the dist. hole delete thing?

Also is still seams to be running weird, when it does run. It wont start for shit when it is cold. Its about 0* right now, but even when it was 30-40 i couldnt get it to start. I did redo the timing and did eventually get it right. It started, ran and sounded great afterwards, the next day however i couldnt get it to start. everything engine wise is stock at the moment, and it has a walbros 255 pump. Only code is the VSS as i am running a stock auto chip with me manual trans. ALL sensors are brand new except the MAP.

I've been debating getting rid of it, but i REALLY, REALLY dont want to!! i know i have WAY more money in it than i wil be able to get out of it! between the rims and brakes alone i have over $2K. I just REALLY want to get this dang thing figured out and because i will be going back to school soon, i quit my job and got a 35-40 hour week job at O'reilly auto parts so i can get some SWEET discounts!

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:17 pm

I think rodney has that gasket. Also, GM still has that gasket. Just go to your gm dealer and pick one up. hell autozone or Discount auto parts carries it too. its like $1.

You work at o reillys? Shit I bet they stock the gasket. you try looking in the computer?

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:19 pm

if by gasket you mean o-ring - then you can get it almost anywhere. just look for a distributor o-ring for a 60*v6

The Dark Side of Will · Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:20 pm

Ditto

Forever-Fiero · Post by **Forever-Fiero** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:43 am

I Think he's talking about the one you can slip over the head of the dist. delete so there's no need to remove the head.

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:22 am

Forever-Fiero wrote:I Think he's talking about the one you can slip over the head of the dist. delete so there's no need to remove the head.

yeah, you stretch a n o-ring over the head with the distributor plug raised up as high as you can get it (when not removing the heads) and once its around the shaft then you clamp it back down.

slow'n'steady · Post by **slow'n'steady** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:02 pm

anyone know the size of the o-ring? i check into it at work and it said "not available" so i asked about it. All i was told is "use a SBC distributor gasket". However, i think rather than trying to mess around with all of that, i may just rebuild the other engine i have laying around. I knew i got a discount but i didnt know how huge it was until today. So i am going to start ripping the other motor apart today and hopefuly have it finished and ready to swap in next weekend or so.
I talked to the person i bought the engien from (the one that is already in the fiero) and he informed he that it was "his mistake" when he told me it had like 60K miles on it, actually has over 160K on it, so it prolly wouldnt last long anyways.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 7:42 pm

I know I am useless to this forum, and it makes me really apprehensive to help. But alas, I see you have not gotten the help yet. So I may as well try. But let's all thank Shaun first, by his banning me and figuring he knew everything, he has helped you immensely by giving you the wrong gasket, and not telling you how to fix it. But let's do it Shaun's way, since he is so smart. First, pull off the intake manifolds. Next, pull off the timing belt. Next, pull off the rear cam tower, but make sure to catch all 12 lifters. Lastly, pull off the cylinder head. At this point you'll need to replace the distributor cover gasket, head gasket, timing belt, idler pullies, tensioner, cam tower gasket, and intake manifold gaskets. Reassemble everything, all you'll be good to go.

Or do it this way. Go to your autoparts store, and get a distributor gasket for a Small Block Chevy, mine was for a 1986 Camaro with a 350, and ran me $0.36. Then make a diagonal cut through the gasket. Unbolt the clamp on the distributor cover, lift the cover up, clean out the old gasket and all that shit (Be careful to not let this stuff fall into your engine), then slide the new gaset in around the cover, making sure not to tear it, with a generous helping of RTV sealant/gasket maker. Clamp it down again, tight, and you're done. I did this on my 3.4 Fiero, been working great ever since.

Here you can see the part in the lower left corner of the pic. Notice the cylinder head that covers it...

Thanks again Shaun, you are truly an asset to the technical knowledge on this forum.

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:49 pm

you are welcome aaron. And you werent' banned idiot. Aren't you still posting?

The dude asked where to get the gasket. I told him where he could get one. I never went into the procedure of how to replace it so I wasnt' wrong there. That was his job to figure out.

And you are so smart. Cutting a o ring gasket? Whats the point? Might it work? I guess based on what otehrs say. But last as long as a non cut one? NO way. HOw often do you want to do this?

I think I am going to slash cut my front crank seal so I dont' have to pull the harmonic balancer. I am a genious!

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 7:25 am

no aaron is talking about cuttign a paper sbc gasket and then gooping it up with rtv and clamping it in. not the best chances for success but it worked for him once.

stretching the o-ring over is a more reliable plan imo

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 5:00 am

Kohburn wrote:no aaron is talking about cuttign a paper sbc gasket and then gooping it up with rtv and clamping it in. not the best chances for success but it worked for him once.

stretching the o-ring over is a more reliable plan imo

The gasket works fine on a SBC... or do they use the o-ring too?
I didn't get a replacement o-ring with my "complete" gasket set when I rebuilt my motor so I just left the stock (leaking slightly) o-ring on there and put on a Chevy distributor gasket with some RTV. It's holding up fine. I originally just slit one like aaron describes and put some RTV on; that way doesn't work too well because its hard to get all the oil off the surfaces, but it can be done with careful application of a rag and some break cleaner, or if the intake is removed and you can easily get around it.
Mine doesn't leak.

Blue Shift · Post by **Blue Shift** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:16 am

Best O ring to get is the newer tan colored O ring. One of my friends was doing the same part on his 3.4 OHV camaro, so he picked one up for me, too. Dunno how stretchy it is since it's not the same rubber stuff they used to be made from. My original O ring was so crispy, it broke like it was made of cheap molded plastic when I tried to pry it off. No wonder they leak.

The SBC paper gasket and a bunch of RTV sounds like it'd work if you cleaned the shit out of everything first, and can't pull the head to do it. Somebody also mentioned cutting off part of a casting to remove it with the head still on - I'm serious.

slow'n'steady · Post by **slow'n'steady** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 12:24 pm

i bought an assortment of O-rings from work the other day.
Used my extra DOHC to find the right size. I just havent had time to actually put the o-ring on yet. Not it too much of a hurry since the damn thing wont start or stay running (when it does start).

Blue Shift · Post by **Blue Shift** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:10 am

BTW, the HELP! aisle is your friend in this hobby. I discovered amongst other things that my local Autozone has like 2 different kits of O rings - both the new nitrile stuff, and one of them is specifically for "distributors" - the whole kit (which has the right O ring) cost as much as the O ring from the dealer. Same quality? Not sure, but better than the black rubber one. The other kit contained the same O rings that my rebuild gasket set didn't have for my fuel line fittings. Sweet.

Just tossing that out there.