Any Tricks to getting the 603 Valve Cover Gasket to Seal?
 

I just bolted the 603 back together after taking a bunch of stuff off to change the water pump and remove the timing basket.

Anyways, while I was in there I decided to check Timing Chain Stretch and now I have an oil leak. I put a new valve cover gasket in there and it's leaking. The 603 valve cover gasket has tabs on the front and back of the engine. I don't know why they did this but anyways... they're leaking.

Do they need to be sealed with any type of sealant?

Did you torque it?

I just looked in the FSM and the torque is 10Nm which I think is like 8ft*lbs. I think it's in the ballpark of that. If anything I probably went a touch too heavy on torque. But it seems to be the tabs on the front and the back that are leaking. On our 603's the gasket has a halfmoon shaped tab on the front and the back that fits into a halfmoon shaped cutout in the top of the head. I don't know why this is there but that's where I have an oil leak on mine now. It's about a 1/2 pint every 20 minutes

Been a while since I've been into an OM603, but isn't there a trick to getting those cutouts to seal? Some sort of lip/groove they had to sit in? I seem to recall having to finesse those cutouts.

Also, too much torque can warp the cam cover an relive the pressure on the ends.

Jim

Its not the amount of torque thats important on these, it needs to be even or the valve cover won't seat. Also check that the cover itself is straight with a flat edge.

Those tabs have a lip they sit on, do they look seated? They should be flush with the block?


I'd take it off and try again, valve covers can be a PITA. I went through a couple gaskets with my old Camry before I got it to seal.

The lips look like they are flush with the block. I loosened, moved and retorqued. This time hand tight with an extenstion and 10mm socket. I think it may be ok now. Time will tell.

I have had a heck of a time with valve cover gaskets on some cars, hand tight is probably fine. Even pressure is the most important.