Crossover Pipe Gasket 300SDL OM603
 

I replaced both crossover pipe gaskets this weekend. The o-ring seems to have sealed up nicely, but the flat gasket that goes between the crossover pipe and the manifold is still leaking oil.

I think the problem is that one of the 2 allen head bolts won't snug up, it just keeps turning. It doesn't appear to be stripped, but it quite possibly is. Short of replacing the manifold to make the bolt tighen in all the way, what would be the recommended fix?'

I can post a pic of this if my description is not clear.

Thanks.

Probably stripped (it is rather soft cast aluminum). Use a helicoil (need tap and a helicoil). Then you will be able to fix the threads and use the bolt again. The procedure is quite simple and the helicoil is available at any number of suppliers.

Go with the helicoil.

-brian

The blowby from the valve cover is mostly oil mist. It should burn reasonably well the way its ported to the turbo inlet. I don't know if there is any separator to allow the fluid oil to go back into the oil pan like on the '82-85 turbodiesels.

The oil mist going through the intake ducts does not bother me at all. When it is combined with the soot ported into the ducts by the EGR valve, THAT's when you really have a mess.

So, I plan to go with the stock method of venting the valve cover to the turbo inlet. I expect my EGR valve will somehow develop a malfunction.

:)

Ken300D

I am getting ready to bolt mine together (603.970) ... I keep thinking how odd it is for us to be discussing an air intake system be discussing oil leaks ... I haven't yet decided, but at least am considering porting the valve cover to below the car ... there will be some oil underneath, right? Don't like that ... wish I could port it to the fuel tank so it would get reburned ... any other ideas on this topic?

I ported mine to under the car. Yes there is some oil that drips off in the garage but I have an absorbent pad to catch it. There is some smoke that comes out of it at idle also, but its not bad. Nothing but clean filtered air goes through the intake pipes especially since the EGR has been nixed.

If you get caught in an emissions test you will be very sorry you converted to a draft tube. Very illegal, has been so since 1964. Put it back into the turbo intake, it does no harm there.

I's use a TimeSert rather than a Helicoil for the intake repair -- they are a steel sleeve that is rolled in with a special bolt, comes as a kit, should be readily available. Much nicer than a Helicoil, as there is no coil, and it cannot unscrew as Heilcoils sometimes do -- won't thread right through, either!

Peter

I went to look for a helicoil or TimeSert, but they wanted to know the exact size I needed.

Does anyone know what that size would be? I took the bolt in, but they wanted BOTH parts...sheesh!

You are being blown smoke. Go someplace where the guys at the counter know what you are talking about. Aviod PepBoys, Autozone, and similar chains (CarQuest is usually OK) -- a locally owned and operated store is better. The minimum wage types at the chain stores usually don't know metric from stone age tools, and neither will the "manager" -- if it isn't on the computer, or someone switched parts in the box, they don't know anything.

You only need the diameter and thread pitch for the bolt to get the correct Helicoil insert (or TimeSert). You will need the rest of the tools, tell them the part is aluminum, that's all they need to know. You will get a kit with inserts, a drill, and an insertion tool. For the TimeSert there is also a tool to cut a recess for the top of the insert.

Peter

I am with PSFRED, do the helicoil, but make sure the person knows all the dimesions, pitch, metric, etc..

That's a lot of smoke for sure. I bought a kit at CarQuest a while ago for my genset, they needed the bolt. They should have a thread measurement tool. The kit for mine was $41 with 6 inserts and the tap, if you already have taps you probably can get by a lot cheaper. Or CarQuest has a big markup....

Brian