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What Causes Oil Seals to Blow (esp B230F Camshaft)? 200

posted by  someone claiming to be Mike on  Fri Oct 1 20:03 CST 2004 [RELATED]

I'm wondering what the specific factors are that cause oil seals to leak.

All of the following cars use 10W30 dino oil and are meticulously cared for (preventive maintenance is standard, except that I don't replace oil seals unless they leak).

I have a 1980 242DL with nearly 300k. Its seals were changed in 1994 in Seattle. I bought the car 3 years ago with a dirty flame trap and blown head gasket. I've never leaked a drop of oil.

However, I've owned 2 late model bricks (1985 and 1989) with < 180k miles on odometer. Flame traps were dirty, but no major engine problems. With both cars, one year into my ownership, the camshafts leaked badly. I put maybe 10k miles of city/freeway driving in San Francisco, no different from my 1980 242DL.

I pamper my cars, so clogged flame traps are not reasonable explanations.







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    What Causes Oil Seals to Blow (esp B230F Camshaft)? 200

    posted by  someone claiming to be charlie on  Sat Oct 2 13:55 CST 2004 [RELATED]

    I gather from your post that the two cars were bought used.

    Just a thought, but maybe the PO (previous owner) had the seals changed when the timing belts were replaced the second time (at 100K plus) and the mechanic who replaced the seals did one of the following:

    did not clean the shafts
    used inferior after market seals
    nicked the shaft removing the old seal
    did not align the new seals exactly








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    What Causes Oil Seals to Blow (esp B230F Camshaft)? 200

    posted by  Volvodad on  Sat Oct 2 05:26 CST 2004
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Thu Oct 23 16:18 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    Engine compression ratio has nothing to do with it. If piston rings are bad, there may be a degree of blowby which overpowers the PCV system and pressurizes the crankcase. But you would see blue smoke from oil burning in the exhaust if rings were that bad - and you don't, right?

    Leaking seals have to occur for one or more of these reasons:

    -Excessive crankcase pressures
    -poor installation of the seals
    -shafts worn so seals don't really seal

    95% probability is #1 above. Your oil separator box may be clogged, in which case the cleanest flame trap in the world won't help.
    --
    Bob (son's 81-244GL B21F, dtr's 83-244DL B23F, 'my' 94-944 B230FD; plus grocery-getter Dodge minivan, hobbycar MGB, and numerous old motorcycles)








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      What Causes Oil Seals to Blow (esp B230F Camshaft)? 200

      uid 17368's pic
      posted by  245L Van on  Sat Oct 2 05:44 CST 2004
      Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
      last visit: Wed Nov 14 06:20 CST 2012
      [RELATED]

      I'm not so sure, I get so much blow-by that my air filter looks like someone poured a bottle of oil into it, I get exhaust smoke out the oil filler cap. I never see blue smoke out the tailpipe.
      --
      Drive it like you hate it








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    What Causes Oil Seals to Blow (esp B230F Camshaft)? 200

    posted by  someone claiming to be Roj on  Fri Oct 1 22:27 CST 2004 [RELATED]


    It's a plugged up PCV Valve and/or plugged up flametrap. That is the only possible explanation.

    Roj








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    Could the B230F's higher compression (9.8:1) vs B21F (7.5:1) be a Factor? 200

    posted by  someone claiming to be Mike on  Fri Oct 1 20:04 CST 2004 [RELATED]







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