myfirstl322
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Valve covers/rocker covers/cam covers:welcome2:
I have just completed changing the cam cover gaskets on my 2002 L322 M62 V8. I rate this procedure at "2 spanners", 1 being difficult and 5 being easy peasy, simply because removing the injector wiring/connector boxes can be tricky. ( it may be possible without removing them )Mine has Lpg, so the intake manifold has the Lpg injectors and plumbing, which inhibits moving the boxes far.... if yours is just petrol, you will have less trouble. If you are a complete novice with spanners, i would advise against tackling it at all.
I should mention, the hardest bit about doing this, for me at least, was simply access, from a mechanical perspective it was quite simple.
((( Be ultra careful refitting injector boxes, and read the next post i have written )))
Remove the acoustic engine cover, then remove spark plug/coil covers by first removing the two bolt covers, then undo the two 10mm bolts and stepped spacers, then remove the 4 coils, then the injector wiring boxes, these are retained with 2 upward facing studs and 10mm nuts, when these are off I just tugged the box off, with some force, a tip i had seen on Youtube which centred around a valley pan gasket renewal, so search for this Video.
These boxes have the injector connectors fitted to it, just tie up and toward centre of engine.
Undo the 8 main cam cover bolts with washers and rubber grommets, and the 3 at front of cover, they are longer with integral rubber washers.
The left bank ( drivers side ) which i thought would be easiest, and the side I chose to do first was in fact the more difficult to do due to the air-con plumbing running very close to the cam cover, and the dipstick also gets in the way, i slightly bent this to the side, although it won't move far.I also removed the ar filter cover and MAF assembly. My first attempt at refitting the cam cover failed because the new gasket fouled on camshafts, space is limited and the semi circle ends were snagging and dislodging the main gasket.( there are two gaskets per side, a smaller one in centre of cover also needs replacing. The inner one, IF deteriorated will give you the notorious "oil in the spark plug wells".)
I managed to overcome the dislodging problem by attatching the gaskets into their respective grooves in the covers with a semi-setting red gasket sealant (the runny stuff that you must leave for 10 minutes to tack off )
With a bit of manipulation, and feeling where the semi circle bits of the gasket at the rear fit to the cylinder head, I succeeded. Then i refitted cam cover bolts, no tightening sequence neccessary, but don't just tighten one right up, gradually work them all down, from rear to front is recommended i think. I then refitted the injector boxes (Firm push required here ) after ensuring the injectors were aligned, as they can swivel. I then mopped my brow and had a well earned cuppa.:tea:
That was about two weeks ago, so i thought i had better get the other side done ( passenger R/H). I was dreading this side as my L322 has LPG and the regulator/vapouriser is mounted onto the side of the strut turret, just to left of PAS resorvoir. I removed this and gently tilted it towards radiator and tied it off, still with fuel pipe and wiring attached. I also removed the positive cable from the + connector on the plastic battery perimeter shroud, this Tee's into the alternator cable and helps a bit if you can flop it out of the way ...now i had some room to manouvre. (There is a black plastic pipe which sits on top of the cam cover, this is an extended breather from front diff, just check it for kinks etc.)
I also removed the heating control valve ( below ABS controller) and the pipes that go to the bulkhead, and the one which dives down forward into the abyss of engine bay. I also removed the coolant pipes that attatched to the LPG vapouriser which connect to T- pieces at bulkhead. Obviously you will lose quite a bit of coolant in doing this. Yoy could drain it from the radiator drain, although i hear it can break, alternatively if you want to save your coolant, you could put a tub under and remove the bottom radiator hose.
This then went very smoothly and with much more ease that the drivers side, although i spotted a dodgy vaccum hose, not sure exactly what its function is but it may be a purge control system for the PCV. Anyway, i just trimmed the braided section by 10mm each end until there were no cracks, this braided pipe is identical to diesel injector leak off pipe.
Refitted everything and added new red coolant ( mine was a bit weak but i think it was originally red, i don't believe it is wise to mix red with blue. Red has a bitter taste, blue is sweet i think, although i'm only suggesting a tongue taste, not a slurp...:brushteeth:
I bled the system, but thought i had a problem as i was not getting heat inside at the vents, it took me 20 minutes to fathom that i had the control wheel on main facia vent set to cold, :doh:All was well after setting to hot.( it's been set to cold all summer )
One important thing i ought to mention is i would recommend fitting NEW cam cover bolt grommets at this time,
this engine runs quite hot, and the grommets lose their elasticity and may also leak. I did not foresee this, so i removed my original grommets, degreased them and the appertures on the cam covers, athen i applied a smear of aforementioned red sealant. They appear to be oil tight so far.
The main gaskets were absolutely knackered, very hard and cracked, and needed some persuasion to remove them, so it is little wonder i was getting little whiffs of smoke coming from the exhaust manifolds as little drips of oil fell on them. Not to mention the smell of burnt oil....:attention:
I had previously renewed my PCV and associated hoses so hopefully it is tight as a drum now.:clap2:
Sorry there are no pictures, but it is pretty self evident, 10mm socket does main covers. The cam cover bolts probably have a torque setting, but i think this is unnecessary as all the bolts are self limiting and you cannot overdo, just make sure they are tight , i used a 1/4 drive ratchet and as tight as you can one handed is more than sufficent....You can make a pretend torque wrench click if you like, i was taught "Elbow Torque".
I set suspension on access setting, but you may need a hop-up and possibly getting on top of engine... P.S. I removed my HEVAC pollen filter assembly (2x 13mm nuts and slide out ) to access heater hoses, and i set my bonnet up into service mode.( unclip bottoms of gas support struts, lift bonnet to vertical and fasten the safety locks, these are thin sheet metal tabs attatched to the hinges. ) It was windy when i did this so make sure both tabs on the hinges are locked, if it's a gale blowing, leave it.
Allow yourself a day to do both sides.:clock:
I do not think this is neccessarily worthy of a ' How to ' but merely an overview of how i undertook this procedure.:boxing:
I have just completed changing the cam cover gaskets on my 2002 L322 M62 V8. I rate this procedure at "2 spanners", 1 being difficult and 5 being easy peasy, simply because removing the injector wiring/connector boxes can be tricky. ( it may be possible without removing them )Mine has Lpg, so the intake manifold has the Lpg injectors and plumbing, which inhibits moving the boxes far.... if yours is just petrol, you will have less trouble. If you are a complete novice with spanners, i would advise against tackling it at all.
I should mention, the hardest bit about doing this, for me at least, was simply access, from a mechanical perspective it was quite simple.
((( Be ultra careful refitting injector boxes, and read the next post i have written )))
Remove the acoustic engine cover, then remove spark plug/coil covers by first removing the two bolt covers, then undo the two 10mm bolts and stepped spacers, then remove the 4 coils, then the injector wiring boxes, these are retained with 2 upward facing studs and 10mm nuts, when these are off I just tugged the box off, with some force, a tip i had seen on Youtube which centred around a valley pan gasket renewal, so search for this Video.
These boxes have the injector connectors fitted to it, just tie up and toward centre of engine.
Undo the 8 main cam cover bolts with washers and rubber grommets, and the 3 at front of cover, they are longer with integral rubber washers.
The left bank ( drivers side ) which i thought would be easiest, and the side I chose to do first was in fact the more difficult to do due to the air-con plumbing running very close to the cam cover, and the dipstick also gets in the way, i slightly bent this to the side, although it won't move far.I also removed the ar filter cover and MAF assembly. My first attempt at refitting the cam cover failed because the new gasket fouled on camshafts, space is limited and the semi circle ends were snagging and dislodging the main gasket.( there are two gaskets per side, a smaller one in centre of cover also needs replacing. The inner one, IF deteriorated will give you the notorious "oil in the spark plug wells".)
I managed to overcome the dislodging problem by attatching the gaskets into their respective grooves in the covers with a semi-setting red gasket sealant (the runny stuff that you must leave for 10 minutes to tack off )
With a bit of manipulation, and feeling where the semi circle bits of the gasket at the rear fit to the cylinder head, I succeeded. Then i refitted cam cover bolts, no tightening sequence neccessary, but don't just tighten one right up, gradually work them all down, from rear to front is recommended i think. I then refitted the injector boxes (Firm push required here ) after ensuring the injectors were aligned, as they can swivel. I then mopped my brow and had a well earned cuppa.:tea:
That was about two weeks ago, so i thought i had better get the other side done ( passenger R/H). I was dreading this side as my L322 has LPG and the regulator/vapouriser is mounted onto the side of the strut turret, just to left of PAS resorvoir. I removed this and gently tilted it towards radiator and tied it off, still with fuel pipe and wiring attached. I also removed the positive cable from the + connector on the plastic battery perimeter shroud, this Tee's into the alternator cable and helps a bit if you can flop it out of the way ...now i had some room to manouvre. (There is a black plastic pipe which sits on top of the cam cover, this is an extended breather from front diff, just check it for kinks etc.)
I also removed the heating control valve ( below ABS controller) and the pipes that go to the bulkhead, and the one which dives down forward into the abyss of engine bay. I also removed the coolant pipes that attatched to the LPG vapouriser which connect to T- pieces at bulkhead. Obviously you will lose quite a bit of coolant in doing this. Yoy could drain it from the radiator drain, although i hear it can break, alternatively if you want to save your coolant, you could put a tub under and remove the bottom radiator hose.
This then went very smoothly and with much more ease that the drivers side, although i spotted a dodgy vaccum hose, not sure exactly what its function is but it may be a purge control system for the PCV. Anyway, i just trimmed the braided section by 10mm each end until there were no cracks, this braided pipe is identical to diesel injector leak off pipe.
Refitted everything and added new red coolant ( mine was a bit weak but i think it was originally red, i don't believe it is wise to mix red with blue. Red has a bitter taste, blue is sweet i think, although i'm only suggesting a tongue taste, not a slurp...:brushteeth:
I bled the system, but thought i had a problem as i was not getting heat inside at the vents, it took me 20 minutes to fathom that i had the control wheel on main facia vent set to cold, :doh:All was well after setting to hot.( it's been set to cold all summer )
One important thing i ought to mention is i would recommend fitting NEW cam cover bolt grommets at this time,
this engine runs quite hot, and the grommets lose their elasticity and may also leak. I did not foresee this, so i removed my original grommets, degreased them and the appertures on the cam covers, athen i applied a smear of aforementioned red sealant. They appear to be oil tight so far.
The main gaskets were absolutely knackered, very hard and cracked, and needed some persuasion to remove them, so it is little wonder i was getting little whiffs of smoke coming from the exhaust manifolds as little drips of oil fell on them. Not to mention the smell of burnt oil....:attention:
I had previously renewed my PCV and associated hoses so hopefully it is tight as a drum now.:clap2:
Sorry there are no pictures, but it is pretty self evident, 10mm socket does main covers. The cam cover bolts probably have a torque setting, but i think this is unnecessary as all the bolts are self limiting and you cannot overdo, just make sure they are tight , i used a 1/4 drive ratchet and as tight as you can one handed is more than sufficent....You can make a pretend torque wrench click if you like, i was taught "Elbow Torque".
I set suspension on access setting, but you may need a hop-up and possibly getting on top of engine... P.S. I removed my HEVAC pollen filter assembly (2x 13mm nuts and slide out ) to access heater hoses, and i set my bonnet up into service mode.( unclip bottoms of gas support struts, lift bonnet to vertical and fasten the safety locks, these are thin sheet metal tabs attatched to the hinges. ) It was windy when i did this so make sure both tabs on the hinges are locked, if it's a gale blowing, leave it.
Allow yourself a day to do both sides.:clock:
I do not think this is neccessarily worthy of a ' How to ' but merely an overview of how i undertook this procedure.:boxing:
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