Should I be concerned?

OneZero · Oct 13, 2017

I just picked up my 1987 Land Rover 90 from the garage last week after they replaced the cylinder head and head gasket. The rocker cover and head were dry on the outside for the first couple days but I noticed today that it was damp like there has been some oil seepage from the HG. I’m not talking about the really dark sealant that was used on the head gasket that leaked a little once the engine got hot. You can see that part of the cylinder head looks damp now. Picture is below. I’m worried that the HG might be slowly going out again. Should I be concerned?

johnsonca9 · Oct 13, 2017

Is that not a leaking injector seal instead?

Turboman · Oct 13, 2017

OneZero said:
I just picked up my 1987 Land Rover 90 from the garage last week after they replaced the cylinder head and head gasket. The rocker cover and head were dry on the outside for the first couple days but I noticed today that it was damp like there has been some oil seepage from the HG. I’m not talking about the really dark sealant that was used on the head gasket that leaked a little once the engine got hot. You can see that part of the cylinder head looks damp now. Picture is below. I’m worried that the HG might be slowly going out again. Should I be concerned?
View attachment 133410

Head gasket on that engine rarely leaks oil if it blows. That is coming from the rocker box cork seal. Try gently tightening the cover nuts a bit. The cork seal has compressed a little.

Turboman · Oct 13, 2017

johnsonca9 said:
Is that not a leaking injector seal instead?

No.

DanClarke · Oct 13, 2017

Looks more like its all ****ing out from the rocker-box cover and running down?

OneZero · Oct 13, 2017

johnsonca9 said:
Is that not a leaking injector seal instead?

I thought the same thing at first but it is damp on the other side as well.

OneZero · Oct 13, 2017

Turboman said:
Head gasket on that engine rarely leaks oil if it blows. That is coming from the rocker box cork seal. Try gently tightening the cover nuts a bit. The cork seal has compressed a little.

I’ll try that in the morning. Thanks

Turboman · Oct 13, 2017

OneZero said:
I thought the same thing at first but it is damp on the other side as well.

Hot oil goes a long way. It is coming from the cork seal. I have seen it hundreds of times. Tighten the nuts, but not so much that you crack the alloy cover.

Scooby22 · Oct 13, 2017

Looks like a Rocker cover gasket leak to mee too. Easy fixed. Tighten it down and clean off oil to see if it has sealed,

Huddy84 · Oct 13, 2017

Mine does the same although less since tightening rocker cover bolts. You'll also get oil seeping out the cap slightly which seeps down the rocker cover and into the head. Its not an issue as the na engine is just a heavy breather and as said by turboman a drop of hot oil looks like a lot.

nobber · Oct 13, 2017

That's the rocker cover, those cork gaskets simply don't work, pull the rocker cover off, remove that useless gasket, seal it with Reinzosil, http://www.reinz-industrial.com/EN/PRODUCTS/Sealing-Compounds/REINZOSIL.aspx , its a little more expensive than your average sealer but its what car manufacturers such as Mercedes use, really, I have used it for years and my 19J TD must be the only one in the country that doesn't leak.

nobber · Oct 13, 2017

Huddy84 said:
Mine does the same although less since tightening rocker cover bolts. You'll also get oil seeping out the cap slightly which seeps down the rocker cover and into the head. Its not an issue as the na engine is just a heavy breather and as said by turboman a drop of hot oil looks like a lot.

The above is a TD not an NA, they kick out a lot of crank case pressure into the rocker cover. Another thing to check is that the cap isn't blocked, a good clean with paraffin will help.

Turboman · Oct 13, 2017

nobber said:
That's the rocker cover, those cork gaskets simply don't work, pull the rocker cover off, remove that useless gasket, seal it with Reinzosil, http://www.reinz-industrial.com/EN/PRODUCTS/Sealing-Compounds/REINZOSIL.aspx , its a little more expensive than your average sealer but its what car manufacturers such as Mercedes use, really, I have used it for years and my 19J TD must be the only one in the country that doesn't leak.

Cork gaskets work very well if you know how to use them.

Hang up the cork seal, and spray with workshop adhesive. Wipe the cover sealing surface clean, and stick the gasket to the cover. Replace the cover on engine, and tighten the nuts.

I have changed them hundreds of times, they never leak.

nobber · Oct 13, 2017

Turboman said:
Cork gaskets work very well if you know how to use them.

Hang up the cork seal, and spray with workshop adhesive. Wipe the cover sealing surface clean, and stick the gasket to the cover. Replace the cover on engine, and tighten the nuts.

I have changed them hundreds of times, they never leak.

Ive never had one that didn't leak eventually, but then Ive always thrown the silly things away and used Reinzosil, why they didn't use a rubber gasket on there is anyones guess.

Turboman · Oct 13, 2017

nobber said:
Ive never had one that didn't leak eventually, but then Ive always thrown the silly things away and used Reinzosil, why they didn't use a rubber gasket on there is anyones guess.

They tend to squash down and need a retighten after a few hundred miles. So long as you do that, should be dry until next tappet interval.

That setup is from the 2 and 1/4 engine originally. Rubber seal technology may not have been so good in the 1940s when that engine was designed. And Lr probaly didn't want the cost of tooling a groove for a rubber seal to sit in round the cover. The cork seal and adhesive is a cheap, simple set up, well suited to the markets in which landrovers were sold in the 40s and 50s.

nobber · Oct 13, 2017

Turboman said:
They tend to squash down and need a retighten after a few hundred miles. So long as you do that, should be dry until next tappet interval.

That setup is from the 2 and 1/4 engine originally. Rubber seal technology may not have been so good in the 1940s when that engine was designed. And Lr probaly didn't want the cost of tooling a groove for a rubber seal to sit in round the cover. The cork seal and adhesive is a cheap, simple set up, well suited to the markets in which landrovers were sold in the 40s and 50s.

And as we all know , some gaskets are better than others. The thing I found with cork is that it hardens and becomes brittle, and as you say need re tightening etc etc, sealant is fit and forget, I don't like to mess around faffing with things too much.

Turboman · Oct 13, 2017

nobber said:
And as we all know , some gaskets are better than others. The thing I found with cork is that it hardens and becomes brittle, and as you say need re tightening etc etc, sealant is fit and forget, I don't like to mess around faffing with things too much.

I am always wary of using sealant in engine internals. In case blobs of sealant fall into the engine and block an oilway or similar.

Oldseadog · Oct 14, 2017

I've slways used cork for the rocker cover gasket, and smeared them with grease before they went on!
Never had a leak or any other problems, even having left one on for over 70,000 miles, as the tappets didn't need adjusting according to my trusty stethescope!

jamesmartin · Oct 14, 2017

Oldseadog said:
I've slways used cork for the rocker cover gasket, and smeared them with grease before they went on!
Never had a leak or any other problems, even having left one on for over 70,000 miles, as the tappets didn't need adjusting according to my trusty stethescope!

grease ? cork will spread if lubricate , you stick one side to the rocker cover ,let it dry then fit

nobber · Oct 14, 2017

Turboman said:
I am always wary of using sealant in engine internals. In case blobs of sealant fall into the engine and block an oilway or similar.

I know what you mean, the 19j has oil jets firing at the base of the piston, you wouldn't want one of those getting clogged up.

Should I be concerned?

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