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Post by bogeyman on Sept 16, 2009 17:54:23 GMT -5
I seem to have the common problem of oil leaks around & down my exhaust manifold. Also get oil dripping onto the alternator.
I've seen on the faq how to replace the rear O ring cam seals & it seems pretty easy. For the front ones is it more of a p.i.t.a.? Do you have to remove the timing belt? Its hard to search for on this site because "cam" is too short to be included in the search.
Does anyone have a step by step guide for the front cam seals by chance or know of a thread that addresses it?
Thanks
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Post by OnSafari on Sept 16, 2009 19:51:03 GMT -5
Check your valve cover gaskets first. Start by checking to make sure the bolts that hold the cover down are tight. Chances are, they aren't. Mine loosen up every 20-30K miles or so. A quick tightening up of these bolts will often stop the leaks coming out from around these gaskets. If not though, it will be time to replace them which is a pretty good size job.
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Post by bogeyman on Sept 17, 2009 8:23:36 GMT -5
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Post by OnSafari on Sept 17, 2009 14:34:20 GMT -5
I know this is probably a controversial position to take but my PERSONAL opinion, which is based on many, many years working in the auto industry both at the O.E. level and the aftermarket (mostly associated with Japanese companies), I can only recommend original equipment, genuine Mitsubishi parts when it comes to things like gaskets and o-rings. What you save on the cost of a part can often come back to haunt you later. I'm not saying that there aren't any good aftermarket gasket manufacturers, just that when you buy these kinds of things through aftermarket supply chains, you have no idea what you are getting and generally no way to find out. Mitsubishi themselves probably make none of their own gaskets. In Japan, the manufacture of almost all small parts and castings are subcontracted out to manufacturers that specialize in those kinds of parts. And many of those same companies have an aftermarket division where some of the same exact parts made for the O.E.s end up in the aftermarket supply chain, sans any O.E. branding or SKUs. I don't know where Fel-Pro (i.e. Federal-Mogul) sources their import gaskets. I doubt if they manufacture them but instead, rely on some off-shore supply chain. The problem is that you have no way of knowing where the stuff comes from or how good it really is. Gaskets and o-rings are pretty inexpensive even from the dealer and, to me, it's not worth cutting corners here to save a few cents. Buy O.E. and you know what you are getting. Buy aftermarket and you may have the proverbial 39 cent part taking down a $2,000 engine. When I'm not in a hurry, I often order my genuine Mitsu parts from Korum Mitsubishi up in Washington State. www.mitsubishiparts.com/oe_parts_catalog.htmlI'm sure others here know where to buy O.E. parts at discount prices but at the end of the day, I'd recommend buying genuine Mitsu when it comes to these kinds of parts. For all the labor it takes to take the plenum off and all the associated hardware just to get to the valve cover gaskets, it seems crazy to me to put a part of unknown origin in there. You might end up doing all that work all over again 10 or 15 thousand miles down the road. Don't get me wrong, I have used LOTS of aftermarket stuff over the years and worked for a lot of import-oriented aftermarket companies that made high quality parts. But for things like gaskets and o-rings, I only use O.E. Just my 2 cents.
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Post by buggzyy on Sept 17, 2009 14:42:25 GMT -5
Hey thats our dealership mitsubishipart.com anyway I agree I have seen to many low quality seals and gaskets used and fail soon after. well said onsafari.
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Post by bogeyman on Sept 17, 2009 17:55:59 GMT -5
Good to know that about OEM valve cover seals. I'll see what they run at my local Mitsu dealer. 3 quick questions for you guys
1. I see the Fel-Pro valve cover set includes spark plug tube seals but can't seem to find those on the online Mitsu parts catalog you posted a link to. Should these be replaced at the same time as the valve cover gasket and are they fairly straightforward to do? If so do they go by a different name in the Mitsu catalog.
2. Anything special I should know when changing the valve cover gaskets once I have removed the plenum?
3. Does the front cam seal require removal of the timing chain? Rear O ring looks straightforward.
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Post by OnSafari on Sept 18, 2009 13:26:42 GMT -5
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Post by bdmontero on Sept 18, 2009 18:46:27 GMT -5
I agree about the OEM parts. cheap crap will tell its own story when it leaves your a** stranded by the B.F.E.
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Post by dannytuned on Sept 18, 2009 19:55:49 GMT -5
3. Does the front cam seal require removal of the timing chain? Rear O ring looks straightforward. Yes the timing belt and cam sprockets come off to access the front cam seals.
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