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RFlower · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:54 am Post subject: Camshaft Carrier Gasket

My Imola camshaft carrier gasket is made from very thin transparent material (Mylar?)

I have never removed the heads on my 1.7ie, but it also seems to have similar gaskets.

The gasket set I bought in France for the Imola contains these thin gaskets, but the set I bought in England for the 1.7ie has conventional gaskets, made from much thicker black material.
The english set is also missing the inlet manifold gaskets and the "O"-rings for the camshaft end covers.

The supplier in England says they have been supplying this set since the mid 90's and have had no problems.
They have offered to "lay down tooling" to make the manifold gaskets from a sample which I have now sent them, and to also supply the "O"-rings, but suggest using the thicker camshaft carrier gaskets they supplied.

Does anyone know if these thin gaskets were fitted to all hydraulic lifter engines, or whether they were just simply a general change?

Also, does anyone have any idea why the gaskets were changed?

Maybe the thicker gaskets caused the valve clearances to change as they bedded down, or did Alfa find that the hydraulic followers reached the limit of their movement as the valvegear wears, and a thinner gasket was an easier solution than machining the carriers?
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Dick Flower, Nr. Carcassonne. '94 Trofeo 1.4 ie (F), '93 Imola 1.3/1.4 ie (now for breaking) (F), '91 1.7 ie (GB)(spare car), '86 Sprint 1.5 QV (F). '87 VW Syncro camper (F), '73 NSU Ro80 (F), '99 Fiat Seicento (F)

Trentatre · Alfa Arna Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Germany

I just bought some gaskets for the camshaft carriers, too. I got quite thick ones, about 2 or 3mm, made from cork and rubber.

I also wondered whether this are the right ones because the camshaft carriers almost touch the heads when mounted, there`s almost no space for a thick gasket.

But the Reinz online catalogue says it`s the correct one, and so do several other part dealers, so I think it`s ok.

RFlower · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:44 am Post subject:

If others have had gasket sets supplied with thick instead of thin gaskets, and think it is important to use what was originally fitted, I can ask the supplier (found on eBay) if they will consider obtaining the correct material to produce the thin gaskets.

As they already cut these gaskets from thick material it should only be necessary to buy in the thinner material.
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Dick Flower, Nr. Carcassonne. '94 Trofeo 1.4 ie (F), '93 Imola 1.3/1.4 ie (now for breaking) (F), '91 1.7 ie (GB)(spare car), '86 Sprint 1.5 QV (F). '87 VW Syncro camper (F), '73 NSU Ro80 (F), '99 Fiat Seicento (F)

RFlower · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:03 pm Post subject:

Trentatre · Alfa Arna Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Germany

Ouch ! You`re right. Justanother mistake in spare parts catalogues for the 33. Engine codes 30736 and 30737 got hydraulic tappets, despite that they`ve got the cover gaskets listed, but not the carrier gaskets...

JeremyC · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:01 pm Post subject:

Surely a layer of gasket goo will do in place of the thin transparent 'plastic' ones.
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'93 Black 33 1.7 16v

RFlower · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:16 pm Post subject:

Might make them harder to remove, though, even with "non-setting" goo.

Mine were quite hard to remove, there's not much to pull on.
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Dick Flower, Nr. Carcassonne. '94 Trofeo 1.4 ie (F), '93 Imola 1.3/1.4 ie (now for breaking) (F), '91 1.7 ie (GB)(spare car), '86 Sprint 1.5 QV (F). '87 VW Syncro camper (F), '73 NSU Ro80 (F), '99 Fiat Seicento (F)

JeremyC · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:39 pm Post subject:

Indeed, it's always a last resort with me.

Cellulose thinners normally softens most brands.
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'93 Black 33 1.7 16v

RFlower · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:49 pm Post subject:

Alcohol is less aggressive and works on most brands.

Sometimes I just have to breathe on the joint to soften it.
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Dick Flower, Nr. Carcassonne. '94 Trofeo 1.4 ie (F), '93 Imola 1.3/1.4 ie (now for breaking) (F), '91 1.7 ie (GB)(spare car), '86 Sprint 1.5 QV (F). '87 VW Syncro camper (F), '73 NSU Ro80 (F), '99 Fiat Seicento (F)

gritsop · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:19 pm Post subject:

Hi all,

In case you can't make ends meet I can supply you a set of valve cover gaskets like the one shown on the photo on the rightmost top.

The original ones are the transparent ones made of a meterial looking like thin silicone.

Hope this helps,

Regards,
_________________
Thanassis Gritsopoulos
1991 Alfa 33 1.4 IE
2001 Alfa 147 1.6 Distinctive

http://www.alfa-restoration.co.uk
Parts Shop: www.alfa-restoration.co.uk/shop

ZeNiTh-PbArM · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject:

Hi,

thin transparent gaskets were fitted to all hydraulic tappet 8v engines
i wouldn't use anything else on those engines.

A while ago, i dismantled a Fiat engine with such a gasket ; the replacement gasket set i bought comprised a much thicker unit. I never managed to get rid of an annoying clicking noise with engine at low revs. After replacing this gasket with the correct one from Fiat the problem disappeared.
Haven't tested on boxer engines but wouldn't want to risk dismantling the heads again for sparing a few dimes on these gaskets.

regards,
zp

paulhide · Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:04 am Post subject:

I have a transparent gasket on offer.
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Owner's Club 33 Registrar. Now from P4 & S2 1.7 QV
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