oil leaking from behind these things... please help identify
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To me they look like sensors, I could be wrong though. Op wait until the more knowledgeable people come on for more of an accurate answer.
Item number 31. Camshaft actuator. Look at the picture in the link. 2012 Chevy Cruze ecotec 1.4l is what I used as the vehicle to look up the part. http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/auto-p...rim/1-4l-l4-gas-engine/engine-cat/engine-scat
Here's another photo showing what they are, bit more clearer.
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Tell the ECU the angular positions of both camshafts for both ignition, injector, and valve timing. My guess is that the screws are loose.
Not seeing gaskets listed for these things, but on a lot of this new stuff, ain't using gaskets anymore, RTV, and maybe they missed a spot. Only correct way to do it right is to remove the part, clean it up, both surfaces and apply new RTV, gas and oil resistant. Seen some dealers just slap on RTV externally, good for about a week, not the right way. So prefer to do it myself and do it right. Plus don't have to sit in the waiting room twitting my fingers.
Tell the ECU the angular positions of both camshafts for both ignition, injector, and valve timing. My guess is that the screws are loose.
Not seeing gaskets listed for these things, but on a lot of this new stuff, ain't using gaskets anymore, RTV, and maybe they missed a spot. Only correct way to do it right is to remove the part, clean it up, both surfaces and apply new RTV, gas and oil resistant. Seen some dealers just slap on RTV externally, good for about a week, not the right way. So prefer to do it myself and do it right. Plus don't have to sit in the waiting room twitting my fingers.
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Most if not all dealers have free WIFI, I usually find something to watch on netflix on my tablet when I'm waiting. Or if I'm in the mood I let a saleman think I'm interested in a new car and take a few for a drive.
Thanks everybody who chimed in. Information on this car seems awfully hard to find. Wish someone on ebay would start selling service manuals on CD. Never thought about simply tightening the screws... now I feel stupid! LOL!
I had a mechanic on another site tell me that there are seals behind them and that he'd changed quite a few of them. I was a little afraid to start messing with it due to the fact that they're part of the timing system but now I feel a lot better about it. I'll look around and see if I can find a part number. If so I will post it up here. Who knows? Maybe the post will achieve sticky status!
The power train warranty still covers this but I prefer to do my own work if at all possible. S'many problems as this car's had I'm getting used to working on it anyway. I obviously never had very high expectations from such an inexpensive car but this has been a little ridiculous.
That same mechanic said that the cruze has been a real crap shoot. lots of em are dependable, lots of em ain't! I'd like to think the one I bought my daughter is a nice happy medium! LOL
Thanks again!
I had a mechanic on another site tell me that there are seals behind them and that he'd changed quite a few of them. I was a little afraid to start messing with it due to the fact that they're part of the timing system but now I feel a lot better about it. I'll look around and see if I can find a part number. If so I will post it up here. Who knows? Maybe the post will achieve sticky status!
The power train warranty still covers this but I prefer to do my own work if at all possible. S'many problems as this car's had I'm getting used to working on it anyway. I obviously never had very high expectations from such an inexpensive car but this has been a little ridiculous.
That same mechanic said that the cruze has been a real crap shoot. lots of em are dependable, lots of em ain't! I'd like to think the one I bought my daughter is a nice happy medium! LOL
Thanks again!
Hmmmm, wonder if they'd let me drive one o' them new vets? LOL!
As you can tell, had no reason to play with mine, but more O'rings? If so, either the plate or the timing chain cover has grooves in it, and helps to use RTV or non-hardening Permatex to help them strict in.
My Volvo boat outdrive used O'rings between all those assemblies, had water leaking into the gear water. Used a marine grade RTV on both sides of those rings, haven't had a leak since. Maybe if that space shuttle, the Challenger used a high grade of military RTV, it will still be around.
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Part #31 is the actuator, GM part #55562223. Can't seem to find the O'ring, but as typical to you have to buy a new actuator to get one?
On other such actuators, the O'ring is on a collar that fits into the timing chain cover, if you don't at least use silicone grease, that O'ring will twist and turn and never seal properly.
I never know what I am going to do until I study the part, but tell myself constantly, if they did it right in the first place, wouldn't even have this problem.
[h=1][/h]
My Volvo boat outdrive used O'rings between all those assemblies, had water leaking into the gear water. Used a marine grade RTV on both sides of those rings, haven't had a leak since. Maybe if that space shuttle, the Challenger used a high grade of military RTV, it will still be around.
Part #31 is the actuator, GM part #55562223. Can't seem to find the O'ring, but as typical to you have to buy a new actuator to get one?
On other such actuators, the O'ring is on a collar that fits into the timing chain cover, if you don't at least use silicone grease, that O'ring will twist and turn and never seal properly.
I never know what I am going to do until I study the part, but tell myself constantly, if they did it right in the first place, wouldn't even have this problem.
[h=1][/h]
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3,975 Posts
Hmmm. Just like the dry fitted "O" rings used to seal the ends of the push rod tubes on my '65 Corvair Corsa. Those leaked after a couple of years too. Got so I could replace them in about 1/2 day.
Dry fitted O'rings were used between the valve stems and spring retainer on our old GM S-10 4.3L V-6 engine, thing was burning a quart of oil every 500 miles, and smoked like crazy when first started up.
This was an early to midnight job on this thing, took a half a day to get at the valve covers with all the crap on top. One cylinder at a time, used compressed air to keep the valves closed, each at TDC on the firing stroke. This time, filled that O'ring with high temperature RTV and let it dry before starting, never leaked again, this was at 60K dumped this thing at 220K miles. Oil consumption dropped to a quart every 5,000 miles.
Also had to use three cans of Seafoam to clean out all the carbon, did this at 3:00 AM in the morning on a dead road because we left a smoke trail about 20 miles long.
Just because of stupid dry O'-rings.
This was an early to midnight job on this thing, took a half a day to get at the valve covers with all the crap on top. One cylinder at a time, used compressed air to keep the valves closed, each at TDC on the firing stroke. This time, filled that O'ring with high temperature RTV and let it dry before starting, never leaked again, this was at 60K dumped this thing at 220K miles. Oil consumption dropped to a quart every 5,000 miles.
Also had to use three cans of Seafoam to clean out all the carbon, did this at 3:00 AM in the morning on a dead road because we left a smoke trail about 20 miles long.
Just because of stupid dry O'-rings.
Nick......If that old S-10 was a 96 G.M. recalled the the first quarter of the build for, leaking valve seals.
The heads were not indexed on the machine properly....a few thousanths off......every seal, six per head, got nipped by the top of the valve and premature oil consumption was the result......dealers had to replace all the seals whether there was oil consumption or not.....if it was in the vin range, it got resealed.
Anyways, successful mechanics don't try to out engineer an engineer and the saying is the same....Gasket OR Glue....never Gasket AND Glue.
Sealants are applied to joints in conjunction with seals only....not the entire sealing area.
When you run across a premature leak it is the result of improper sealant application at a joint.
Agree on failures of early 'O' rings.....they got hard and cracked.....new stuff is primarily silicone based and I never see shrinkage or cracking.
Do run across pinching but that wasn't a seal failure.
Rob
The heads were not indexed on the machine properly....a few thousanths off......every seal, six per head, got nipped by the top of the valve and premature oil consumption was the result......dealers had to replace all the seals whether there was oil consumption or not.....if it was in the vin range, it got resealed.
Anyways, successful mechanics don't try to out engineer an engineer and the saying is the same....Gasket OR Glue....never Gasket AND Glue.
Sealants are applied to joints in conjunction with seals only....not the entire sealing area.
When you run across a premature leak it is the result of improper sealant application at a joint.
Agree on failures of early 'O' rings.....they got hard and cracked.....new stuff is primarily silicone based and I never see shrinkage or cracking.
Do run across pinching but that wasn't a seal failure.
Rob
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