Rear Cam Galley plug

I have, what I suspect is, a leaking cam plug on the rear of my engine. It's not yet reached crises stage, but I know I'll probably be fitting a new one this Winter. The one I used was a plastic plug, installed with Permatex, that came with my gasket set. I also had one of those original metal plugs with the rib all around, but chose to use the "Newer, Stronger, Better" plastic job (Doh!)

Has anyone replaced one of these WITHOUT splitting the case halves? I remember seeing that expansion plug that Jerome uses on his injection molds and thought that might be the Cat's Butt if I could get one thin enough to securely seal AND fit behind the flywheel, but I don't know if there are other (read that "tried-and-true and actually work") alternatives out there.

I suppose I could get another plastic plug and goop it in there, but was wondering (a.) where I can get one and (b.) will it be any better?

Any help?

Thanks, Gordon

I like the new plastic plugs, but I have heard reports of some of them leaking in a pin-hole in the center of the plug.

One advantage of them is you can change them by simply removing the flywheel. Put some Curil T/K on the OD and tap the new seal in, DONE.

John
Aircooled.Net Inc.

If I were you, I'd use the metal one with Kuril, as John mentioned. The problem is in splitting the case halves. Still though, we never had any problems with the metal ones...the "if it ain't broke" saying applies here too.

John:

Thanks.......In fact, if truth be told, I was leary of using a (new) metal plug when I assembled the engine (after a premature siezed #4 bearing adventure) since it didn't seem to fit all that well, like it was WAY too big for the hole, even though the hole was grooved.

So I re-used the plastic one that had been semi-forceably removed when I pulled the case apart. I probably damaged it during removal (I'm sure it doesn't take much to pinhole it) and should have known better, but was in a hurry to get it back together.

I see that you have a nifty, O-ringed, billet job on your site, so I'll order one of those today and install it.

Thanks!

gn

Ok....help me out here ...I know of quite a few miracle fixes in a tube but, what is Curil T/K ?

The cases for the "rubber" plugs are different and have no sealing groove in them. These cases must use the rubber plug. The cases for the metal plugs have a groove and must use the metal plug. Was your case grooved??

JB Weld works wonders on these things. I had a lay shaft plug leaking in a 547 Carrera engine last year and repaired it with JB.... otherwise that would have been a 20K buck job to disassemble and repair... Now the car is in Australia and doing well as fasr as I know.

I've never seen the stock cam plug on a type I leak. I've never thougt threre was a need for a "billet" part there, so I've never used one.

The first post of this topic said:
"I have, what I suspect is, a leaking cam plug on the rear of my engine."
So, you don't know for sure where the oil is comming from.

If this is a type I engine,
I wouldn't rule out the leak comming from the flywheel seal, the flywheel O ring, or a cracked case (behind #3). I've seen leaks from these places.

Greg B

Greg:

You're right, I haven't pulled the engine yet, but I have oil at the bottom of the bellhousing, and know I re-used the plastic plug that was originally in there (yeah, I know....I should have known better) and suspect that I punctured it when I removed it. While the case is grooved for the metal plug, the original builder still used one of the plastic ones, gooped in with a silver-colored Permatex.

I already have both the main shaft seal and o-ring, as well as a new set of oil cooler o-rings (just in case), but need to get another plastic plug for the cam hole as I really don't want to split the case.

I'll be trailering it to South Carolina later this fall, but would like to pull the mill and fix the leak up here so I won't have to fiddle with it down there away from my main workshop.

John: I'm curious as to what the heck Curil T/K is, too......was planning on just using 3-M Aviation form-a-gasket unless you've got something better.

Gordon

Curil T and Curil K2 is a German sealant. They work very well for our engines.

Using the brubber plug in a grooved case could mean issues.

There are many more places the engine could leak. The flywheel O ring is the one that comes to mind first because new O rings these days have a tendency to be cut upon installation.

Thanks, Jake.......I think I have a new flywheel o-ring left over from the build, too......I'll check.

gn

As Jake says, Curil is a German gooey type sealant (sort of like a yellow grease that doesn't harden) that supposedly (I was told) is recommended by VW to seal case halves, etc. It works very well and unlike silicone sealants it doesn't get the engine all messied up with colored goo seeping from all joints.

Thanks, guys - everything is on order and I'll tackle it as soon as the parts arrive. Even ordered the Curil goop, even though my wife said she had a tube of "Curel" skin softener in the bathroom already.........

gn

Curil T, and Curil K, are 2 non-hardening sealants. We use them extensively for various sealing applications in the VW/Porsche engines. We sell them for $13/tube.

Seals, there are 2 types of cases, grooved cases and non-grooved cases. There are 2 types of cam plugs, grooved and non-grooved. Obviously you use a grooved plug with a grooved case, and the smooth plug with the smooth case. What is not commonly known is the rubber plugs come in both grooved and non-grooved versions (most people only know about the non-grooved rubber plugs, there is also a grooved version)!

You can use a non-grooved plug in grooved or non-grooved cases, to fix a leak in this location WITHOUT SPLITTING THE CASE (just by removing the flywheel). However, they are more delicate then the metal "grooved" cam plugs (which are reusable if you clean them, but they are so cheap it's not worth the bother IMO).

John
Aircooled.Net Inc.