I created this little problem. Warning! -- cut the timing belt before removing the cam cover from the cylinder head.

I didn't and now there are cracks in the lower head on the faces which receive the cam shaft front seal and a small chunk of aluminum missing in this area.

Is there anything I can do to help this from developing into a leak? How badly screwed am I now?

 

Wooh dude!!!!! Pretty screwed! Not real sure what to do, hopefully the others will has good news.

 

Uuhhhh, I'd say that's a little more than a defect, I think a rebuild is in the future. There's no way you can just "fix" that.

 

I've owned three 240s and this little S90. The cars are as different as the forums. In the 240 forum - blown heads, in the S90 forum - broken cigarette lighters and stained floor mats. I'll braze these up with some HST-2000 and go from there. love the challenge!

 

Keep us updated. Take some pictures as you work on this.

 

I have seen heads like that still seal. The seal is there to stop the oil. The seal seals around the cam and outer part of the head and cam cover. Not where the chip is missing from.

 

thanks tech - was waiting to see if you would weigh in on this! I'm going to carefully try to get a bit of HST-2000 in the cracks, but agree with you that whats missing is a fraction of what is keeping those seals from popping out! If the brazing rod doesn't look like its going to work I'll put it back together as is and just keep an eye on the flame trap to ensure that the crankcase is breathing easy.