Thread: Rocker cover gaskets.

You don’t have to take the body off, it can be done.
However body off allows so much more access and makes doing multiple tasks quicker and easier.

And it’s not the only vehicle out there you do this to.

Old French crap we would lift the body off by hand

Just because it may be beyond your capability, comments like that are hardly appropriate. And a good home mechanic will be heading down the hoist path now, especially sensible older home mechanics - crawling on concrete is a mugs game (a hoist is sub $3k now).


Would you prefer the method they used to do Welch plugs on old holdens? By drilling through the firewall.
Great design that one! Ford him similar design “features” over the years.

Just because it may be beyond your capability, comments like that are hardly appropriate. And a good home mechanic will be heading down the hoist path now, especially sensible older home mechanics - crawling on concrete is a mugs game (a hoist is sub $3k now).

It's not beyond my capabilities but beyond my resources.
How many urban dwellers have a garage with headroom to fit a hoist. I would say a very small%.

My garage is pretty standard 7Mx7M with about a 10Ft ceiling and much less with the door open. Just about every house with a panel door will be the same.

Please name me a list of current cars that require the body to be lifted for anything excepting of course Ferraris and the like.

Methinks it is a diversionary tactic to talk about ancient Holdens etc, and in any case a hole through the firewall takes about 5 minutes.

Regards PhilipA

Don’t start thinking - you might strain something.

Car enthusiasts generally have workshops, those that don’t have garage UMR and may tinker.

Of my local friends, at least 10 have hoists, and most sheds are 7-8mtr deep by no less than 4-5 bays wide.

These guys are enthusiasts. They’ll do full servicing and major works.

Those without the space etc often do smaller servicing, brakes etc. these are restrictions, no different to not having a hoist. And the jobs can be done without lifting although it makes it a bastard and fiddle.

In a body off job I’d be replacing the crossover pipe, doing the belts, hoses, starter contacts and general tidy up. 4-6 hours off and on plus the jobs done in a fraction of the time due to access.

A V8 cruiser is 6-8 hours for a starter motor, body on, depending on how hard it’s been used. Have a look at the time allocations for certain jobs on 200s, Kulgers etc, the costs are due to hard to access locations - and the incapability of quick body off access.

Several Import vehicles the young guys have here, they do engine drops to work on them, dropping K frames and lifting the vehicle off. Why? Quicker, easier.

Just because it doesn’t fit how you’ve set yourself up doesn’t make it less valid. Mechanics that have done it found it surprisingly simple, and makes the rest of the work much easier.

If you think drilling a firewall is a good idea, or acceptable work method - Shonky is as shonky does. It’s simply an example of ongoing engineering vs mechanics vs tight purses on owners.

Certainly don’t want to talk about the old Aussie vehicles too much - they are best left a memory and relic of the past. Horrendous things all of them (some far worse than others).

Had them then, and the only reason I wish I had some of them now is the ridiculous price Emotive cashed up people are willing to buy them for now.

Examples of “body” off include Porsche, Ferrari, Audi, almost all Vans.....

Examples of “body” off include Porsche, Ferrari, Audi, almost all Vans.....

It is to laugh!
Of course a van needs an engine drop or body off, and of course Porshes, and Ferraris are everyday cars.

I think only a few Audis like the exotic and expensive ones would need body off seeing the majority are Polos, Golfs, or Passats in drag.

Boy you must live big in SA,all with 4 bay garages.

Mate you are really contorting yourself to try and justify the ridiculous service requirements for D3 and D4.

How can at least 4-6 hours to change a rocker cover gasket be considered normal?
Regards PhilipA

The benefit of not choosing a Capital city based lifestyle. Lots of car and bike enthusiasts in town.
Counted about $2mil in old muscle cars out cruising last Saturday.

Now Phillip, I would suggest you look at a lot of modern vehicles before you comment further as maintenance times can be quite different to what you seem to consider acceptable.

I consider higher end vehicles to have higher end needs... to package everything in a particular size, shape etc and perform to a level will always have some packaging limits. A few hours to do a gasket is a few hours. Some tasks are the opposite, silly easy and quick.

145,000km, much of it Offroad and no fancy servicing requirements needed.

Again, go change the starter on a V8LC.

I really should bite my tongue but...

*To take the body off JUST to replace a cam cover gasket on a TDV6 really is laughable, nuts!
*A common repair on a D4/RRS 3.0lt is the inlet manifold cracks, its a bit of a job but after a dozen or so now its pretty smooth sailing.
*Also as for not moving the chassis, well thats just funny.

*NOT a negative to all involved in doing the job, but it does highlight to myself mostly that jobs I've become almost jaded to doing can scare the daylights out of others.

*I do remember back in the old days the first time I removed a body off a D3 to do an engine change, I couldn't believe such a thing could or should be done!

PIC: cam cover off, body on

Originally Posted by discorevy

Definitely easier with body off, if you have pre 07 it's easier to do the fuel filter as well as rear sway bar bushes

Yep do all this! and replace rear belt while you are at it.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Mate you are really contorting yourself to try and justify the ridiculous service requirements for D3 and D4.

How can at least 4-6 hours to change a rocker cover gasket be considered normal?
Regards PhilipA

*You are dreaming if you think a D3 / D4 is alone in "ridiculous service requirements"
*I also wouldnt consider 4 - 6 hours for a cam cover gasket replacement ridiculous depending on the vehicle.
*I would take a wild guess and say doing a cam cover gasket or starter motor on a V8 turbo Land Cruiser would prolly take just as long. In fact any modern vehicle.

*Surely you aren't comparing a modern 4x4 vehicle to some old tractor engine powered ford or holden?