oil out the cam? :(

[pointzero]

so, i just finished the top end on my 78 xs; put in new valves, reset the seats and polished them, new valve seals, piston rings, and pamco ignition system. its back together and i'm trying to tune my carbs but i'm noticing oil dripping out of the lower hole on the timing plate around the cam...its nothing bad when sitting, but as soon as i start it it just runs out and down the cylinder. i'm glad to see the oil pump is working well, but not so thrilled to have acquired this new problem. tried wrapping the screw in teflon tape but it seems pretty adament about seeping out.
anyone have any ideas as to what may have happened, or how to fix this?

thx!

 

[xsjohn]

Maybe you didn't center the cam........?.......xsjohn

 

[angus67]

did you tap the four cam bearings all the way in? use both gaskets on the pionts housings?

 

[pointzero]

yep to both :-/ the oil is dripping out of the lower timing plate hole specifically. i'll try to get some photos up here to show exactly, but i thought it odd that its not dripping from the gasket, just that lower hole......

 

[inxs]

- may well start dripping from the gasket soon, the hole may just be the path of least resistance

- did you clean the mating surfaces properly, is the housing cracked...was it a bugger to get off

 

[retiredgentleman]

Since oil is coming out the bottom of the timing plate, I'd say that its the oil seal that is passing (along the camshaft). The outer part of the housing is sealed with an O-ring as well as the gasket, which does not seem to be leaking.

Possibly something built up on the camshaft.............was the oil seal new or does it have a lot of wear?? Cleanliness of the shaft is super important to allow the oil seal lips to seal.

 

[xsjohn]

My right side always wanted to leak....even with a new seal........finally got a larger spring for the seal lip.....came from a fork seal.........any larger spring would work....make it about the same size as the original spring and open the ends into a hook and connect the spring together....put the connection on top..........that was years ago and has never leaked since.......

xsjohn

 

[angus67]

hey, retired, I notice the title of your pic there says 'cam housing mod'
What is different than stock? the o-ring?

 

[inxs]

- o-ring is std...the head and cover are grooved for it

 

[retiredgentleman]

angus67;
Actually, I put "mod" as a suffix on a picture when I re-size it from 2800 pixels wide down to less than 1400 pixels wide. Sorry about the confusion, I should use a different word such as "edit" maybe

 

[angus67]

what I do when I 'edit', since its in alphabetical order, at the end of the name, and a number.I put a 1. if I edit again then a 2 is used, but no space before the number.