Timing cover leak

[klee168168]

My car is about 11 years old. I have a v8 vantage and notice oil leak. The Am dealer quoted me 25 hour job to fix it. It doesn’t leak that much and I drive maybe 200 miles annually. Has any of the owners just left it and let it leak? I wonder what the implications are if it will really damage anything.

[-jester-]

Mike at Bamford Rose suggests...

[AstonV]

Wow. Unless it’s a bad leak I would live with it.

[SHIFTY]

Aston Martin workshop manual for the DB9 does state that for the timing cover gasket to be replaced engine must be removed.

Although when I had my timing cover gasket replaced due to oil leak on a Vanquish (under Timeless Warranty) the AM dealer left the engine in situ, took them two days to complete.

[ClassicV8]

My 06 V8V has the timing cover leak and I suspect it has had it for the last decade or more. The amount of oil it loses is tiny and is never a problem for the 1500-2000 miles I drive every year. I use AM Nottingham to service the car and apart from pointing the leak out every year they are happy that it is not a problem.

All the best,
Graham

[SL500UK]

Same here - my little leak has been with me for around 10 years, maybe more. No oil drips on the garage floor either.

[john ryan]

I did change mine 3 years ago, because leaks annoy me.Done at home by dropping the front subframe. Not that difficult or expensive, but it did take me the best part of three days, going carefully (which included making an engine support bar). 25 hours sounds like the dealer didn't want the job.

[embdenb]

Engine on the V8 does not have to be removed.

https://bernardembden.com/am/timingcover/index.htm

[LTP]

embdenb said:

Engine on the V8 does not have to be removed.

https://bernardembden.com/am/timingcover/index.htm

Can confirm. My V8V leak was done by my local dealer when I bought it and engine stayed in, but subframe dropped.. As embdenb's link says, estimates are about 20 hours. Then you need a full geometry, which is not mentioned in his link..

[john ryan]

If you mark carefully as the suspension is removed, a geo check may not be necessary - I had mine checked post reinstatement, and it was fine. I think the biggest source of error is when re-fixing the steering rack (which I omitted to mark), and which may throw tracking out. I would hesitate using the subframe removal method on a well weathered car as the eight front subframe bolts screw directly in to the cast aluminium of the upper frame, and may strip the female thread or, even worse, snap. The job can be done on the ground, assuming a reasonably flexible person, by raising the car about 300mm. I made my own flywheel locking tool from a piece of steel angle.