4200 oil leaking onto manifold front rhs

[Mickd]

Oil leaking onto front rhs exhaust manifold and burning off causing unpleasant smell and smoke, oil level looks ok, when cold no residual oil around cam cover but I can see oil stains on exhaust manifold, could this be cam cover gasket?
Also is changing the auxiliary belt a diy job, looks like a lot of items need to be removed?
Ta

 

[MAF260]

Cam cover gasket, or timing cover gasket, both fail. The latter is a lot of work and therefore a lot of money (mine just cost around £800 in labour!). Aux belt can be done DIY, but you need small hands and wrists if you don't want to remove loads of parts to get to it.

 

[Mickd]

Thanks
I'll do the cam cover gasket and hope that's it!

 

[MAF260]

Thanks
I'll do the cam cover gasket and hope that's it!

Check around the timing cover at the front of the engine if the cam covers aren't obviously leaking/weeping. It's becoming a common fault on cars of a certain age - it's only a £10 or so gasket!

 

[AlfaMail]

Mick, I've done both sides of the cam covers on a 4200 and it is a DIY job. You just need some good 5mm allen keys and or socket type allen keys. There is an emissions exhaust bracket thingy and gasket there which is a tad awkward. You have to remove the camshaft variator cable plug and then a circlip to allow you to remove the cover while pushing the plug through it. My advice would be to do them both together, both sides.

 

[FIFTY]

Is this really a DIY? I have a leaky O/S cam cover causing some lovely oil smoke off the manifold. I have done a few of these before on various cars I have owned but I'm a little nervous approaching the 4200 in case I break a hose that costs silly money to fix.

 

[miket]

I did both of mine, as mentioned before well within most people's ability I would have thought.
A bit fiddly but manageable none the less, be careful with the variator wiring when removing/refitting the covers, best of luck.

 

[AlfaMail]

Definitely a DIY only job, it's just allen headed bolts to do really. Also, a good opportunity to check / change your spark plugs. Give it to a dealer to do and they will have your eyes out.
The variator cable is the hardest thing to contend with and it's a piece of p*ss, john.