Looking for whether anybody has successfully removed the camshaft guide frame without pulling the engine. For anybody that has seen a few of my other posts, I just replaced the gasket between the IM and Y-pipe and it has resolved the vacuum leak I was experiencing. Car runs really smooth now. However, after having replaced the oil filter housing gaskets, PCV, and coolant temp senor the previous weekend, I now find another oil leak. Got oil in the spark plug tubes for the center three cylinders on the passenger side and am getting some oil leaking down on to the exhaust. I had just replaced the valve cover gaskets within the last 6 months, and just checked those again, so am pretty certain that’s not the source. I’m left to conclude that it’s the guide frame seal. Hence my question as to whether it can be removed. The repair manual says engine out, but that is for the camshaft removal which is obvious given the location of the timing chains. So, can the camshaft remain in place with the timing chains installed while the guide frame is removed? I also didn’t look hard enough to determine if the guide frame can be removed without hanging up on something. Hoping someone has actually done it. Oh, and as stated above, it’s only the passenger side right now, if that actually makes a difference to plausibility.
I checked with mixofia, who had these seals replaced, but that was with engine out.
In the mean time, I’ll probably just apply some gasket sealant in the tubes and around the bottom of the frame seal to the head and hope that covers the leak path.
