Broken oil cap
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 29,849
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From: Ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Robert O,Jan 16 2011, 03:07 PM
These caps are designed to float on the gasket when installed. If the gasket is worn to a degree that the flange of the cap is hard against the cam cover,expansion and contraction of the cam cover will most definately cause breakage. The cap does not expand and contract at the same rate as the aluminum cover.No mystery there. You can feel if the cap is making solid or gasket contact when you tighten it.
Thats exactly how it happens, if you feel your cap bottom out with a hard contact then the o-ring is worn out, if you feel the rubber ring as it rubs along the top of the oil hole then it is good.
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,908
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From: Mount Rainier
Never had a busted cap. Never replaced the seal. The cap don't leak oil. Over 130k miles on the car. 
Although at some point in time it would be wise to start replacing a bunch of rubber as a preventive measure.
Although at some point in time it would be wise to start replacing a bunch of rubber as a preventive measure.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,106
Likes: 5
From: Connecticut
Happened to me today while screwing the cap back on. Head just sheared right off using arm power. The seal ring was worn way down, so this was certainly a result of repeated over-tightening and needing to bang on it with tools to loosen it over the car's 195k miles. $6.50 for a temp Stant cap at autozone (with an S on it, fitting).
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