Ok, so tonight I was cleaning my passenger cam tower beginning with removal of the bottom bead of sealant from the channel in preparation for later reassembly. I want this to be as clean as possible so as to ensure a proper seal upon reassembly, which at this rate is probably two weeks away at least.

 

First off let me state this is the first time this cam tower has been off the vehicle. I know because it has had only a single owner since new and I am that owner. So the photos and forensic evidence you are about to see can be attributed to none other than the Subaru engine plant where the engine was assembled (Oizumi Factory, Ohta City Gunma Prefecture- presumably). 

 

I have seen at least one poster here on USMB troubleshoot his ticking HLA's to a bit of sealant caught in the oiling channel of the cam support. I cannot remember the name, I just recall coming across the post and found it interesting.

 

 

 

While cleaning my passenger cam tower I found this:

 

 

In the image above the sealant from the factory bead squeezed out when the cam tower was bolted down. It never dislodged in my case, but only due to good luck as you can see, it was just flapping there.

 

 

And in another spot, I found where the assembler lifted the bead dispenser and slopped some into the cam tower:

 

 

 

The zoom box in the left is the recovered sealant from the inset area. Again, only dumb luck this did not dislodge.

 

 

This is just what I found when I disassembled and examined of my passenger cam tower. Other than occasional morning tick, mine never had severe ticking and I do not attribute my ticking to this as I have not found any sealant clogging the oil passages.

 

But I believe that could very well account for some cases where sealant debris has been found clogging oil passages.  It also shows that we need to be very careful on putting these back together with the sealant to not repeat this mistake.

 

 

 

Since the oil must pass through the oil filter, before it can be sent through the oil passages to the lifters, and since it is impossible not to have gasket maker squeeze inside the camtower chamber, I am not losing any sleep over this issue.

Since the oil must pass through the oil filter, before it can be sent through the oil passages to the lifters, and since it is impossible not to have gasket maker squeeze inside the camtower chamber, I am not losing any sleep over this issue.

 

All that didn't stop this:

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/146783-very-loud-ticking-solved-probably/?do=findComment&comment=1232369

 

 

While it may be impossible or very difficult to not have squeeze out, cleaning it up before you slap on the covers is quite possible.

Edited May 31, 201411 yr by MR_Loyale

That problem looks like it was caused by somebody using a standard rubber O-ring, instead of the genuine Subaru high temperature O-ring.  The oil passage goes directly to that channel from the O-ring location, as I recall.  The standard O-ring melted.

Looks like that could have been the case. Do you have any suggestions on a solvent to use to clean up the insides of the cam tower?