Rear Cam Seal Question

[mapper]

98 gen 2.5

So my rear cam seals are leaking (the o-ring ones), and doing a good job of it! I've researched the repair and on a 3.5 it doesn't sound bad at all, don't even need to take off the plenum. Great news!

Soon enough my valve guide seals, timing belt etc. need to be replaced. I'm thinking about farming that job out to my mechanic's valve shop because the price they gave me wasn't too terrible consider the mess that comprises the top end of these motors. Here's the question:
Would they be doing the o-rings at the same time anyway?

It seems logical but I don't know this engine well enough yet and I'm a little concerned that adding a short list of parts to replace "while you're in there" will unnecessarily jack up the price of the head refurbishing. In the mean time it would be nice to get that oil mess in the back of my engine cleaned up and stop drowning the alternator.

Thanks!

 

[jlocster]

The rear o-rings would take less than five minutes with the heads removed, I can't imagine your mechanic up-charging you that much...the only other common maintenance item on the heads in addition to the valve stem seals and the rear cam o-rings would be the front cam seals. They are notorious leakers, too.

 

[mapper]

Probably correct about that. I tried to check them out a bit tonight and I don't think they are even causing much, if any leak. It all seems to actually be coming from the valve cover gasket.

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

ive done them without removing anything, also, you dont need to buy new o-rings, pull the flange out, clean the area, coat the flange area with RTV and reinstall it.

Did that one two of my 3 liters and they never leaked again.