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[grifter]

Was looking for something worthwhile to fill up an otherwise dreary sunday so ended up deciding to have a good dig about the V6 valve cover gaskets, and specifically who actually makes them (The original GM ones).

I had a suspicion from reading some things on here and looking online that it was elring or perhaps victor reinz, but having a bit more of a dig it seems that it was ACDelco who made them.

If you go to link below, select year 2000 from picklist > type in make "cadillac" > then pick "catera" > click green continue button > click A-Z parts list icon > scroll down to "E" and look for "engine valve cover gasket"

https://parts-catalog.acdelco.com/acesCat.php#

There is 3 parts listed there, one the seperate gaskets (listed twice for some reason with same number 90511451) and the one that's joined together (55351456).

From reading from the link below it seems the joined one is for the metal cover on the vectra 2.5 v6, not sure if that also applied to the 2.5 v6 with plastic covers although the 2.5 gasket wouldn't be listed in US as I believe they only used the 3.0.

https://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=55217.msg832743#msg832743

I've bought the joined one before and just cut off the little link section between them. Is that right that the one that's joined together is for the vectra V6?

Not 100% on this but it seems that it is ACDelco who made the gaskets originally and were listed as supplied to GM as OE parts.

[Doctor Gollum]

Only ever fitted the single piece ones to ANY V6 Omega, including the 2.6/3.2.

The two piece ones double the opportunity to fit them incorrectly.

Incidentally, the late Catera 3.0 is actually a 3.0 running 3.2 wiring and engine management. This is why the later 3.0 heads have the provision for fitting coil packs.

AC Delco is a brand of GM. Doesn't mean that they actually make the parts they sell, only that they are guaranteed as factory fit equivalents... as opposed to aftermarket OE that you might buy from a factors. This is why all AC Delco parts have GM part numbers.

[Doctor Gollum]

I should add that fitting metal covers to an Omega doesn't really fix anything. If your covers are warped, fit new ones.

[polilara]

Interesting, I have used in 2.6 both, in one piece and two.
https://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=150911.msg2040260#msg2040260

[grifter]

I should add that fitting metal covers to an Omega doesn't really fix anything. If your covers are warped, fit new ones.

Personally I wouldn't fit metal covers, rather try and keep the breather system clean, which seems to be the root cause of the oil leaks in most cases. I fitted genuine gaskets to my 2.6 a few years ago and there doesn't appear to be any leaks, I think I fitted non GM to my 3.2 and there is a small sweat passenger side not long after fitting them and after cleaning out the breathers.

[grifter]

Interesting, I have used in 2.6 both, in one piece and two.
https://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=150911.msg2040260#msg2040260

So the one with the bridge seemed to be way the gaskets were made previously? Victor reinz seems to be the choice make over GM, which are now hard to get if not impossible?

[Doctor Gollum]

The 3.0/3.2 was used in newer Saabs and Cadillac BTS upto around 2006/7, not to mention the Prefacelift Vectrum C.

Looking to Saab specialists for the engine side of things might be a way around the ever diminishing parts supply.