Oil leak or Crack? OR??

[ArcticChill22]

Ok so Ive been noticing oil puddling up on the top of my valve cover, next to my spark plug wires. I also noticed that my plug wires keep getting pushed out from my spark plug, not enough to actually unconnected them from the plugs but I have to push them back down fully. My #1 cylinder plug has oil all over it. It hasnt reached or thrown it far enough to the timing belt. But also my car is missing the spark plug cover that goes on top of the valve cover.. if thats what its called. And some of the places where the bolts go into the valve cover to hold on the spark plug cover are broken off and seem to have small pools of oil in them. I will try to include a picture because I know this is confusing. But im currently at work and the car is at my house. But I will update this when I get home, until then. Any ideas?

 

[madmax4217]

I would pull the valve cover and check that one of the ring seals that go around the spark plug holes hasnn't folded over durring assembly. Also, take some brake or carb cleaner and really clean the hell out of the valve cover to start fresh. Start the car and let it idle looking for the leak to rear it's ugly head. I would bet on the plu seal being pinched, but these valve covers are really prone to cracking if overtightened

 

[Dewayne Waldron]

I replaced my oil cap and havn't seen oil on the valve cover since.

 

[ArcticChill22]

Ok so as you can see it isnt coming from my oil cap. The #1 plug boot is covered in oil and somehow it has blown onto the farther wires next to the end of the valve cover. Spark Plug Chamber Gasket maybe? Even if it is that, it doesnt explain to me how its getting on TOP of the spark plug boot and even on the wires farther down. Maybe the wind from the road when im driving ?

 

[poundcake]

I had the exact same problem. I had a crack right at where that puddle of oil is. Another thing is it may be your oil cap. I had the same kind of breather on my valve cover and my oil cap was leaking like crazy. I replaced the breather with the vacum hose that was on there and it was solved. The crack is inside the yellow circle. It was in that corner and it was very hard to see.

 

[ArcticChill22]

So how did you fix the crack? Or did you?

 

[Dewayne Waldron]

jb weld works wonders.

 

[poundcake]

So how did you fix the crack? Or did you?

I used jb weld like Dewayne Waldron said. I havnt had a leak out of it since and it has been jb welded for about the last 8000 miles.

 

[jeremy19984g63]

It is not a crack the valve cover. The gasket around the plug hole is bad. oil is filling up around the plug, and that is what is pushing your plug wire out.

 

[DSMLIFESTYLE488]

it could be the the gasket for the plugs but check your oil cap also and make sure the rubber seal isnt pressed in flat. If it is. its time to get a new oil cap. I had that same problem too. Make sure you check all the bolts on the valve cover. They can have small hairline cracks that leak out oil when the motor is on. That should help your leak problem. I recommend not using jb weld tho. Just buy a used valve cover from the junk or ebay.........

 

[jeremy19984g63]

He said the plug was covered in oil and the wire keeps pushing up, so yeah gasket around plug is definitely bad.

 

[DSMLIFESTYLE488]

plugs it is

 

[sparco431]

yea i had the same exact problem, right where all the oil would puddle there were a couple cracks in the valve cover. I tried using JB weld to cover it but it only covers it for a while and then you start seeing oil build up again. just go to a junk yard and pull the cover off of another dsm or get one online

 

[ArcticChill22]

ty for the help guys...i think its the oil ring gaskets myself. Ill look into it in a few days

 

[erickp86]

I have the same problem... Does anyone know what is the torque settings on the bolts for the valve cover? Also, what do you guys use for gasket on the valvecover and also I can spray brake cleaner to clean the inside of the valvecover??

 

[tjbiker031]

I do believe its somewhere in the ball park of 2-3 ft lb, um....i just use a gasket from autozone, and yes you can use brake clean to clean the inside of your valve cover.

Tip: i use a bit of RTV across the top of the semi circle to help prevent oil from leaking out from cracks.

 

[erickp86]

I do believe its somewhere in the ball park of 2-3 ft lb, um....i just use a gasket from autozone, and yes you can use brake clean to clean the inside of your valve cover.

Tip: i use a bit of RTV across the top of the semi circle to help prevent oil from leaking out from cracks.

Thanks for the info, I'm going to do this today

I do believe its somewhere in the ball park of 2-3 ft lb, um....i just use a gasket from autozone, and yes you can use brake clean to clean the inside of your valve cover.

Tip: i use a bit of RTV across the top of the semi circle to help prevent oil from leaking out from cracks.

Thanks for the info, I'm going to do this today

 

[ninja07]

If there is no crack in the valve cover, and the cap is good, maybe the vc gasket is bad or leaking and it's trailing down the head over to your cam gear and it's slinging it up. Look up at the hood underneath and look to see if fresh oil is on the hood too. If so, a gasket may be all you need. Plus plug tube gaskets too, since your already in there. Hope this helps.

 

[jbl_5star]

thats the reason i took the valve cover off, to change the gaskets, i had a oil leak come to find out the bolt housings were stripped. had to heli coil it. in another thread it talka about a pool of oil around the area of the spark plug wires, i noticed that when i took it off? how will i k now if its cracked, (if you open your hood and look at the cover on the top-left side that valve looking thing was leaking. I tightend that, but on the top of my turbo where the oil feed line is, is loose and cant figure how to tighten it. Do i take off the heat shields?