oil on exhaust manifold=valve cover gasket leak?

[lil corb]

I know I have a bad valve cover gasket and spark plug gasket but could it cause oil to be on top of exhaust manifold and around some of the exhaust studs without oil being visible on side of head dripping from valve cover? I then some some smoke come down from underneath the turbo but I couldnt' pin point where it was coming from.
notice no oil dripping down

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These aren't pics of my car but the same symptoms.(If the owner wants me to take down pics just let me know)
It looks like this and notice no oil dripping from head down to manifold, also the exhaust
manifold stud on the far left is puddling up oil on it.

thanks

 

[lil corb]

here is another pic that looks like my problem

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[kelvinb]

is your dipstick secure? sometimes oil will get through the seal and smoke under the hood from hitting the manifold

 

[lil corb]

is your dipstick secure? sometimes oil will get through the seal and smoke under the hood from hitting the manifold

the car was just at idle and I saw smoke coming out underneath the turbo, and I shut it off.

 

[lil corb]

I looked at it again and on my water pipe bolts I see oil on there too, I also notice I'm missing the far bottom left stud but I don't think that could contribute to the oil appearing.
any ideas?

 

[Coder24]

I looked at it again and on my water pipe bolts I see oil on there too, I also notice I'm missing the far bottom left stud but I don't think that could contribute to the oil appearing.
any ideas?

i have 2 manifold studs missing and there is no oil coming from them...it quite possibly could be your valve cover gasket....its only like 14 bucks...start by changing that then cleaning off your motor.then look to see if more oil is dropping down... please take pics of your car not someone elses. may have a crack somewhere i nyour head..was it overheating?losing coolant?

 

[lil corb]

I'm sorry but I have no digital camera, so I searched and found those pics. So it's possible for the valve cover gasket to leak on manifold without visibly seeing it leak or any evidence of it dripping down? because I know the spark plug gasket is leaking (oil on spark plug gallery) but I just want to make sure it's just the gasket and nothing major, I was thinking maybe the headgasket but I don't over heat and no thick white smoke comes out. I will go ahead and change it out (along with another million things )

thanks

 

[lil corb]

also I can see a piece my headgasket on the left hand side under the oil feed, is that normal to be able to see a little piece of it?

 

[ATXMITSU]

sometimes the studs will leak oil. I know the bottom middle exhaust manifold stud has an oil gallery behind it.

 

[Coder24]

it is possible for the valve cover gasket to leak because mine was leaking and i didnt notice it until i looked at my head and saw oil on it...so i changed the gasket and cleaned my engine and it went away.then later my headgasket blew and it only had oil from the gasket down(if you dont know the gasket is below ## exhaust manifold) so i dont think its that clean it off then run it or like 10 minutes and see if u can see any leaking anywhere also rup your hand along the valve cover gasket to see if there is any leakage...let me know

 

[lil corb]

aight will do, I know where the head gasket is , I know a fair amount on cars just learning the "dsm basics" in depth.

thanks

 

[Coder24]

Any update on the oil leak?

 

[ATXMITSU]

i was leaking in the same spot and was dripping down onto the ground. Took the manifold off, replaced the bottom middle stud which goes into an oil gallery and put loctite on the threads, havent leaked any oil since.

 

[99gst_racer]

i was leaking in the same spot and was dripping down onto the ground. Took the manifold off, replaced the bottom middle stud which goes into an oil gallery and put loctite on the threads, havent leaked any oil since.

^^^ Yup.

My manifold is showing oil on it in the exact same place as lil corb's. I'll be pulling mine off tonight and "sealing" the threads of the studs.

 

[EagleTSIawd]

Just wanted to bring this thread back from the dead because i am experiencing a similar problem, except mine appears to leak oil on the top right stud.

I took out the manifold and i found oil where the stud is and some in between #1 and #2 exhaust port on the head. There was also oil running from the top right stud all the way inside where the valve stem slides in and out, but oil was only on the top part of the exaust port. I took out the top right stud and found no traces of oil inside.

could it be leaking oil from where the valve slides in and out and sliding its way out on the top part of the exhaust port and making its way outside the exhaust manifold?

btw, this is on a 1g head