Valve Cover Pouring Oil

[1996Eclipse420a]

I know there are multiple threads on this issue. I've read the link that Paul posted on one of the threads a few years ago.

Anyhow, after I installed the valve cover and ran the car a few minutes, oil started leaking underneath the back side of the valve cover. It comes straight underneath the gasket. Not just in one spot but the whole back side leaks oil and I don't know why. So I took the gasket back off, cleaned the surfaces and I applied black silicone that is oil resistant. I applied it on the 4 corners like the thread states, and then I put some across the whole back side where the oil constantly keeps leaking. The car has been sitting to give the silicone time to cure. The car doesn't smoke at all, and my PCV valve still operates like it should. If it still leaks after I applied silicone to the back of it like I did then what could be the problem? Possibly a warped valve cover?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Felpro gaskets were used.

 

[Antimob]

I guess its possible that you have a warped cover, never heard of it happening before though. Are you sure that there aren't any cracks anywhere?

 

[1996Eclipse420a]

I guess its possible that you have a warped cover, never heard of it happening before though. Are you sure that there aren't any cracks anywhere?

I'm positive. It is coming from under the gasket. I can watch the car run, and see oil start seeping underneath the gasket. When I took the gasket back off, the whole surface it's suppose to seal, is cover in oil. I'm out of options to what to even try. It leaks enough to lose a quart in about 400 miles.

 

[Antimob]

have you checked to see if the cover is warped at all? and how tight are the bolts?

 

[jayson427]

Did you torque them down in sequence?

 

[mitecl96]

I had the same problem, kept replacing the gasket. Kept being told it might be warped so I finally got a new valve cover. Still was leaking like crazy.

Got to thinking decided to add washers on the bolts to be able to squish down the rubber gasket some more. Well this solved my problem. Told everyone and they said there was suppose to be washers there.

Make sure you have washers there, the 420a valve cover is very hard to warp. the bolts bottom out on the head so rubber has to give before metal. You see in the my drawling how the bolt is against the head when fully tightened.

After spending about $200 trying to fix this leak, it ended up being $2 worth of washers

Look for washer first, no one even told me about it till I figured it out save you some money if this is the case. I circled the washer in the picture it is the gray in the picture.

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Hope this helps, I ended up putting two washers on there to be safe and just torque them down right. So if one don't work try 2, just don't tighten down to tight because it can leak if to tight.

 

[1996Eclipse420a]

Thanks for all the info guys. I think it's a warped valve cover. After the rtv set up and cured I drove it some. I fixed half the leak with it, but it's still pouring out between bolt 7 and bolt 1 (the back rear cam gear side) I guess I can give my local machine shop a call and see if it can be surfaced?

 

[VelocitàPaola]

I had the same problem, kept replacing the gasket. Kept being told it might be warped so I finally got a new valve cover. Still was leaking like crazy.

Got to thinking decided to add washers on the bolts to be able to squish down the rubber gasket some more. Well this solved my problem. Told everyone and they said there was suppose to be washers there.

Here's the P/N for the OEM washers: M06503155.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Thanks for all the info guys. I think it's a warped valve cover. After the rtv set up and cured I drove it some. I fixed half the leak with it, but it's still pouring out between bolt 7 and bolt 1 (the back rear cam gear side) I guess I can give my local machine shop a call and see if it can be surfaced?

I've never heard of a warped valve cover on these engines... There isn't much to surface anyway, since the VC has a groove for the gasket. It doesn't need to be precisely flat; you can check it by eye with a straightedge.

Did you check to make sure you have washers on all of the bolts? Did you apply the proper torque to each bolt? Did you re-torque the bolts after the RTV cured?

 

[goldeninja20]

Since it has yet to mentioned, take your oil cap off with the car running and see if you have excessive blow by. It will most definitely cause oil to get forced by your valve cover gasket.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Since it has yet to mentioned, take your oil cap off with the car running and see if you have excessive blow by. It will most definitely cause oil to get forced by your valve cover gasket.

He mentioned that the PCV valve "operates like it should," but that's a good thought; it doesn't hurt to double-check.

 

[1996Eclipse420a]

He mentioned that the PCV valve "operates like it should," but that's a good thought; it doesn't hurt to double-check.

The bolts that I have on there now is what come stock I suppose. It has the valve cover grommets, and the bolt has like a "built on washer." Not a washer I can remove. Is there suppose to be more?

He mentioned that the PCV valve "operates like it should," but that's a good thought; it doesn't hurt to double-check.

and yes I torqued them down like they should be, and in sequence to the thread that you linked another guy too a few years ago. I had to put rtv across the whole back side of the cylinder head where the valve cover gasket seals at... if I dont then the whole backside leaks bad.

I've never heard of a warped valve cover on these engines... There isn't much to surface anyway, since the VC has a groove for the gasket. It doesn't need to be precisely flat; you can check it by eye with a straightedge.

Did you check to make sure you have washers on all of the bolts? Did you apply the proper torque to each bolt? Did you re-torque the bolts after the RTV cured?

Also, I didn't retorque them down. I waited about 15 mins for the rtv to get tacky, then i put the cover on and torqued it down.

I've never heard of a warped valve cover on these engines... There isn't much to surface anyway, since the VC has a groove for the gasket. It doesn't need to be precisely flat; you can check it by eye with a straightedge.

Did you check to make sure you have washers on all of the bolts? Did you apply the proper torque to each bolt? Did you re-torque the bolts after the RTV cured?

This is what my bolts look like.

 

[1996Eclipse420a]

So far the issue is fixed. I took the valve cover back off, cleaned up all the silicone, and then applied it again, except this time I made sure I sat the cover down straight down instead of having to slide it around to get it aligned up.

Thanks again for the replies.

 

[Silver99OZ]

The bolts that I have on there now is what come stock I suppose. It has the valve cover grommets, and the bolt has like a "built on washer." Not a washer I can remove. Is there suppose to be more?

As shown above there is a separate washer that goes between the bolt and the rubber grommet and you absolutely need to have these or the gasket will leak every time. Without the washers the bolts will bottom out before the valve cover is properly torqued down. Made this mistake once before and could not get the gasket to seal.