What's this hole for? (Valve cover drain hole)

[crtalon]

Hi guys, I have been a silent reader for a very long
time. It is time for me to ask a question.

Background:I am in the process of heli-coiling my head. All the
studs are out, none broke in the head. The problem is that I by
mistake drilled into one of the holes too far. I know that cut into
the wall slightly because I can stick a zip-tie into the hole and it
goes down in all the way(the zip-tie is like 2x the length of the
hole) The hole is on the bottom row, the one in the middle.

I really didn't want to pull the valve cover just to see what is in
back of that wall I destroyed. I want to say that it is a hole for
a valve cover bolt, but who knows. I figured that one of you may
know. Just in case any of you are curious, yes this is my 1st heli-
coil job, yes I now have to step to all 10mm bolts, and yes I am in
the middle of a turbo install(ETE32)

Thanks a million!
Bruce

 

[crtalon]

I have been told by another DSM'er that it probably is an oil drain tube, comments?

I was thinking about using some JB Weld for the hole, but if it is an oil drain tube wouldn't the JB block off some of the oil flow? Maybe only go in part-way and add the JB?

Or, what about if I maybe put part of a bolt in the hole and then add the JB so that it doesn't block off the tube.

Man, this sucks!
Bruce

 

[cianide]

ok, my newly acquired talon tis awd has oil everywhere on the right side of the engine compartment( driver side) some how it is getting all over the place on this side of the engine. its on top of my valve cover, all over my alternator and its even on the foily stuff on the hood. i went through an entire quart of oil in 100 miles. also when i start the car the check engine light comes on and then goes off after a second or two and sometime while stopped at a stop light the oil light will come on. Another thing, while driving the oil gauge is between the two line on the inner part of it but when im stopped it drops below the lower line. also sometimes when i shift white smoke comes out the exhaust. And just one more thing... the oil dipstick keeps popping out. I read all the faq's but im not quite sure what to think now. the car does not leak oil when standing but the oil that has been sprayed around the engine leaks down in a non uniform pattern. Im thinking of replacing head gasket, rings, and valve sealers. as well as the pcv valve. any one have any advice hopefully?

 

[KenTSIII]

I'd check the PCV valve & the oil filter housing 1st of all.... but could very well be a HG problem from the sounds of things... are you blowing coolant at all?

 

[cianide]

no, the coolant seems to be fine. I just bought a pcv valve today, but i could not find a chiltons or haynes maunual to go with it so i dont know where to put it. Oil filter housing? seems i have a lot to learn about dsm s

 

[Bigpav7]

get your valve cover gasket replaced too, im pretty sure it's leaking. regarding the low oil light and the needle going too low, the oil pressure in our cars is always low, everyone will tell you that. but the light going on may mean that your oil pump is failing. mine was clogged up and i had the same problem until i got it cleaned up. also make sure you change oil very often, under 2000 miles especially if you take short trips cuz it gets dirty and then the whole inside of your engine gets messed up. also, just a thought, check your oil cap.
Good luck

 

[dTERM]

Save your money on a chiltons. You don't need it. Go to http://www.vfaq.com and find everything you need to know.

 

[kingearl]

I have the same prob, just quite a bit less serious. I guess I have crankcase blowby or something. Anyway there is air that streams out from my oil cap when I take it off. Its forcing oil throu the screw on the cap and it sprays all over. Oil leaking throu the valve cover gasket too. I am not sure what to do.

 

[cianide]

i think its your pcv valve kingearl. i replaced mine today and it didnt do anything. but my new hunch is that the oil is spraying out of the dipstick hole so im goin to buy and new dipstick that will stand up to higher pressures and replace the valve cover gasket just for fun. i see the term rtv sealant all over the place. What is it?

 

[RocketDSM]

I had a similar problem and it took me, four mechanics, and an ASE Master Tech to find it. Inside the oil filter housing is a pressure check system that consists of a slide block and spring that moves between holes to re-route flow according to pressure. Due to whatever, it appeared in my case to be metal shavings, it clogs rather easily. For whatever reason it over-pressurizes the oil pan blowing the dipstick out as soon as you rev it hard. The dipstick flies out (hitting mechanic friend #2 on the way, it was classic) and that spreads the oil everywhere. As for why it's on one side....look at which fan runs continuously...whadda ya know, the driver's side. It blows all the oil mist and droplets coming out of the dipstick tube back across engine compartment and side of the engine (and mechanic friend #4, again classic) making tracking down the real problem a stone cold b***h. It isn't hard to get the oil block out of the car and it just takes elbow grease to clean it out. I've had to do it twice in the two and a half years I've owned the car, but I drive REALLY hard. Hope this helps. Also, never buy a Chilton's or a Hayne's...buy a factory manual and use the VFAQ's and forums - the only good places to get information.

 

[kingearl]

I checked my pcv valve and its fine. And I dont have a dipstick problem like you guys. I dont know what I should do next. I guess check the oil filter and housing?.

 

[Big Ego]

kingearl and cianide - here's what happened to me...one evening I was driving home (more like racing home, but whatever) and I got the oil light and the car started running rough. I pulled off the road and lifted the hood. Guess what? Oil all over the driver's side of the car Well, I ran some cheap 10w-30 through it to find the problem, and I found that about two seconds after starting her up, oil was spraying EVERYWHERE from around the oil filter. (i found this out while under the oil filter, nonetheless. well, i thought I had tightened the oil filter enough, but I found that I hadn't. I took the oil filter off, and the housing that the filter tightens down to is held on by the same threaded thingy that the oil filter screws down on as well. Anyway, I tightened the thingy down (sorry guys...I don't know what it is off hand ) to 33 ft-lbs with automotive strength loctite (red) and it fixed the problem. The only reason I used loctite is because after finding the problem, I tightened it to spec without it and it worked itself loose twice before I decided I had had enough. I don't know...vibrations, whatever...anyway...that's just what I found.

 

[ImportModder]

Can someone tell me if this hole is supposed to be there? Here's my situation. I have a 96 gst. On the front of the valve cover, there is a hole just to the left of the 3rd valve cover bolt. However, oil comes out of that hole and of course, it makes a mess. To make sure it was a hole I stuck a needle through, and, well, yes, it is definitely a hole. I couldn't think of a reason for it being there, so something tells me it was originally plugged or something. Help me out here. Thanks

 

[eXploitedGST]

try plugging it with a rubber peice of something. i havent really heard of that happening

 

[BatmanGSX]

Nope, it's normal. Oil doesn't come out. The oil probably came from somewhere else and got in the hole and it looks like oil is coming out.

 

[Low Flying GS-T]

There is a hole but not where he described I have one all the way to the right of the front of the valve cover but it doesn't leak.

 

[Black95GSX]

The hole that you speak of should be a "drain" so to speak from the spark plug area -- if you take your spark plug cover off, you should be able to see another small hole in there..... that leads to the one you speak of

do NOT plug it though, it's there to prevent build up in the spark plug area, that helps prevent ignition problems

 

[ImportModder]

yeah, i saw where it goes when I took the valve cover off. Like Black95GSX said, its just a drain for the spark plug area. The "leak" was just oil that got in there from under the gasket. Thanks tio those who replied. BTW, Im sorta painting the valve cover until I get the funds to powdercoat it. Hopefully, it'll look decent. Later.

 

[98TsiAWD]

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

the flash kinda ruined the pic, but you can see the little hole. Is that their on your guys' cars? Wouldnt that suck in dirt, wtf?

 

[Dsmed]

Yes, and thats is where oil will leak down onto yor exhaust manifold if you have overtightened the inner VC bolts and you crack it. That hole goes straight through to where you put your plug wires onto the plugs. Nothing to be worried about at all.

 

[98TsiAWD]

Originally posted by Dsmed
Yes, and thats is where oil will leak down onto yor exhaust manifold if you have overtightened the inner VC bolts and you crack it. That hole goes straight through to where you put your plug wires onto the plugs. Nothing to be worried about at all.

Last nite I upped my boost to 15psi, and now a little bit of oil came out of that hole, my VC is not cracked that I know of. I ran out of the hole and down into the VC gasket seam, and followed the seam towards the pass. side of teh engine. I have oil built up below the valve cover on the pass. side, is that from this or something else?

 

[Dsmed]

Chances are that your VC gasket is leaking on the passenger side. Do you have a little black plug on the passenger side of the head that looks like a hlaf circle like the 1st gen do? If so, then this is probably where your leak is coming from. If you look at that hole you showed the pic of, it goes through to the other side of that part of the valve cover. Take off the plastic spark plug wire cover and most likely you will have a puddle of oil sitting there where your plug wires are in the center of the valve cover. And everytime you make a hard turn, some of the oil will move down to that hole and go through the hole and leak down onto your exhaust manifold, or it may be travelling to the other side of the valve cover like you said.

 

[98TsiAWD]

well, im buyin some NGK's today, Accel 8mm wires will be here in a couple days, and then I will take it off an check it out. If there is oil around the spark plugs (under the cover) do I just need to change my valve cover gasket?

 

[Dsmed]

You will need to check to see if your valve cover is cracked under there at the mointing points. If it is, it will be very noticeable. That is the only way for oil to be in there besides if your oil cap seal is gone and your oil cap is leaking oil down into the middle of your valve cover. Check that also.

 

[98TsiAWD]

Well, got bored and pulled the spark plug well cover off. Some oil built up in there. There is a crack on the driver side front bolt (there is a bracket on it that 2 plug wires hook to). Should I just clean it up real good, and then JB Weld it?