engine and drivetrain Serious valve cover oil leak

[Happy Face]

I've searched the archives for this problem and know that it could be due to a number of causes.

I've got a newly rebuilt engine with a fresh valve cover and new valve cover gasket. It was installed with the proper torque procedure and with no goop (installed dry).

I have mucho fresh oil leaking out of the gasket. Its even splashing out and getting on the sheet metal and spark plug wires.

Here's a quick web page with some photos showing the ugliness.

http://gallery.mac.com/dpmeaux#100156&view=grid&bgcolor=black&sel=0

requesting advice on how to deal with this. I do have an extra valve cover which hopefully isn't warped.

thanks

[Guest]

Mine only did this if I did not use some, very small amount, of sealer under the valve cover gasket where th front timing cover meets the head. I put a small amount on that seam and put the gasket on and no leaks. I usually do this in the evening and let dry overnight.

[Kidasters]

Dave,

Find a new valve cover and gasket. I think this one is warped.

I just did mine (dry) and have no problems.

Good Luck.

Ken

[norm]

Was your head decked/shaved together with the front cover?

I should try and be the first fool to bolt four r69 heads on top of an m10 block

Norm

[TobyB]

crap, you can see the misalignment between head and cover in the pix!

I think you need to mill the cover... and by cover, I mean the timing chain

front cover. It's holding the valve cover up.

t

[Happy Face]

thanks everyone for the comments.

At this point I've come to the conclusion that its a case of the timing cover and heads not being milled simultaneously.

So my next question is, what can I do about it. Is it safe to have them milled with the engine in the car? Or am I looking at pulling the engine, etc., to get a final fix.

thanks again

dave

[ryanOC]

local shop here wants the head with the cover just for milling the cover.... easier to bolt it and then shave, i guess, rather than trying to shave the cover w/ just a measurement

something i've still got to do, but funny thing is it stopped leaking after a while even w/ the uneven cover/head

i would just recommend using silicone all around and let sit for a while before driving

i put silicone up in almost everything now.... tired of dealing w/ leaks

[Kidasters]

Dave,

That's hard to believe. If that was the case, it would have leaked oil all the way from California back to Houston, or so I think.

But - if you believe that's the case:

Drain all of the fluids out of the block and remove the head. Take the head and the front cover to a machine shop and have them machined to the same thickness. Then you will be sure.

I've dealt with one machine shop here in Houston -

Bavarian Machine - Mike Perkins is excellent. His work is perfect. His reception staff are not. They are rude and awful. I hate talking to them. It will take forever and a day to get your parts back, but they will be perfect when you get them. And - he is expensive. You will pay for perfection. And be treated very poorly by his reception staff. At least I was. I spend over $1000 having machine work done on a cylinder head at his shop. Mike treated me great. His staff treated me like shit. I still need machine work done on a block, and while I would love for Mike to do it, I dread dealing with his reception staff....

Good luck. Let us know how you make out.

Ken