valve cover oil leak?

Question

i took the valve cover off of my 84 v6 s-10 to clean around it and the engine and when i put it back on it seems to be leaking oil or something, should i have replaced the gasket?

Answer 1

Lets hope that it's oil, there's nuttin else it could leak. =^ ) If it's a cork gasket, smooth & in good shape, it may be ok.Just clean the surface with acetone & put a li'l number 2 permatex on'er. If it's a rubber/silicone gasket, peel it off & clean both (head & cover) & apply a little #2 permatex to the new CORK gasket. Don't use to much. As a rule use I lay the sealer so it's just enuff,,, a bead that looks like a ' fat toothpick ' on the gasket. Good Luck

Answer 2

At that age, yes, you should have replaced the gaskets. They've probably gotten really hard over the years.

However, be aware that one of the most common reasons people get leaks around their valve covers is that they've improperly torqued the bolts when reinstalling -- typically *overtorquing* them! A light touch is all it takes -- enough to properly seat the cover on the gasket. Anything more can easily deform the cover so that it only seals well around the bolt holes and not in between them. The areas around the bolt holes become "low spots" with everything else bending upwards.

Torque them down hard enough, and the cover can become permanently bent -- and they can be an absolute bugger to true up after you've done that.

Answer 3

ok at the start... i in my view like cork gaskets, and might by no potential placed vaseline on them it basically supplies the oil a head commence on inflicting a leak, we use cork gaskets on our race motor vehicle autos and by no potential have a difficulty with them till they don't look to be tightened suited, so my first suggestion may well be to verify you're tightening them adequate and not overtightening them... 2d... definite oil can leak from an exhaust manifold if the valve seals are worn adequate oil can certainly drip into the exhaust and take a seat on the section around the exhaust gasket and reason a leak to look third... heres what you do to resign this leak from the valve conceal... make useful there isn't any previous gasket textile caught to the right of the pinnacle floor and make useful none on the valve conceal itself, then make useful all the bolt holes in valve conceal are flat (not dented upward" use a small hammer with a chunk of medal on underside and gently faucet and bolt holes that are raised down flat , then do such as you probably did in the previous with the hi-tack spray to hold them to the conceal whilst tipped over, then make useful head floor is sparkling and dry, using a a million/4 inch stress ratchet and socket and extension placed all bolts in in the previous tightening any of them completely... as quickly as all put in and comfortable flow around tightening them gently somewhat at a time till you need to use a honest volume of torque to coach them anymore then stress the motor vehicle for an afternoon or 2 and flow decrease back and verify all the bolts returned... i assure you would be waiting to tighten a minimum of a few of them basically like yet another 0.5 a turn or so, then you definately shouldnt have to any extent further leaks from the covers in case you stumble on a leak around the exhaust nonetheless ...then you definately probably have very worn valve seals which isnt doubtful because of the fact the truck is 20 yrs previous now

Answer 4

The gasket should be replaced. Over time they harden from the heat and oil and will not re-seal. Clean the area and replace the gasket.

Answer 5

Yep, replace the gasket. Not a big deal.