Inspection - is this a leaky valve cover gasket? (1 Viewer)

[MTrun]

Hope everyone is enjoying their presidents day weekend. Just got back from taking a look at a 2001 LC with 215K miles that has potential. Things looked good, but one concern - I noticed there seemed to be a fair amount of fluid under the engine. Asking the owner about it, he said the power steering reservoir had cracked, had leaked and since replaced. Everything he had shown/discussed seemed to be on the up and up with solid records. Looking at the engine though, on the passenger side of the engine it looked like there could be fluids leaking? Not sure if this is a leaking valve cover gasket? Apologies for the terrible photos - but tried to get a shot of the possible source and signs of fluid - though may also be from the power steering fluid reservoir...

 

[JunkCrzr89]

1st is engine oil leaking from valve cover gasket. 2nd photo is power steering fluid (ATF), presumably never cleaned up when res busted. 3rd photo is unknown without dropping the plate, but probably the same as #2.

 

[MTrun]

1st is engine oil leaking from valve cover gasket. 2nd photo is power steering fluid (ATF), presumably never cleaned up when res busted. 3rd photo is unknown without dropping the plate, but probably the same as #2.

Thank you JunkCzr89! Reading through the forum on the valve cover gasket, sounds like it is not a deal breaker, but may need to be fixed sooner rather than later? I saw quotes from $300-$600 or a weekend of diy?

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Thank you JunkCzr89. Reading through the forum on the valve cover gasket, sounds like it is not a deal breaker, but may need to be fixed sooner rather than later? I saw quotes from $300-$600 or a weekend of diy?

Yeah, they all leak eventually and need to be replaced, typically around the 150-200k miles mark. The gaskets are cheap, like $15-20 a piece, and are pretty easy to change out. Shop will probably charge you a few hundred for labor, or you can do them yourself in a day.

 

[MTrun]

Yeah, they all leak eventually and need to be replaced, typically around the 150-200k miles mark. The gaskets are cheap, like $15-20 a piece, and are pretty easy to change out. Shop will probably charge you a few hundred for labor, or you can do them yourself in a day.

Perfect. Sounds a whole lot better than a head gasket warning sign. Thanks again!

 

[js47]

Thank you JunkCzr89! Reading through the forum on the valve cover gasket, sounds like it is not a deal breaker, but may need to be fixed sooner rather than later? I saw quotes from $300-$600 or a weekend of diy?

My valve cover was leaking at the same spot and I just needed to snug down the bolts. Mine were so loose I could undo them with my fingers....

 

[GOLIGHTLY]

Definitely vouch for power steering, at least on the second photo. Just got done addressing this issue myself. I suspected valve cover gasket as well, later found (upon pulling apart the valve covers and replacing those gaskets) that all was in order up there. The area you indicate in the 1st photo looked different on mine, a little cleaner, so can’t attest to that.

While addressing the power steering issue I found that a “rebuild kit” for the power steering pump seemed to solve 90% of the issue, the remaining 10% being solved by new hardliners, air hoses, reservoir-to-pump hoses and power steering control valve.

Following in case I run into something resembling the first photo. Hope I didn’t beat a dead horse here.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

My valve cover was leaking at the same spot and I just needed to snug down the bolts. Mine were so loose I could undo them with my fingers....

Be very, very careful with this. The torque spec on those bolts is only 53 inch-lbf, or 4.4 ft-lbf. This is effectively “finger-tight”. Many folks have “snugged down” these bolts and broken them off in the head.

 

[GOLIGHTLY]

Be very, very careful with this. The torque spec on those bolts is only 53 inch-lbf, or 4.4 ft-lbf. This is effectively “finger-tight”. Many folks have “snugged down” these bolts and broken them off in the head.

Unfortunately I’ll vouch for this as well, seeing as I was one of those fortunate enough to snap some s*** off in the head. Fortunately the shaft of the bolt was easily accessible and caused no damage to the head/cover.