So looks like I'm leakin some oil at the little passageway behind the valve cover. Anyone ever tackle that seal while the engine is in the truck? Just wanna see what I have to remove to easily get to it. Thanks! 
Oil leak behind valve cover 22r
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Are you referring to the black rubber half-circle plug immediately below the valve cover, or the cast iron plate/cover bolted to the back of the head?
If it's the rubber plug - pull the valve cover, remove the plug, clean the plug and the head where it sits, put some silicone on the curved surface of the plug and a little extra at each end, then reassemble. While you have the valve cover off, inspect your cam chain guides and consider adjusting your valves.
The plate on the back of the head contains part of the EGR plumbing, and I'm pretty sure no oil flows along that interface. So, if it appears to be the plate, double check to see if it is actually the valve cover that's leaking and you are just seeing it at the plate.
Good luck.
If it's the rubber plug - pull the valve cover, remove the plug, clean the plug and the head where it sits, put some silicone on the curved surface of the plug and a little extra at each end, then reassemble. While you have the valve cover off, inspect your cam chain guides and consider adjusting your valves.
The plate on the back of the head contains part of the EGR plumbing, and I'm pretty sure no oil flows along that interface. So, if it appears to be the plate, double check to see if it is actually the valve cover that's leaking and you are just seeing it at the plate.
Good luck.
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- #3
I'm referring to the plate. I got underneath my truck and saw that it was wet under that plate and figured it was a oil passage. But if its just egr s*** then it has to be coming from the valve cover. Hmmmmm....... Are you positive that plate is just EGR?
Pretty sure - I just did my head gasket, so I had it apart. There is a passage cast into that piece which connects a passage from the #4 exhaust port to the intake side of the head, where the EGR pipe/valve attaches. It has the same kind of metallic gasket as you typically find on exhaust manifold/O2 sensor, etc.
Mine is an '86 22RE - perhaps the 22R is different?
There are a couple of threads with pics on yota:
http://www.yotatech.com/f115/22re-cylinder-head-block-bypass-whats-called-195012/
http://www.yotatech.com/f116/some-engine-thoughts-22re-200589/index2.html
The bottom of the plate is pretty close to the bottom of the head - could your leak be from the head gasket?
If you decide to remove it to inspect, be seriously careful about crossthreading when you put the bolts back in. Also, one (or was it two?) of the bolts is longer than the others, so keep track. lastly, there is a coolant pipe which is supported by one of the bolts, so you might have to bend that pipe aside somewhat to get the plate off.
Mine is an '86 22RE - perhaps the 22R is different?
There are a couple of threads with pics on yota:
http://www.yotatech.com/f115/22re-cylinder-head-block-bypass-whats-called-195012/
http://www.yotatech.com/f116/some-engine-thoughts-22re-200589/index2.html
The bottom of the plate is pretty close to the bottom of the head - could your leak be from the head gasket?
If you decide to remove it to inspect, be seriously careful about crossthreading when you put the bolts back in. Also, one (or was it two?) of the bolts is longer than the others, so keep track. lastly, there is a coolant pipe which is supported by one of the bolts, so you might have to bend that pipe aside somewhat to get the plate off.
- Thread starter
- #5
Pretty sure I found my leak. Little half moon guy on the back of the head wasn't properly prepped before I installed it last...had some remains of the prior gasket stuck to it and the head. Cleaned everything up really well and used some FIPG with it. Degreaser everything and washed her off. In a week I will know if that was the problem or not. The EGR cooler plate had oil on the very top of it, so really the only plausible answer would be the half moon. Anyway thanks for the input and support.
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