Valve Cover Gasket Job

[corkybuchek]

So my VCG's are leaking, and according to the dealership "heavily". I've been smelling the oil so I took her in. They want $560 (after "discounts"). Local LC specialist wants around $350.

I'm almost certain I can just hand tighten them and be on my way. But any advice from anyone? I'm not a gearhead at all, but I'm sure I could do this. Or should I just bite my tongue, pay the $350, and be on my way? Can a slight leak lead to anything bad? Oil level is perfect, hasn't dropped. Dealership refuses to do anything other than a full replacement.

For ref: 01 LC 236K miles - southern US truck its life.

Thanks in advance.

 

[geanes]

I tightened mine and then cleaned the old oil off. Haven't seen any further oil leak since I tightened the bolts. My leak was very, very slow and I noticed no oil burn off between changes.

If they are leaking heavily, simply replace the gaskets. From what I understand and have read, the passenger side is relatively easy. The driver side is more complicated. $350 seems cheap to replace both gaskets. Heck, here in Austin, everyone wanted to charge me that per side.

 

[gatormark91]

The parts to do it yourself are $50 if you use the Felpro set, which comes with plug tube seals. You need to torque the bolts to 56 in/lbs, and if they are corroded, one could snap off. For a non-gearhead, $350 for the whole job will be money well spent for you.

 

[camino70]

Just start with snugging them up. If that doesn't work, replacing them is pretty easy, if you royally fubar it, take it to the local specialist and your still saving 150 from the dealer.

 

[abuck99]

For $350 it might be a reasonable idea to let the indi do the job. I keep reading of multiple frozen vc bolts that break fairly easily. You can get sucked down the rabbit hole pretty quick trying to extract broken bolts out of the head and might be money well spent letting them do it.

You can test to see if they turn freely before handing it over.

 

[Simplespirit]

I paid a little over 400 for both sides with seals, pcv, etc. I could've done it myself and maybe saved a little, but my time wasn't worth it.

 

[nissanh]

I did the valve cover gaskets in my 4runner (V6) with an aftermarket kit and after 6900 miles I did it again with OEM. Stay with OEM, the price is $13.18 a SIDE!!! (check camelbacktoyotaparts.com in AZ: Free shipping over $150 and use TWparts to further receive a 4% discount). Also, get the spark plug tubes and FIPG from toyota. See item:5 here 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping

Be careful when tightening the valve cover bolts. If you use too much force, the valve cover might crack and this is very common on V6 engines. IF the bolts are tight, then you need valve cover gaskets. If you use FIPG, allow it to dry overnight.

 

[bucktownturtle]

I've done quite a bit of work on cars and the drivers side was a bit a of a pain. If you aren't a gearhead and don't have all the tools, i would spend the money on the independent shop.

I think the biggest pain was replacing the sparkplug tube gaskets, i am not sure if that was necessary, but i did it since i was in there.

 

[bucktownturtle]

oh and if your plugs haven't been changed in a while, that would be a good time to replace them.

 

[bpe3]

My 2001 LX developed an oil smell over a year ago. While in for an oil change, I told mechanic to tighten up the valve cover bolts. No smell since then.

bpe3

 

[Spike555]

Tighten the bolts, if the leak comes back quickly then replace the gaskets.
Always start with free before spending money.

But no, the leak will not hurt anything as long as the oil level is in the safe zone on the dipstick.
If the leak was really bad the oil level would drop quickly, you'd get smoke from the oil dripping onto the exhaust.
You are safe to drive it this way.
But I would start by snugging up the bolts, just good and snug, go by feel, you got this. Good and snug. You can always go back and snug again.

 

[Julian Stead]

Oil leaks above the exhaust manifolds is far from ideal. Agree to try and tighten them first, you might end up snapping some bolts though so be careful. Personally I would get it done, what is the point in waiting is my philosophy, if I am going to spend money I want to get the most use out of what I paid for. It probably won’t leak again in its lifetime. The big money saver would be to do it yourself and not to not do it at all.

If your not confident in doing the job, I would be cautious in tightening them yourself without a torque wrench. If you are mechanically minded then ok, but if your not then leave the bolts alone, some people just don’t have the experience and feel to tighten them without snapping these size bolts, especially when they have aged and have been loose.

 

[bigredmachine]

I would just replace them and do the spark plug tube seals at the same time.

 

[corkybuchek]

Sorry for such a late response.

Thank you to all that replied.
Decided I'll just take it in next week, $350ish isn't to bad, the gaskets are pretty soaked in oil on all sides and I'm certain i'll snap a few if i tighten (not that I won't try today).

Seems spark plugs are the logical thing to do with this job.... looks like I'll be cutting in the tax return a bit early this year.

Thanks all!

 

[Spike555]

Ok, so here is a question for all of you "snapping bolts" worriers, how is he going to snap the bolts unless he is reefing on them? Are they that cheap of a bolt? A reasonable person would see that the bolt was not turning and stop.
So how many of you have actually snapped off a valve cover bolt trying to tighten them?
Serious question, how many have you snapped off? I'm not saying it can't happen, it just seems to me that trying to remove them would be easier to snap because you're using more tourqe thinking it's juts a little stuck.

 

[bulax99]

I agree. Try tightening them first. When the cool weather came i noticed the burnt oil smell. A 10mm socket and 12" extension was all that was needed. All the bottom ones were alarmingly barely hand tight on mine. Tighten them up just until they feel "firm", clean off the lower part of the valve cover and drive. The smell on mine went to "barely there", but there is some residual oil still being burnt off.

 

[Travis351]

After they complete the job, inspect both sides closely to make sure they didn't skip the passenger side. I paid to have it done at a dealer in Orlando and 8 months later had oil in the spark plug wells. Upon closer inspection only readily visible the driver side was done.

 

[86Scotty]

I've been wrenching on cars for 20+ years and I've gotta say that too many people here recommend just tightening them up. These LC's are so reliable that stuff like this isn't getting touched until 200k or more. By then the gaskets have hardened to plastic and are beyond toast. I just did mine last weekend. $30 for the Fel-pro gaskets on Amazon and about an afternoon's work and now I know they are good. I don't think snapping bolts should be much of a worry. First, they aren't tight at all and second, if you're doing this they're all caked in oil and come right out. The driver's side is a bitch not relatively speaking not nearly as much of a pain as a lot of general maintenance. My problem was more dry-rotted vacuum hoses coming to pieces than anything else.

OP, I'd have it done for that price unless you just prefer to do your own maintenance like me. Don't waste your time tightening them with your mileage. Oh, and definitely do the plugs too. You're right there and they're cheap.

 

[Julian Stead]

Ok, so here is a question for all of you "snapping bolts" worriers, how is he going to snap the bolts unless he is reefing on them? Are they that cheap of a bolt? A reasonable person would see that the bolt was not turning and stop.
So how many of you have actually snapped off a valve cover bolt trying to tighten them?
Serious question, how many have you snapped off? I'm not saying it can't happen, it just seems to me that trying to remove them would be easier to snap because you're using more tourqe thinking it's juts a little stuck.

You have got to reread the post, I advised to use a torque wrench if you don’t wrench a lot. When people say tighten things up, then to some that means reefing on them as you put it, if they are already tight they think tightening them more is what is required to stop the leak. Is that understandable, you risk overtightening already tight bolts, unless your experienced. Let a apprentice do this and you will see him grab a breaker bar and snap away. Sounds mad but I have seen mistakes like this.

 

[corkybuchek]

I'll take it in and have em done, specifically got a quote for both sides, got colder down here and it really started becoming more and more pronounced. Better safe than sorry.

Thanks all!