My LC has oil on top of the valve cover, all around the spark plug wire boots. Where can that possibly be coming from?
Where is this oil coming from? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter quicktodoze
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Picture? Sounds like residue from the PCV hose but if there is truly "lots" of oil, something else is wrong, perhaps loose oil cap or oil cap with loose gasket, someone who had majorly missed when filling with oil and it got it all around, loose spark plugs (less likely). A picture would be worth, well, a thousand of my words! HTH 
could be the PCV valve, gromet or one of the two hoses or the cap but also could be the spark plug tube seals, if it is cooming from a particualr area that is your leak, if it is all over the place and hard to tell where it is coming from then you need to clean the area and then see where it shows up again first
Is it the hole length or loaclized? Is it only on the cover? I agree a pic would help. Mine has a leak at the valve cover seal and I will be fixing it this week (and checking valves). Check the lines and hoses around it. I don't think any carry oil, but itr might help detect a spary pattern and that might help you find it. Wipe everything down good, start it up and see what you can see. If that doesn't work, take it for a short spin, keep checking over days tell you find it (may take several days of normal driving)
- Thread starter
- #5
here ya go.
This is what I mean.
This is what I mean.
- Thread starter
- #6
A little closer.
Pull the worse Plug cap and see if there is oil on the side of the rubber. Pull a plug and look at it. If there looks like there is oil there, its probably those round seals for the pulgs. You will need to pull your valve cover, replace the plugs seals and might as well replace the valve cover seal.
From the pic showing the sparg plug boot removed, it looks like ther is oil on the metal where the boot covers it when down. Let me know if that is wrong. I could be wrong, I am sure others will chime in.
BTW - That job will cost about $225 at a shop or about $40 if you do it yourself. If you do it yourself, be careful if you have to climb up to work on it. The radiator has a small hose going through a plastic fitting near the top thats easy to break. If you break it (I did) you have to replace the whole radiator.
This is also a good time to check the valves and adjust if needed.
Edit: that second photo is a great shot. Looks like oil coming up the plug hole. Another thought, if your plugs are real loose, maybe that would do it, not sure it would work with them that loose though!
From the pic showing the sparg plug boot removed, it looks like ther is oil on the metal where the boot covers it when down. Let me know if that is wrong. I could be wrong, I am sure others will chime in.
BTW - That job will cost about $225 at a shop or about $40 if you do it yourself. If you do it yourself, be careful if you have to climb up to work on it. The radiator has a small hose going through a plastic fitting near the top thats easy to break. If you break it (I did) you have to replace the whole radiator.
This is also a good time to check the valves and adjust if needed.
Edit: that second photo is a great shot. Looks like oil coming up the plug hole. Another thought, if your plugs are real loose, maybe that would do it, not sure it would work with them that loose though!
have you cleaned it off before...does it reappear after you clean it off....do you change your own oil...if not maybe they spilt oil since it is not only on the valve cover but on the hoses as well...looks like someone at the oil change place got a little happy with the oil gun
the #2 PCV hose (left in the first pic) has soem arround its base, I dont think it coudl account for all that oil though, just in case take a look and see if it is cracked, mine was, made a slight stain arround its base,
also curous as to why the oil is on the hoses, looks fresh. did they get dripped on as you were working?
just out of curiosit why did you remove the upper intake? head work?
nice pic of where the harness passes by the ERG pipe.
also curous as to why the oil is on the hoses, looks fresh. did they get dripped on as you were working?
just out of curiosit why did you remove the upper intake? head work?
nice pic of where the harness passes by the ERG pipe.
- Thread starter
- #11
I pulled the plugs and they all look good. There's no wet oil inside the spark plug tubes, except for what dripped down the side when I pulled the valve cover off (which is why the PCV hoses have fresh oil on them too). There is, however, a dried oil ring near the top inside of the tube, most clearly on #6. I'll try to get a pic tomorrow.
There's oil all around the top of the spark plug seals. At least I think that's what it's called - it's the grommet on the inside of the valve cover spark plug holes. And yes Romer it's under the spark plug boot. It's gotta be those seals around the spark plug holes in the valve cover.
I cleaned it off about a month ago, when I was eyeing my throttle body to get an idea about cleaning it. At the time, I just thought it was from my leaky valve cover, I didn't think anything about the oil actually being on top of the valve cover, as opposed to running down the sides. Oh well.
There's oil all around the top of the spark plug seals. At least I think that's what it's called - it's the grommet on the inside of the valve cover spark plug holes. And yes Romer it's under the spark plug boot. It's gotta be those seals around the spark plug holes in the valve cover.
I cleaned it off about a month ago, when I was eyeing my throttle body to get an idea about cleaning it. At the time, I just thought it was from my leaky valve cover, I didn't think anything about the oil actually being on top of the valve cover, as opposed to running down the sides. Oh well.
- Thread starter
- #12
No leakage from the oil cap and I do my own changes so any spills get wiped up immediately.
Raven, you're right about the PCV hose having a crack. There's seepage around the base, but not nearly enough to cause all this.
And to answer the last question, I'm doing a bunch of stuff at once actually. I took the upper intake manifold off so that I could get to the VSV because I threw a P0401 last week and I'm changing the VSV, EGR modulator, and EGR valve. I'm also changing the PHH and cleaning the throttle body.
So what does it take to replace those seals in the valve cover?
Raven, you're right about the PCV hose having a crack. There's seepage around the base, but not nearly enough to cause all this.
And to answer the last question, I'm doing a bunch of stuff at once actually. I took the upper intake manifold off so that I could get to the VSV because I threw a P0401 last week and I'm changing the VSV, EGR modulator, and EGR valve. I'm also changing the PHH and cleaning the throttle body.
So what does it take to replace those seals in the valve cover?
just remove the valve cover, pry the old seals out, I uses a t-seal puller,they are in there pretty good. clean the seal seats with solvent, aply a light bit of sealant where the seal meats the valve cover and lightly pound them by settign the seal in place then a short piece of wood flat on that to distribute the load and hammer them in until flush
replace the valve cover gasket also, wile you are in there check valve clearance.
the #2 PCV hose I use 3/8" fule line, very tight fit, it was probably suppose to be 10MM line. use as short as possible without kinking as too long it will rub on the underside of the hood
replace the valve cover gasket also, wile you are in there check valve clearance.
the #2 PCV hose I use 3/8" fule line, very tight fit, it was probably suppose to be 10MM line. use as short as possible without kinking as too long it will rub on the underside of the hood
1. Call CDan
2. Order Valve cover gasket, valve cover spark plug hole gaskets, pcv hoses.
3. Order FSM if you don't have one....
4. Take an afternoon and replace the items in #1.
It's easy, Skeddy and I just pulled it off, plus a valve check/adjust in about 5 hours.
-H-
2. Order Valve cover gasket, valve cover spark plug hole gaskets, pcv hoses.
3. Order FSM if you don't have one....
4. Take an afternoon and replace the items in #1.
It's easy, Skeddy and I just pulled it off, plus a valve check/adjust in about 5 hours.
-H-
- Thread starter
- #15
I think I have it fixed up. The valve cover gasket and the spark plug tube gap seals were definitely leaking. I had a hell of a time getting the spark plug tube gap seals out but they finally worked loose.
The biggest pain by far this weekend was the PHH. The hose clamp nearest to the block was oriented up towards the lower intake, so getting any kind of tools in there to grab it was a nightmare. Then getting a new one back on... I don't think the word "Pesky" quite covers this one! My forearms are torn to shreds. What finally helped, in addition to heating the new hose up in boiling water and using plenty of dish soap, was stretching and working it open with a pair of needle nose pliers. I put the hose over the end of the pliers and pulled and twisted and pulled some more on the plier's handles until the hose loosened up a little. After that, it finally went on without too much difficulty.
Anyway, she's back together and running fine.
Thanks to all!
The biggest pain by far this weekend was the PHH. The hose clamp nearest to the block was oriented up towards the lower intake, so getting any kind of tools in there to grab it was a nightmare. Then getting a new one back on... I don't think the word "Pesky" quite covers this one! My forearms are torn to shreds. What finally helped, in addition to heating the new hose up in boiling water and using plenty of dish soap, was stretching and working it open with a pair of needle nose pliers. I put the hose over the end of the pliers and pulled and twisted and pulled some more on the plier's handles until the hose loosened up a little. After that, it finally went on without too much difficulty.
Anyway, she's back together and running fine.
Thanks to all!
quick, any tips on removing the sprak plug tube seals? I'm about to tackle this in a few weeks, or when it's above freezing.
- Thread starter
- #17
I used a T seal puller at first, but only succeeded in breaking off pieces of the inner edge of the seals. They were hard, like they were made of ceramic or something, not soft like a normal seal. They're stuck in there really good, too, which is why it was only breaking the seal and not actually pulling it out.
There's a metal ring around the outside of the seal (which, conveniently, I couldn't get under it with the seal puller) so what finally worked for me was to hammer and chisel that ring a little bit, enough to create a lip and then take a pair of pliers and twist and turn and pull and finally it would come out.
That's the only way I could get it out. Maybe someone will chime in on a better way.
Nic
There's a metal ring around the outside of the seal (which, conveniently, I couldn't get under it with the seal puller) so what finally worked for me was to hammer and chisel that ring a little bit, enough to create a lip and then take a pair of pliers and twist and turn and pull and finally it would come out.
That's the only way I could get it out. Maybe someone will chime in on a better way.
Nic
Rookie2 said:
are you looking for a picture of the seals? took a bunck of pictures wile I had the valve ocver off but still cannot get to them, Dam Epox
