Oil leak from valve cover

[brtb]

'88, 4.0 with 117k mi, got some oil coming out from under the valve cover on the fuel-rail side... think I should take the opportunity and take off the cover (and CCV hoses) and clean it all out? Dad thinks it's too much trouble, I'm just inviting more problems, and I should just make sure all the bolts are torqued down.

[ThePhantum]

I would...just remove the cover and clean both mating surfaces thoroughly. Make sure that the mating surface on the cover are flat and clean...if it is warped or bent in any way, then get a new cover.

Install a new gasket (I'm not sure if yours takes a cork gasket or not...if it is cork than apply a thin, even film of gasket sealer to both side of the gasket) and re-install the cover.

Put all the bolts back hand tight and slowly tourqe the cover back down to specs using the correct bolt pattern. You can find the right pattern in the service manual or in Chiltons/Haynes(I dont have my Service Manual in front of me). Tighten one bolt a little (5-10ft/lb increments) then move on to the next bolt and slowly get it tourqed down. Don't torque 'em down right away or you'll warp the cover and it leak even worse.

Rock On!

[Ghost]

The valve cover use In-Lb torque by the way.

[ThePhantum]

Yeah...you're right...the cover would be inch pounds.....I'm in the process of building an engine...so I'm thinking in ft/lbs....brain fart....

[truckeejeeper]

I had the same problem. Its so little oil though I dont really worry about it. I would try just tightening them up a bit and see if they've gotten loose at all before redoing it? Thats what I did. It seems ok now.

- TJ