How often do valve cover gaskets go bad?

[Venom351R]

So Im fed up with my oil leak and have decided that Im going to fix this issue once and for all. I did discover oil today which appeared to be coming from the valve cover, it was pooled up between the bolts on the upper intake. I also took pics of what it looks like under the car, you can see the oily sheen on the parts in the pics. Is it possible that my valve cover gasket is leaking and its dripping down onto the transmission and then onto the ground? It drops oil on two spots on the garage floor, one directly below the transmission where the oil pan and transmission are and another spot that is further to the drivers side which would appear to be coming from the driver side valve cover area if it were to directly drip from there off the engine block

 

[Grn92LX]

Get rubber reinforced vc gaskets. They will last a while. Mine are trickflow but they're probably just repackaged fel pro's.

 

[revhead347]

The reinforced metal rubber ones are awesome. I think they are about $52/set, but it's well worth it, because they are reusable. You also don't put any silicone on them. They don't work with certain heads, and I'm not sure if they work with AFRs. I know they don't work on my Canfields. If you can't use them with your AFR heads, then get a set of Felpro VS13264R. Felpro only offers cork gaskets for late model SBFs. But you can use the rubber ones I listed, and cut the nubbies off, and the work fine.

Kurt

 

[Venom351R]

What about these?


Ford Racing M-6584-A50 - Ford Racing Valve Cover Gaskets - Overview - SummitRacing.com

 

[Grn92LX]

I use these, they are cheaper along with arp ss studs

Trick Flow Specialties TFS-51400941 - Trick Flow® Valve Cover Gaskets - Overview - SummitRacing.com

 

[Venom351R]

Nice. Im going to clean that oil up on the intake by the valve cover and any down on the transmission then take it for a ride and see if it pools up on the intake again and if its dripping down on that side of the transmission

 

[Venom351R]

Well I ordered the Ford Racing ones b/c the Trickflow ones were on back order until the end of september.

 

[Venom351R]

I just confirmed that it was in fact the drivers side valve cover. I wiped all the oil off that had pooled up on the intake (in the picture) and cleaned up the transmission. Took it for a spin and came back and it was leaking down the drivers side of the trans and the oil was back where it was before on the intake coming from that valve cover.

 

[MysteryMachine]

Sounds like a hell of a VC leak. Hope this fixes your problem

 

[Venom351R]

well its either coming from that valve cover or up from the intake and I had checked the bolts and they are all tight on the intake.


Could this spot on the head be a reason for why the valve cover is leaking? I discovered it when I took the VC's off. It is on the drivers side, the one that was leaking.

also the ones I took off did not appear to be the re useable rubber ones. They were very hard and stiff and the valve covers had been replaced at the same time the TFSR intake was put on when this whole issue started.

 

[bayellowstang]

I would bet it is. Looks like impact damage. I would try to get a honing stone in there and smooth it off.

 

[Venom351R]

what about filling that indentation with JB weld then sanding it flush with a honing stone?

 

[final5-0]

what about filling that indentation with JB weld then sanding it flush with a honing stone?

Exactly my first thought

even before

I scrolled down to your post about it

OEM vc's work really good and you can use em over & over & over

Grady

 

[Venom351R]

I picked up some JB weld and some really rough sand paper 60grit b/c I could not find a honing stone at walmart. It should do the job. I'll start working on it later this week or friday when Im off from work all day.

 

[timeless2]

Valve cover oil leaks stink...literally. So embarrassing to have a nice car, come to a stop & park, and have light oil smoke & haze seep from underhood.

 

[bayellowstang]

That should take care of it. The only reason I said about a stone is it will absorb most of the shavings.

 

[Venom351R]

Valve cover oil leaks stink...literally. So embarrassing to have a nice car, come to a stop & park, and have light oil smoke & haze seep from underhood.

That happened the last time I went to the track, pulled in and smoke came rolling out of the cowl in the hood and even in through the vents inside the car. Usually its not that bad but the long interstate trip made it worse

 

[MysteryMachine]

Was that like that when you bought them?

 

[revhead347]

You're more ambitious than I am. I would have just filled the gap with a wad of black silicone.

Kurt

 

[Venom351R]

Was that like that when you bought them?

They were on the car long before I bought it. I have no idea how that damged happened

You're more ambitious than I am. I would have just filled the gap with a wad of black silicone.

Kurt

Ive been dealing with this for 2 years now and it looks like I finally figured out the source of the oil leak. Im going to make sure its done right


Put some JB weld on the bad spot tonight, there was actually another small ding further down toward the front of the engine. I'll let it dry tonight and tomorrow and sand it down tomorrow night when I get home from work