JuddW3

I bought a 89 C4 with L98. It has after market valve covers with a push plug that leak, I think the covers could be from a camaro. I find oil on valve covers and around plug. Any Ideas on what would be good valve covers for it?

Joe C

seems to me, we've addressed this issue before - when you say "push-in plug," are you referring to the PCV grommets, and is that what's leaking? if you indeed have GM Camaro VC's, and if in overall good condition, they should be fine. I'd suggest getting a set of quality VC gaskets (fel-pro perma-dry) and GM factory grommets, correct for those VC's.

BTW, this looks like your first post - welcome to the forum!

jimmers

x2 on the Fel Pro gaskets!
Welcome to the forum

JuddW3

Thanks for the welcome. The gaskets are not leaking. The oil filler plug is leaking and PCV grommets that you mentioned is leaking too.

JuddW3

Here's a pic from the other side.

John A. Marker

Is the oil fill plug push in or does it twist? It it twists, then add a gasket (you can make you own). If it is push in then suggest you get a new push in plug, the original is probably hard and does not seal anymore.

You could clean around the PCV grommet and add a little silicone under it to seal it.

Joe C

I knew we've addressed this same problem, same engine, but different member --

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...c-leaking.html

WW7

My pcv grommets were also leaking with my Proform valve covers , a little silicon solved my leak..First you have to clean off any oil, put a little silicon in the grove of the grommet, push it in, wipe off excess, let dry......WW

John A. Marker

Joe C ....... Interesting.....same problem.....same engine picture.......

Once in a while I have to step back and ask myself....are these people real? No common sense on how to repair anything or go to the basics....in my day a book and now the internet to help in your solution.

Your link to the other post and other member .... looking at the profile....retired.....here to help his son. Guessing that this post is son. At least the Dad took the time to fill out a profile. So the problem is not solved or the son doesn't want to listen to solutions.

JrRifleCoach

Oh they are very real John. In general (not flaming the OP) there is a whole generation if not two that have no idea what end of the screw driver to hold. My nephew is one of these where Dad never took the time to engage him in the basics. Like how to use an open end wrench!

Our "throw away" society and lack of basic education/parenting will be our downfall.

WW7

I have 2 "son in laws" that couldn't even check their own oil when they met my daughters ..Thank goodness I taught my girls how to do basic automotive tasks so they can at least check tire pressure and fluid levels......WW

wolfer

My son has always changed his own oil and greased his car however newer cars do not require as much maintenence as cars of my generation. However you should applaud him he is trying to learn. I have a question I have never seen two pvc valves before. Could this be the reason it is blowing oil on top of both valve covers? Is this a vacuum line that is going to the passenger side pvc valve? I am used to seeing a filter on the passenger side valve cover instead. The photos above show what I am talking about. I have not had to work on cars for a long time myself. Never had the pleasure to work on a corvette my last old car was a 1966 SS Chevelle when I got out of the Army in 1971.

cv67

Work on a C4 enough youll really miss the Chevelle

wolfer

I now have two projects my son's corvette and yesterday I bought a 94 ford f-350 project truck.

Cliff Harris

Sometimes people borrow pictures, so what you're looking at might not be what the original poster actually has.

I was rather surprised to find one of my pictures posted in the C4 section of Facebook...

crowz

Yep very common. Googling the first alpine fold out display radio only returns pictures of the radio I had in my 86 coupe and I mean MY radio

crowz

Well scratch that. I actually found a ton that aren't the one from my car now. When I googled the model a few years ago I kept finding nothing but people who used the pics of the one my car claiming it was theirs.

wolfer

You guys have turned this post into a mystery story. I originally made a post to find out why my son's valve covers were leaking thru the oil fill and pvc openings running down the valve covers and smelling like oil when he stopped and shut the engine off. Yes he is new to working on cars and yes I was too busy when he was growing up to help him much as I was a truck driver and gone alot. Now I am retired. I have time to help him. I use several forums for help on different subjects but he has never used a forum. Now he probably never will again. Thanks to all of you that are discrediting our posts because we used the same photos that I took of his car. All we wanted to know is if someone had a clue to the oil leak he still has. I recently asked about the second pvc valve on the passenger valve cover coming from what I believe is called a plennum(not sure I only grew up with carbs not fuel injection.) No one gave me a clear answer. but only discussed photos of cars stolen online. Thanks

John A. Marker

There is usually only a single PCV in the system. That does not mean that a previous owner didn't add one for some reason. There should be one coming from the valve cover and go to the throttle body your picture of the passenger's side of the engine. There should be and additional line from the other valve cover that ties into the intake manifold. If there is an additional PCV added, I don't see that as a major issue. The PCV is nothing more than a valve with a light weight spring that opens when there is pressure inside the valve cover. It would close if there was a backfire to prevent flames from entering the pan with all the vaporized oil which would result in damage to the engine. You are old school like myself and can remember when there were not PCV, but a pipe coming off the rear of the engine leading to the ground that released all the built up pressure in the pan. This changed to the PCV once the EPA got involved with our cars and said we could not have this just going into the air. So the PCV was invented so the oil vapor was sucked back into the engine usually at the base of the carb and burned. It has never been indicated if the PCV has been changed out for a new one. If the PCV is bad, it would allow pressure to build up and force small amounts of oil from any area that does not have a solid seal....such as the grommets in the covers. Possible solution is to remove the grommets, clean off the cover and the grommet with a solvent and re-install using a little silicone in the grommet groove. Silicone has to sit 24 hours to set. The other possibility is that you have blow by from a cylinder or two from a tired engine. You could do a compression check, the cylinders should be within 10 pounds of each other. If you do the compression check and find that a cylinder or two are low, then the engine is acting like a air pump and adding pressure to the lower part of the engine (oil pan). The pressure builds and has to find an exit to release this pressure. The air in the pan is filled with oil mist and will be carried by the air as it releases the pressure the any exit it may find. That is were your oil running down the covers could be coming from. If you PVC is not functioning properly, it only multiplies the problem.

It is a good thing if you can pass on your knowledge about cars and engines to your son. Not enough of this is done today.

Many of us have been on this Forum for years and try to contribute our experiences and knowledge to those that ask for help. We find that the posts are asking for help with a problem. For every 1000 posts here there is one that says...hey guys there is nothing wrong with my car and I just wanted to let you know. Some of the members here are more adapt at making a good valid diagnosis and providing a solution than others. Unfortunately it is up to the original poster to sort thru the answers and apply what they feel is the solution. Often it is not a easy thing to provide a solution given the limited amount of information that we receive about the problem.

You are new here, so you should realize that we have people that post just to stir up problems and waste the time of members here that are here to help. They make a post and then disappear in the wind. Your son makes a similar post to your initial post (no city or state tied to the post by your son) using the same pictures. Our first impression is TROLL for the second post. Wolfer, your post was given solutions and you interacted with those that posted possible solutions. Your son makes a couple of additional posts of pictures, but never a response to the link to your post and solutions given there. Nor is there a response that he has tried any of the suggestions given.

Corvette40

One side should be PCV, and the other side should be CCV - Crank Case Ventilation, which goes to the throttle body. From the pictures above, it's plumbed right.

I have the same valve covers and the same problem. I tried a few sets of grommets till I found a set that fit the best, went to the hardware store and got brass bushing/caps that had a little cup at one side that the PCV valve and vent tube fit in, and that fit tighter in the grommet. They still leak. I have 1.6 rockers so there ain't many easy options.