Valve covers leaking...
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,905
Likes: 1
Valve covers leaking...
Had duel springs,pushrods, and retainers installed(with a cam) about a month ago and no problem, today I get home from a short drive and there's smoke pouring from under the hood and out of the side "brake" ducts. I open the hood and smoke is coming from behind the intake and from the sides of the engine. I let it cool, check all fluids,everything is fine. I crank it back up, no smoke, short drive , no smoke, get it back into the garage, look a little closer and there's oil seeping out from my valve covers/heads connection. WTF?? I even drag raced this car 12 runs a few weeks ago and everthing was good. Anybody got any input. It'll be like two weeks before I can make it to my shop, and I tend to obsess with things like this. 1) why would smoke come from behind the intake if it's the valve covers gaskets leaking, 2) why not happen when car is under alot of stress,i.e.drag racing 3) WTF???Is there a better valve cover gasket/sealant out there?
Thanks for any help/advice so this won't happen again.
Thanks for any help/advice so this won't happen again.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,762
Likes: 4
From: Chandler Arizona
I'd pull the coils and then check the valve cover center bolts to make sure they are tight. If they are, then pull the valve cover and take a look at the gasket. I've never heard of one leaking, but maybe one got nicked during the cam install.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,905
Likes: 1
Well. both sides are leaking, so I think the nick is out, but I'll try to tighten down. Is it safe to drive it any distance with this issue? I'd hate to see the car burn to the ground or blow the heads.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,642
Likes: 9
From: Dalllas/Ft Worth Area TX
Retorque the valve covers and wash off and then test drive and watch closely for leaks. I have had to retorque valve covers on other cars because of initial heat on gaskets after reinstall. Leave the cover off over the coils so you can check covers easily. Good luck.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,905
Likes: 1
Wow...so you're saying that if it just the valve covers, then the oil thats seeping out could start a fire?? I thought it'd just smoke a bunch and "evaporate". If it's not just the valve covers gaskets, then anyone think of what could've made the engine have enough pressure to pop the gaskets? I went out today and torqued down all the valve cover bolts, a few were loose on both sides and I didn't have a torque rating to go by fro those bolts, so I just tightened them pretty well, not to being able to move them , but better than before. I'm a little bothered tomove it, now though, with fire possible. I drove 65 miles with oil spilling from my head gaskets in my 2000 TA and didn't get fire, but don't want to risk it either. 
I'm thinking of taking the car out to see if I can duplicate the smoke, but then I think I'd feel it's be too disabled to make it to the shop in a couple of weeks.....AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!
I'm thinking of taking the car out to see if I can duplicate the smoke, but then I think I'd feel it's be too disabled to make it to the shop in a couple of weeks.....AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,905
Likes: 1
Is it in a place i can check it from up top? I've been as under the car as I can without a lift and there's no oild leaks or fluid leaks of any kind. The oil and all the other fluid levels are fine and no other traces of oil other than just right along the line between the valve covers and heads.There was a ton of smoke, but very little fluid remained after I turned it off to look for the source.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,905
Likes: 1
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,905
Likes: 1
The only oil related thing I can even think of is it has just over 1000 miles and I haven't done the first oil change yet. There is a little darkness to the oil, but I've heard thats normal for the first oil in it.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,647
Likes: 1
From: Objects in your mirror are losing , Long Island, NY
St. Jude Donor '08
Good advice''' Same thing happened to a mustang I used to own that was heavily modified with a blower, the valve cover leaked hot oil causing the plastic inlet blower tube that was near the valve cover to go on fire, luckily I had a fire extinguisher handy. No damage to the anything else since I caught it on time, but if i didn't have the extinguisher, bye bye car...
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,905
Likes: 1
Alright....I found the issue, and thanks for all the input, but we were all WAY off....lol....The O2 sensor couplers had melted to both of the high flow cats. When they got hot, the smoke appeared to come up from around the heads and from behind the intake. I'm such a dumb@$$, I should've lifted the car before today, but it all appeared to be from the top end. Now I just hope I didn't pop the valve cover gaskets when I torqued them down, but it appears I didn't. Man, I 'm kinda glad I'm obsessive, but crawing under a vette with nothing but a floor jack can take a toll on your back,lol. My tools were a butter knife(for prying, removal of toasted coupler)zip ties and snips(to cut zip ties).
thanks again for all the input,guys....at least I know all that other stuff is cool....
thanks again for all the input,guys....at least I know all that other stuff is cool....
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,647
Likes: 1
From: Objects in your mirror are losing , Long Island, NY
St. Jude Donor '08
Alright....I found the issue, and thanks for all the input, but we were all WAY off....lol....The O2 sensor couplers had melted to both of the high flow cats. When they got hot, the smoke appeared to come up from around the heads and from behind the intake. I'm such a dumb@$$, I should've lifted the car before today, but it all appeared to be from the top end. Now I just hope I didn't pop the valve cover gaskets when I torqued them down, but it appears I didn't. Man, I 'm kinda glad I'm obsessive, but crawing under a vette with nothing but a floor jack can take a toll on your back,lol. My tools were a butter knife(for prying, removal of toasted coupler)zip ties and snips(to cut zip ties).
thanks again for all the input,guys....at least I know all that other stuff is cool....
thanks again for all the input,guys....at least I know all that other stuff is cool....
