Does anyone have leaky valve covers?? I'm using chrome covers and aftermarket heads and I can seem to get them to quit leaking. I can feel oil on the back of the head on both sides, where the cover meets the head. I can see oil dripping (very slow) off the starter and dropping on to the exhaust. I also see oil on the dust cover on the bottom of the bell housing. Can the oil from the valve cover leak be slowly running down the heads, down the block, down to the dust cover? I haven't taken the dust cover off yet, I'm kinda nervous about maybe the main seal......Thoughts or ideas????

 

Well, you might have more than one leak of course.
But if you can feel it's wet between the valve covers and heads, then that's a good place to start.
Leaky valve covers are pretty common.
You have hydraulic lifters i'm assuming?
Grab a new gasket set, and some RTV. Remove your old covers, and clean both the head and cover surface. Scrub it good now, use brake kleen at the end. Then lay a layer of RTV on the head surface where the covers will be going. Then lay down the gaskets, then lay another layer of RTV on it, and set the covers on. Then let it sit for 10 minutes to set up. Then tightn it a BIT. Don't over tighten it, that'll warp your covers and you'll never get it to stop leaking. Like 10"-lbs or something weak.
Then spray down the back of the motor with a hose or something, if you can. Give it a few days, and see if the leak comes back.

 

thanks for the reply sonix. I think I over tightened the gaskets. They are brand new (cork). I was having trouble with the brand new gaskets that I did have on there. They were teflon rubber tipe gaskets, had little grooves running through it and were very stiff, damn expensive too. Like 25 dollars for the pair. Leaked too though. Now I tried the cork gaskets and I have oil leaking everywhere and both heads. I guess I cracked the cork?

 

or have warped covers.
But they're new?

Just use a lot of RTV, leave it finger tight for the RTV to set up. Then retighten it a bit later. There's basically no pressure there, so you just need to goop it up. Once place where excess RTV is a good thing.

 

its not good to overtighten the cover,
but it wont hurt to put too much oil resistance RTV around the gasket,
I always use the black colored 'maximum oil resistance' peace and
never leaked out of the cover.

i would double check the oil isnt splashing out of the dist. housing too.

good luck

 

You might also check the oil pressure sending unit.

We bought a 1969 Chevelle that supposedly had a bad rear main seal. The rear main was fine, but the sending unit wasn't even finger tight.

 

I'm having similar problems with my wife's Mercury Montego. IMO your problem is the chrome. Scuff up the mating surface on the valvle covers. I wouldn't use RTV, let the gasket do it's job. If I'd use anything it would be a spray on gasket sealer.

 

Well, I RTVed (black) the crap out of the covers and I still see spots under the rear of the engine. I can feel no oil at the rear of the heads and around the covers.
But, I can see a the oil SLOWLY drip off the dust cover under the tranny. What now?

 

im havin the same oil prob but its not my valve covers.....how do i tightn the sending unit in rear of engine without taken motor apart?
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pm me if anybody knows how to do it.........thanks