I was getting oil in the valley's on the valve cover around my #4 sparkplug.

About a week ago I did a complete breather refresh using the ECS kit, Still oil around #4

A few days later I changed my oil cap gasket, Still oil.

And two days ago I resorted to going to the stealership and getting an updated oil cap and STILL oil around #4

My guess was that the cap was leaking but now starting to second the seal in the valve cover. Could it be coming out from the spark plug hole? I'm not blowing any smoke so I dont think it's a leak to the cylinder.

Thanks for the help as always!

 

Is there oil on the actual spark plug or just in the hole in the valve cover around where the plug goes? When's the last time the valve cover gasket was changed?

 

the gasket was changed I think it was less than a year ago.

But I *did* have someone change for me a leaky half moon seal a couple months ago. I don't remember if it was wet around the #4 opening before that or not.

I haven't pulled the plug yet to see if it's just on the vc or if it's down on the actual plug.

 

In that case, and since you aren't seeing exhaust smoke, my guess is that whomever changed that half moon seal did a **** job putting the valve cover back on. They might not have torqued the bolts properly, mis-installed the valve cover gasket, reused the old gasket, or all of the above. I would change the valve cover gasket(s) and see if that fixes the leak, I'm confident it will.

 

well, at least the half moons aren't leaking :P

He did it in my driveway and I know at least two out of 3 are true. There was not torque wrench involved in reinstalling the vc *and* the gaskets were reused.

ug.

Thanks for the help!

 

No worries man. Try using a THIN bead of RTV to help keep the gaskets from flopping around while you're reinstalling the VC, and re-tighten the bolts gradually in a symmetric pattern, kinda like doing lug bolts.

 

I've wondered about that.

I believe the manual says use dabs here and there in corners and bends around the vc. Do you recommend a thin bead all the way around and around the inner valve cover gasket?

 

I just gooped some onto my finger and then spread a real thin film over the gasket mating surface on the head. Not enough to that it slimes out all over the place, just enough to make the gasket stick to the head.