Valve cover leaking like crazy when car is jacked up?

[oregonmon]

Trying to install my smog pump for inspection, so I jack up the driver's side with jack pad. I get under the car and the passenger side valve cover (this is the valve cover leaking right?) is dripping oil consistently. It looked like oil was coming from through the bolts too. I knew I had a leak over there that was dripping on the heat exchanger but it wasn't leaking like this cold and level.
What should I try, I tightened them a bit to see if that helps, do they leak more if too loose or too tight? I don't have a torque wrench.
Gonna take a pic.

[oregonmon]

This oil was dripping quickly I'm assuming is the valve cover seem, you can't really see in this picture.
I've heard the recommended upgrade is turbo valve covers for these. Is this the reason?

[jasonlee]

I would suggest pulling the lower valve covers and installing some new gaskets. Also invest in a torque wrench. If you have not already upgraded to turbo valve covers, now would be good time. They don't warp as easily as stock.

[carrera turbo]

thats alot of oil from just jacking the car, i would look at the oil return tubes and see if they are leaking (maybe collapsible type) past the o-rings and on to the bottom of the covers.

cheers ed

[oregonmon]

I'm thinking this problem has been made more apparent when I last changed my oil with Chevron 5w-20. Not the right oil, this could have made this worse I think.

[Barrpete]

Looks like you already have turbo valve covers:

[tcar]

Originally Posted by oregonmon

upgrade is turbo valve covers for these. Is this the reason?

Those ARE turbo valve covers.

They have already been upgraded.

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by oregonmon

I'm thinking this problem has been made more apparent when I last changed my oil with Chevron 5w-20. Not the right oil, this could have made this worse I think.

Yes, considering the proper oil is 20W50 and as much zinc and phosphorous as you can get, that could be some of it.

[PDACPA]

How can you distinguish between the turbo and non-turbo valve covers? I was planning on doing mine, but have no idea if mine had been upgraded or not.

[Flieger]

Turbos have the webbing- egg-crate like boxed webbing reinforcement. Early Magnesium covers just have a few fins/ribs.

[RWebb]

be sure the covers are flat - you can put coarse sandpaper on a flat sheet of glass and rub them on that until the ENTIRE margin is shiny - clean really carefully

use new Nylock nuts - Wayne sells a full kit for this

clean all the old oil off the surfaces and check again after your oil change - see if that got the leak & if not where is the oil originating

- if you're in PDX, then Steve W. will sell you some Brad Penn oil

torque wrench not a big help on the valve covers - is your wrist calibrated?

tighten in a criss-cross pattern, from center out, & do it in stages

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by Barrpete

Looks like you already have turbo valve covers:

Barrpete is correct. That exhaust cover shown in the picture is the turbo valve exhaust cover. You need a new set of valve gaskets and hardwares. Also check the mating surfaces. They should be cleaned well and remove old gasket deposit on the mating areas.

Tony

[Barrpete]

Originally Posted by PDACPA

How can you distinguish between the turbo and non-turbo valve covers? I was planning on doing mine, but have no idea if mine had been upgraded or not.

As Flieger said the turbo covers have big reinforcing ribs on the outside. This tech article has pics of both turbo/non-turbo. There's no mistaking the difference.

Pelican Technical Article: 911 Upgrade to Turbo Valve Covers

[Drisump]

Do you go through a lot of oil? Seems to me, that it can't possibly be only from jacking.I'm thinking that the oil is "hung up" somewhere and when you jacked it up, it runs out of it's pooling place. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to me that if it leaks that much when it's on a minor angle, it will positively pour out while running.

[oregonmon]

Just recently I noticed smoke after driving and it sure seemed it was from dripping on the exchangers. But not anything to speak of on the garage floor. Thanks for the good news that I have the turbo valve covers. Now I guess the gaskets are bad.

[oregonmon]

I don't think this is return tubes. Could the lower weight oil make this much of a difference but all along the gaskets were in need of changing?
Thanks again for your feedback.

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by Drisump

Do you go through a lot of oil? Seems to me, that it can't possibly be only from jacking.I'm thinking that the oil is "hung up" somewhere and when you jacked it up, it runs out of it's pooling place. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to me that if it leaks that much when it's on a minor angle, it will positively pour out while running.

I agree, check on the topside of the engine towards the front, on top of the cooling tin. If your top valve cover is leaking a lot, or your OIL FILTER, or a breather tube, then maybe there's a pool of oil up there and it's leaking through a seam in the cooling tin when you jack the car up.

[RWebb]

there are several leak prone items on top of the case, but if the motor is dirty you can't tell

chg oil, fix the valve covers, clean & check as per above

[carrera turbo]

thats alot of oil to be leaking out of the valve covers from just tilting the car over, i would think it would leak worse while running. pull the plug wires and look down into the spark plug holes and see if the oil leaked out of the rocker shafts and into the area where the plug seats? this is the only area that i can think that would allow oil to pool up. there is no place on the top of the motor that would hold oil as the case isnt very flat any where really.


cheers ed

[pwd72s]

Are those reused nuts? I see oil dripping off the studs. The fasteners for valve covers are designed to be one use items...