3.6 lower valve cover gasket replacement

[mercman]

Hello:

I noticed my car gave me an oily christmas present on the garage floor. I understand valve cover gasket leaks are quite common on 3.6's and have done a bit of reading on the subject.

Anyone here have any experience? I'm not much of a wrench but getting better with each project.

Any sage advice from veterans of this repair would be greatly appreciated.

Thx,

Rob

[mpetry]

Resist the urge to fix the problem with silicone goop. It won't help.

First you have to find out what is leaking! Is there oil all over the heat exchangers, indicating a leaky valve cover gasket ? Or something else?

If it's the valve cover gasket, you can easily replace them, and be sure to use new hardware (nylock nuts and washers). I very carefully tighten the nylock nuts so as to compress, but not pinch, the gasket, and then I check them after a couple drives.

If you've got a leak coming from somewhere else - such as the thermostat or oil pressure switch - then it's a more involved fix.

So - the question for you is - where is it leaking ? Get in there with your flashlight and find the source of the leak.

[mercman]

Thanks. Definitely from the lower valve cover. It was a bit wet this summer (no dripping), but now weeps while in storage. Above the cover it's bone dry.

[Buckterrier]

I have a small leak also appears to be around one of the nuts. I think the OEM valve covers are a composite type plastic & prone to warping.