Oil Leak from Valve Cover

[WVSC]

I recently adjusted my valves for the first time. I used a PP kit and re-installed the valve covers with new gaskets and nuts. However, the valve cover on the bottom right side is now leaking oil. Any thoughts on stopping the leak? Do I need to get another new gasket and new nuts? Also, if I need to remove the valve cover, do I need to drain the new oil I just put in?

Thanks,

WVSC

[81 911 SC]

Check to make sure all the nuts are tightened properly. what kind of gaskets are you using?

[livi]

For the lower covers I think there will be quite a mess if you remove them without draining the oil first.

Seems the covers are sensitive to incorrect torquing. Not least if torqued to much and / or asymmetrically.

Maybe I would first try to re torque the nuts before doing it all over again.

Better informed than me will chip in shortly..

[WVSC]

Thanks. I was afraid of the mess... By re torque, should I losen slightly and then tighten to 6lbs? Or just tighten without losening?

[Gunter]

What year/type is your car? Do you use the improved turbo covers for the bottom?
If you are absolutely sure that the mating surfaces were clean before you put the gaskets on, tighten the nuts a little more than 6 ft-lbs.
If it still leaks, drain the 2-3 liters out of the sump. Remove the cover.
To check the cover for warping, put a large sheet of fine sand paper on a sheet of glass and gently slide the cover over the sand paper.
Check the high points. Are the marks even?
When re-installing, snug the nuts up a little, then do the final torque from the center out.
I torque a little more than 6 ft-lbs; 8mm nuts can take a little more.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

I have, oops, four questions:

What torque did you use? If less than 6 foot pounds I would re-torque using the correct pattern to 6 to 8 foot pounds.

Did you have any leaks prior to adjusting the valves?

Did you loosen the rocker arms when you adjusted the valves?

Did you re-use your old nuts or get new ones from Pelican?

Remember, I'm not an expert and I don't play one on TV either...

edited to add fourth question

[WVSC]

I have an 83SC

I did not have any leaks before the valve work

I used new nuts from Pelican... I think they were 13mm

I torqued in a diagonal pattern, first 4 then 6 lbs.

[WVSC]

Also, I do not believe I loosened the rocker arms. I just used the feeler gage per valve following the procedure described in one of the PP tech sheets and a video that I purchased on PP.

[Nostril Cheese]

If it's tightened correctly, perhaps the valve covers warped slightly?

In that case, you'd simply remove the valve cover and sand the mating edge?

[Early_S_Man]

The specific torque value of 72 in-lb, or 6 lb-ft , was not specified until the 'late' factory graphited gaskets with the incorporated green bead of silicone rubber came out around 1981. And that 6 lb-ft rating was first published in the '78 thru '81 SC Spec Book, dated 31 March 1981.

Up until that time, no torque value at all was specified in the spec books, and everyone just assumed 'hand-tight' wasn't going to rxceed the 'normal' M8 torque value of 18 lb-ft. And, of course ... the original cork gaskets tended to crack or squeeze out in all the wrong places!

If you look at a normal 'combination' wrench of the 10 mm size ... it is no longer than the width of your palm, so, if you do the opposite of 'choking up' on a baseball bat, that is ... snug your four fingers right up next to the box-end of a 13 mm combination wrench, and tighten the valve cover nuts with the wrench held that way, you won't over-torque the nuts, and you don't have to worry about buying a 1/4" drive torque wrench to measure 72 in-lb of torque! Why did I pick an 10 mm wrench? Because a normal DIN 8.8 M6 fastener uses a 7 lb-ft torque specification, that's why!

If the leaking valve cover is warped ... it can be sanded flat again on a piece of thick plate glass with water and a sheet of 400 grit or 600 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper. Be sure to clean thoroughly after sanding!

[WVSC]

O.K. So if I check the cover and it needs a little sanding and I do the sanding. Will I need a another new gasket and set of nuts?

[Gunter]

Depends on the condition of the gasket.
The nuts are "Nyloc" meaning: the nylon acts as a seal and locks the nut.
The Alu washers are designed to crush and thereby seal.
I have re-used the same ordinary gasket for the last 3 years (2-3 valve-adjust) because I do things a little different:
Many years of industrial applications taught me that any gasket will work as long as the mating surfaces are clean AND we lubed both sides of the gaskets with oil or antiseize.
Years ago, on my first valve adjust, I cleaned the surfaces real thorough, then I greased both sides of a regular gasket set with "Neverseize" and torqued from the center out.
With the antiseize on both sides of the gasket, you'll never have to worry about sticky old gaskets and cleaning the mating surfaces.
My bottom valve covers are the turbo ones and not warped.
And yes, I have at times re-used old washers and nuts.

[WVSC]

Thanks Gunter. As you can tell, I am new to all of this and really appreciate the information.

[smcdermaid]

One other note, if you jack the car up on the side that's leaking and let it stand for 15 mins or so, no need to drain the oil. The oil will flow to the low side and only a few drips will escape when you remove the cover.

[WVSC]

That's a great tip. Thanks

[88911coupe]

I just replaced my valve cover gaskets after addressing a "walking" rocker arm shaft. I considered using that copper anti seize spray on the new gasket but was not sure if that is appropriate. Any reason NOT to use that? So far no leaks but the car is rarely driven so hard to tell. In my case there was a ton of oil in the passages and below the covers so they had to have been leaking a lot, much more than just one slightly mis aligned rocker arm and I'd used the RSR seals when I rebuilt the engine few years ago.

[Nick Triesch]

Just re tighten the nuts again snug with your wrench. It takes a few times and the the leak will stop. Very commen. Don’t over think this. I have noticed that after a valve adjustment when I feel the nuts are tight, in a few days they are not again. Just re tighten them 3 or 4 times.

[larrym]

i fought this for over a year - block sanded the covers, tried si gskts etc - very frustrating

- you can find my posts here from a yr ago with all the usual "suggested solutions"

eventually i tried a different used cover - solved

postmortem - the leaking cover was not "warped" but at bottom corner it did have a "difference from parallel level" at the lower corner, so it was not making full contact there

very curious ??????? - only solution to that is put on on a mill and have it planed flat - about $40 at my machinist

[Nick Triesch]

How much do the new covers cost?

[larrym]

Originally Posted by Nick Triesch

How much do the new covers cost?

in the range of $100 ea new on ebayy - put a wtb on the Pelican classifieds - probly half that for a good used set - i tried to sell a pair here awhile ago for that & no takers