Valve cover leaking?

[MadDawg]

I parked my car on steep incline in someones driveway the other day, and left it running, and noticed as i peered back into the car, i smelled a burning smell, and the temp was 3/4 up..... so i popped the hood and didnt see the radiator fan not on.... so i turned it off cause i figured a sensor wasnt working with the radiator....

well, the other day, me and my dad were driving around, and yet again, on a steep incline, i smelled that burning smell again... except the radiator fan was on, and it didnt smell like burning oil that time, and my dad said "it must be the valve cover is leaking"....

so anyway, what shall i do?

edit* i have a 1996 camry le 4cyl auto.

[mcelligott]

Hmmmm..sounds like a leaky headgasket...any blue smoke out of the exhaust?

[Toysrme]

Headgasket/valve cover gasket.

Take a flashlight and look behind the engine. Where the oil slick starts is where the oils comming from!

[MadDawg]

there is some oil build up around the bottom of the valve cover, but its been that way forever

[Toysrme]

So clean it off and drive around until you smell it again, then find where it's comming from...

[MadDawg]

how come my temperature goes up when i'm on a steep incline?