valve cover gasket oil leak

My 2000 Sienna with 92K miles has valve cover gasket oil leaks. Both
gaskets have a slight leak with the front one being worse. The dealer
wants $690 to fix it. I am not going to pay that price for it.

Are there different oils or additives I should use to minimize the
leak? It isn't bad enough to show on the ground yet.

Currently I use Valvoline 5W-30 oil every 3000 miles.

Have you tried tightening the bolts? A bid of preventive maintance always
helps ;)

mike hunt


"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:xn0eimqdh3wl3cr002@news.readfreenews.net...[color=blue]
> My 2000 Sienna with 92K miles has valve cover gasket oil leaks. Both
> gaskets have a slight leak with the front one being worse. The dealer
> wants $690 to fix it. I am not going to pay that price for it.
>
> Are there different oils or additives I should use to minimize the
> leak? It isn't bad enough to show on the ground yet.
>
> Currently I use Valvoline 5W-30 oil every 3000 miles.[/color]

"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:xn0eimqdh3wl3cr002@news.readfreenews.net...[color=blue]
> My 2000 Sienna with 92K miles has valve cover gasket oil leaks. Both
> gaskets have a slight leak with the front one being worse. The dealer
> wants $690 to fix it. I am not going to pay that price for it.
>
> Are there different oils or additives I should use to minimize the
> leak? It isn't bad enough to show on the ground yet.
>
> Currently I use Valvoline 5W-30 oil every 3000 miles.[/color]

Try tightening the valve cover bolts evenly.

There are no additives or oils that I am aware of that are effective in
reducing or eliminating the leak. I am not a fan of stop leak products
unless the vehicle is on its last leg because they have a tendency to clog
things if air gets into the system.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Ray O, 2/19/2006,12:45:56 AM, wrote:
[color=blue]
>
> "badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:xn0eimqdh3wl3cr002@news.readfreenews.net...[color=green]
> > My 2000 Sienna with 92K miles has valve cover gasket oil leaks.
> > Both gaskets have a slight leak with the front one being worse.
> > The dealer wants $690 to fix it. I am not going to pay that price
> > for it.
> >
> > Are there different oils or additives I should use to minimize the
> > leak? It isn't bad enough to show on the ground yet.
> >
> > Currently I use Valvoline 5W-30 oil every 3000 miles.[/color]
>
> Try tightening the valve cover bolts evenly.
>
> There are no additives or oils that I am aware of that are effective
> in reducing or eliminating the leak. I am not a fan of stop leak
> products unless the vehicle is on its last leg because they have a
> tendency to clog things if air gets into the system.[/color]

Any idea what the torque should be for the bolts?

"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:xn0eio3y8e5ngg000@news.readfreenews.net...[color=blue]
> Ray O, 2/19/2006,12:45:56 AM, wrote:
>[color=green]
>>
>> "badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:xn0eimqdh3wl3cr002@news.readfreenews.net...[color=darkred]
>> > My 2000 Sienna with 92K miles has valve cover gasket oil leaks.
>> > Both gaskets have a slight leak with the front one being worse.
>> > The dealer wants $690 to fix it. I am not going to pay that price
>> > for it.
>> >
>> > Are there different oils or additives I should use to minimize the
>> > leak? It isn't bad enough to show on the ground yet.
>> >
>> > Currently I use Valvoline 5W-30 oil every 3000 miles.[/color]
>>
>> Try tightening the valve cover bolts evenly.
>>
>> There are no additives or oils that I am aware of that are effective
>> in reducing or eliminating the leak. I am not a fan of stop leak
>> products unless the vehicle is on its last leg because they have a
>> tendency to clog things if air gets into the system.[/color]
>
> Any idea what the torque should be for the bolts?[/color]

I'm sure there is a spec although I just give the bolts 1 turn and see what
happens.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>Any idea what the torque should be for the bolts?[/color]

Maybe Newfie tight?...(as tight as possible plus a half turn) :)
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

Gord Beaman, 2/19/2006,10:33:31 PM, wrote:
[color=blue]
> "badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
> >
> > Any idea what the torque should be for the bolts?[/color]
>
> Maybe Newfie tight?...(as tight as possible plus a half turn) :)[/color]

That sounds awfully tight. We don't even put that much torque into
airplane bolts.

"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Gord Beaman, 2/19/2006,10:33:31 PM, wrote:
>[color=green]
>> "badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>> >
>> > Any idea what the torque should be for the bolts?[/color]
>>
>> Maybe Newfie tight?...(as tight as possible plus a half turn) :)[/color]
>
>That sounds awfully tight. We don't even put that much torque into
>airplane bolts.[/color]

Yer kidding me right?
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

Gord Beaman, 2/20/2006,11:14:58 AM, wrote:
[color=blue]
> "badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
> > Gord Beaman, 2/19/2006,10:33:31 PM, wrote:
> >[color=darkred]
> >> "badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >
> >> > Any idea what the torque should be for the bolts?
> >>
> >> Maybe Newfie tight?...(as tight as possible plus a half turn) :)[/color]
> >
> > That sounds awfully tight. We don't even put that much torque into
> > airplane bolts.[/color]
>
> Yer kidding me right?[/color]

Here's an example:
A 10-32 bolt in tension gets tightened to 40 lbs/sq in.
That's not as tight as possible plus an extra half turn. It's more
like snug plus another turn. However we use nuts with nylon inserts or
helicoil nuts where there is now way to use a nut.

Actually they're inch-pounds, not pounds per square inch. It's like a
force of 3 pounds applied at a right angle with a lever arm of just
over a foot (13.33 inches). In other words, not very tight at all past
being snug. Valve covers are thin and pretty easily distorted, which
will make the leak worse, not better.

As I recall, typical head bolts on old V-8 cars (like my '65 Merc) were
something like 70 FT-LBS, which is a LOT more force than those little
valve cover bolts.

I don't think you can completely fix a leaky valve cover gasket without
replacing it, but you might be able to slow it down by torquing the
bolts a bit (gradually and evenly, all around). Just don't break them
off... Alternatively, a new gasket is not that expensive and it wasn't
that hard to replace (at least not on my '87 Camry).

Mark, 2/20/2006,12:11:27 PM, wrote:
[color=blue]
> Actually they're inch-pounds, not pounds per square inch.[/color]

Yes, you're right.
[color=blue]
> don't break them off... Alternatively, a new gasket is not that
> expensive and it wasn't that hard to replace (at least not on my '87
> Camry).[/color]

Was your 87 Camry a six-cylinder? It is much more difficult to do
those engines, especially the rear bay.

--
"Truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." ~
Flannery O'Connor

No, it was a four and pretty accessible... $650 seems like a lot in
any case

"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Gord Beaman, 2/19/2006,10:33:31 PM, wrote:
>[color=green]
>> "badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>> >
>> > Any idea what the torque should be for the bolts?[/color]
>>
>> Maybe Newfie tight?...(as tight as possible plus a half turn) :)[/color]
>
>That sounds awfully tight. We don't even put that much torque into
>airplane bolts.[/color]

Keeerist!...you 'did' see the smiley face on there didn't
you?!!...IT'S A JOKE PEOPLE!!

How the HELL does one tighten a bolt 'as tight as possible' PLUS
anything???...

Gee golly guys, it was a newfie joke!!...
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 03:16:35 GMT, Gord Beaman <gord@islandtelecom.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>Gord Beaman, 2/19/2006,10:33:31 PM, wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> "badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> >
>>> > Any idea what the torque should be for the bolts?
>>>
>>> Maybe Newfie tight?...(as tight as possible plus a half turn) :)[/color]
>>
>>That sounds awfully tight. We don't even put that much torque into
>>airplane bolts.[/color]
>
>Keeerist!...you 'did' see the smiley face on there didn't
>you?!!...IT'S A JOKE PEOPLE!!
>
>How the HELL does one tighten a bolt 'as tight as possible' PLUS
>anything???...[/color]

Easy. Put a long bar on the end of the wrench. Wait until you hear
the "click". :)[color=blue]
>
>Gee golly guys, it was a newfie joke!!...[/color]
--
gburnore at DataBasix dot Com
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