Several years ago I had to have the valve cover gasket replaced cause oil was coming out around the edges. I had it replaced, and they cleaned it off, too.
So it stayed clean for several years. Now, I notice the same leakage around the edges (sorry, I want to say "of that thing, the thing upon which has the opening where you add oil..." but I don't know what it is called--the valve cover maybe?)...It is easily 40,000 miles later.
So my question is, is the valve cover gasket something you would expect to replace more than once for the car? I asked someone I know, and he said No, it should only have to be replaced once. But this is someone who buys a new car every three years.
The average person puts 12,000 miles per year on a car, so in three years this person should have less than you have used this gasket for. If the gasket was replaced with a gasket from toyota I'd expect more than 40k but if it was from any other parts supplier 40k is about right. You may also ask the mechanic if the valve cover needs to be replaced as they get bent sometimes and no longer hold the gasket in place in the manner they should.
Well you have the tip that is gapped, and the tip the spark plug wire snaps onto. A leaky valve cover gasket will mean oil leaking to the outside of the engine directly above the sparkplugs, at the tip the wire snaps on. The gapped end is going to be inside a (sealed) combustion chamber. There are a few things that can allow oil to access this gapped end such as pcv, valve seals, head gasket, piston rings, cracked piston, warped/cracked head or a cracked block.
OK, so, that's bad news. I kind of had a feeling that just getting the 60 dollar valve cover gasket replaced was not going to solve that other problem (although there is oil on the valve cover itself, so likely I do in fact need the valve cover gasket).
Sigh...I asked a new mechanic in town today when I was getting gas if getting this valve cover gasket could fix the oil on the spark plugs and he said it may well. But who knows if he is right.
Yes, that's what the guy said. Why, is that good? Or bad?
The last time I had it done, they charged me around that (or was it 90?), so I wasn't surprised. I thought it would be way more. I mean, I don't know how long it actually takes or what's involved, but the cleanup of the area where there is all this oil, that alone must take quite a bit of time.
Hey, TercelGTS. A question. Your response above: "There are a few things that can allow oil to access this gapped end such as pcv, valve seals, head gasket, piston rings, cracked piston, warped/cracked head or a cracked block."
Given that said, do you think these above mentioned things would be the reason that I have oil on the edges and around the valve cover (as opposed to a leaky valve cover gasket)? Or do I need a valve cover gasket to solve this problem either way, but the oil on the tips maybe being caused by these other factors?
I have 117,000 miles on my original valve cover gasket and it's been removed several times and it doesn't leak. The manual does requires that a small amout of silicon sealer be used on the ends of the gasket. Maybe that's the problem.
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2006 Camry LE, 5 spd Auto, 4 cyl, Indigo Ink...............1993 Tercel 4 spd, Base, 116,000 miles with leaking valve seals, (SOLD 3/2006).
Given that said, do you think these above mentioned things would be the reason that I have oil on the edges and around the valve cover (as opposed to a leaky valve cover gasket)? Or do I need a valve cover gasket to solve this problem either way, but the oil on the tips maybe being caused by these other factors?
Oil on the outside around the upper parts of the engine is most likely the valve cover gasket. The valve cover might just need to be tightened down to stop the leak. Mind you, over tightening might cause the cover to twist/warp, so it needs to be done carefully.
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'88 Corolla, AE92 SR-5, 7A-FE swap/GT-S suspension
'87 Corolla, AE82 FX-16, 4A-GZE swap (autocrosser)
'03 Tundra 4X4 Access Cab, (FX tow vehicle/Home Depot runner)
Modification: Changing something to what you thought it should have been from the start!
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