2000 Qx4 Valve Cover Gasket Replacement

[confederate2]

Hello, first post here. I did multiple searches on this site for the above subject and did not find one single post on a qx4 valve cover gasket so thought I would ask. Here is the history.

2000 Qx4 bought in 2003 with 52000 miles, now have owned it over 5 years, have 134000 miles on it. All maintenance done, timing belt, water pump, belts, hoses, transmission fluid, rear end, etc., fuel filter, etc, all done at 105000 miles by dealer. Runs great but of course gas mileage is not great as many have stated here.

Anyway it has begun to cost me some money replacing both cv joint boots, intake manifold gasket, A/C compressor, to name a few.

Now I go out and notice a drop of oil on the ground only when the vehicle has been driven and then parked. If it is parked and I get underneath and wipe the oil, it doesn't drip, only when it is driven and then parked.

While underneath I saw the drip was dripping off right where the transmission meets the engine. I thought is might be the rear main. But I started looking above and saw the valve cover gasket was leaking and I believe it is running down and coming out at the point it drips on the ground.

This is the left side if you are standing outside facing the engine or the right side if you are sitting in the vehicle. It is the side that appears to be real easy to get off as oppossed to the other side which looks like a lot of labor to get to it but that side is not leaking.

So the gasket is 13 bucks online and I am sure my dealer will want hundreds of dollars to change this. Has anyone with limited mechanical experience like me ever attempted this change. Just wondering if it can be done easily. Now I would not attempt the other side, looks too involved but as long as it is not leaking I am not going to touch that side. The side I have leaking looks like there is only 8 bolts and the cover is coming off. Is this correct or is it not as easy as it looks.

Any information or comments are welcome. Also if anyone had this done at the dealer please let me know how much you paid.

Thanks againSammy

[fueler]

Mine was starting to leak slightly at 120k Yeah i changed my valve cover gasket when I was taking the engine apart doing the timing belt. The whole intake manifold has to come off along with all its metal vacuum lines. Once everything is taken apart, then its easy. Your dealer should have considered it/inspected it when they did all that work....

[confederate2]

Thanks for your response. I did not realize the intake had to come off for the side I was talking about, it just looks wide open and easy to get off as oppossed to the other side which is definitely blocked by the intake. I guess if that is what is involved I will probabaly try the dealer and just change both sides since the intake will already be off. I just don't have the mechanical knowledge to start taking the intake off, etc.

ThanksSammy