valve cover leaking oil

[wangless]

hey all...

ive been searching for a while and cant really find the answers... ever since ive bought my car a year ago ive noticed that im leaking oil around my valve cover... like where the bolts hold the valve cover down... i thought it was just there for a long time, but its fresh, its wet... so its been like this for over a year... so today i thought i would tighten the bolts a little more to make sure they its tight... when i did one bolt wouldnt tighten at all anymore... but it was loose... so i think i stripped that bolt... the others are ok... at least i hope... so what happened to the engine ?... just a gasket or something ?... is there a quick fix to this like adding some rtv around the wet spots ?... if i had a pic i would post... but i dont have a digital camera... any ideas on how to fix ?

[rc240sx]

Try changing your valve cover gasket. Get the little O rings for the spark plugs while your at it. That should stop the leak. Don't use any of that gasket maker stuff on there though.

[Toahk]

I dont know any 240's that dont leak a little oil from there, it comes with age.

[wangless]

when i take off my valve cover, do i have to drain my oil or is it fine the way it is... and uhh.. how much and where at ?

[wangless]

Toahk - i think its actually more than a little... but i guess if everyone else has it... then i dont have to worry ? but i think its more than a little in my case... but not like flooding

[Toahk]

If your really worried, replace the gasket, its about 20 bucks at NAPA I believe. If the old gasket is stuck good, try to get some gasket remover stuff, scraping an old gasket off is a bad idea.

[Toahk]

And no, you dont have to drain the oil to take the valve cover off.

[quiksilvia]

i have a brand new sr gasket if thats what u have,

[quiksilvia]

o and use a few razor blades to scrape the gasket off, not has rough as a big scraper

[rousie13]

When you put the valve cover back on, don't tighten one bolt all the way. Tighten each bolt in a zig zag pattern, going a little bit at a time until they are tight. Also don't turn too much, because you'll strip the hole or crack the metal. Also a little oil rubbed on the gasket helps it seal. Just some pointers for you.

[[Zero-S]]

Yeh what she said:D. DON'T STRIP THE HEAD.

[wangless]

i think i already stripped one =(

[[Zero-S]]

Its fine...go to home depot and find a longer bolt with the same thread pattern...just be sure not to strip it again or you will be ufcked.

[droptopsilvia]

just dont over-torque when you put it back on(dont know what rating is), those bolts love to break, then you gotta tap out the hole...headache

[240marcuSX]

When i bought mine it had an oil leak too, i assumed it was the gasket as well, replaced it, and when i put the cover back on, one bolt wouldnt tighten. so i just found a longer bolt and put it through the hole, and put a nut on the end and tightened it to kinda sandwich it together, no more leak.

[wangless]

k... i got a valve cover gasket from napa for about $20... i went to the shop today and got it put in for like $38... i didnt feel like stripping one of my bolts again... i still have that ticking noise... oh well...

[CanadianCoch]

ticking noise is your timing chain/guide more than likely. You're in cal, there are 90000000 240sx people there, meet some and tag along, you'll learn so much, and get free labor, heh.

Dr.

[wangless]

as many times as ive heard it... all the probs with a timing chain thing... i dont think it is... bc sometimes when i idle... the noise will be gone... when i drive it in gear itll be there.. ill rev it in neutral and the noise wont be there... but its not all the time... its on and off... another thing... when im in driving at a steady speed the noise isnt there... when i give it more gas ill hear it... oh well