1996 RMS with leaking Valve Cover Gasket - Pax side.

[adropp692000]

My 1996 RMS just started leaking oil badly on the pax side. i'm almost positive it's the valve cover gasket. anyone know how to replace that thing or if there could be another culprit? Thanx in advance !

 

[sdowney1]

I have a 1994, the LT1 engine. My leak was from the intake manifold rear. Dumped a lot of oil on the passenger side out the back. Was a significant leak.
Regardless of where the leak is, you just have to start taking things apart off the top of the motor to do this job.

My sealer I used was Permatex gasket maker, I don't know If they sell a rubber seal. But if they do, put on some gasket maker anyway to the rubber seal.

If you can get a valve cover already made rubber seal, use it.

 

[melonas22]

Go to Felpro and get the rubber perma-gasket valve cover gaskets. They are like 8 dollars. Do both sides, they are VERY easy. The stock ones are cork, the felpros are like blue rubber and actually work for the lifetime of the engine.

As far as intake manifold goes, you will need the permatex 'right stuff'. It was basically made for this exact application. There is no technical gasket for the 'china wall' so you have to use gasket maker. Use this stuff, ~15 bucks, once or use the regular black permatex stuff, ~4 bucks, and do it twice.
https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-25229-Right-Stuff-Gasket/dp/B001BAH5DI

 

[sdowney1]

Go to Felpro and get the rubber perma-gasket valve cover gaskets. They are like 8 dollars. Do both sides, they are VERY easy. The stock ones are cork, the felpros are like blue rubber and actually work for the lifetime of the engine.

As far as intake manifold goes, you will need the permatex 'right stuff'. It was basically made for this exact application. There is no technical gasket for the 'china wall' so you have to use gasket maker. Use this stuff, ~15 bucks, once or use the regular black permatex stuff, ~4 bucks, and do it twice.
https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-25229-Right-Stuff-Gasket/dp/B001BAH5DI

I am sure it is good sealer. I did it once with the regular black Permatex and it has not blown out in years of driving. I cleaned it very well and made sure it was plenty good coverage. I seem to recall it is a thin gap between block and intake back there.

 

[adropp692000]

INTAKE MANIFOLD ??????!?!?!? SMDH... that's the last thing I needed to hear lol. I guess i'll try and find a mechanic to deal with that, it sounds major and time consuming. So redo the intake and the valve cover gaskets and that should do the trick. *sigh*

 

[sdowney1]

INTAKE MANIFOLD ??????!?!?!? SMDH... that's the last thing I needed to hear lol. I guess i'll try and find a mechanic to deal with that, it sounds major and time consuming. So redo the intake and the valve cover gaskets and that should do the trick. *sigh*

Took me 2 days.
Maybe if you watch some videos will help you decide.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=reseal+intake+lt1

 

[melonas22]

The blue corvette video is real nice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVOOQ116hkI

There is a write-up that explains how to do it correctly. Most of the time just a standard R&R will do, but that write up <---- shows you how to make a permanent fix to the problem. Here it is, http://www.fbodyspecs.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=34

I just read that someone even used a small drill bit and put little tiny very shallow holes along the china walls to give the silicone something to grab INTO.

Mostly, like I just read 100 times, you need to let the thing sit at least 24 hours before starting it. The silicone needs to cure and cure some more. Its also a good idea to check torques on the bolts every 30 minutes while you are reassembling the thing manifold. This helps the manifold get pushed down into the gaskets and silicone making an even better seal.

Its really a very easy job on our cars given the ease of accessibility to the manifold. Those poor F body guys have it rough lol.

The valve cover gaskets are for a fool. Those are easy and very cheap. The manifold is actually very easy, there is just a lot of stuff on and around it haha

 

[adropp692000]

Unfortunately it's my daily driver, 140 round trip to work. I can't have her down 2 or 3 days and hopefully get it right. I'm going to check out the vids and if it looks like I can start friday evening and have her running by sunday evening it may be a go. My wife has been bugging me BAD about buying another vehicle but this girl is paid for and runs like a champ (sans the oil leak). But she's worried i'll get stuck on the road in the middle of nowhere. Gotta love the missus!

 

[HotZ28]

My wife has been bugging me BAD about buying another vehicle but this girl is paid for and runs like a champ (sans the oil leak).

When a car is "paid for" and it is worth investing some owner time & expense in keeping it road worthy, it may be worth it! I invest about $500.00 on each of my four older vehicles annually @ a total of $2500.00 at the most!! There is no better feeling than owning (debt free) several nice automobiles without any payments to banks, or any other financial institution!!

 

[sdowney1]

Unfortunately it's my daily driver, 140 round trip to work. I can't have her down 2 or 3 days and hopefully get it right. I'm going to check out the vids and if it looks like I can start friday evening and have her running by sunday evening it may be a go. My wife has been bugging me BAD about buying another vehicle but this girl is paid for and runs like a champ (sans the oil leak). But she's worried i'll get stuck on the road in the middle of nowhere. Gotta love the missus!

Might be a good idea to take pictures as you take it apart, so you will know how it goes together.
The intake has a torque sequence, part 2 to the part 1 video priorly posted shows that. If you do not have a torque wrench, AZ and O'reilly have tool loaners.

Make sure gasket metal surfaces are 100% oil free, totally clean. I put sealer on the block and a little smear onto the manifold front and back.

 

[melonas22]

Watch the videos several times, at least twice, before you decide. If you find yourself knowing the next step before the guy even shows himself doing it, you will be able to tackle it. Its just a lot of parts that arent complex attached to a very large part. Nothing is actually difficult about the job.

Its really just a slow steady process, you need to constantly be making progress to getting it apart. Be sure to take several pictures of the vacuum lines both up close and far away so you dont get them mixed up, not that it usually makes a difference, but some have check valves and other stuff that needs to go back to where they came from.

You will need about 4 cans of brake parts cleaner, thread sealant and a torque wrench. Oh and gaskets and gasket maker as mentioned before.

Worst comes to worst, you could rent a car for a monday and maybe a tuesday if you feel you need the time. That is STILL cheaper than buying a new car. Obviously.

I dont mean to stack your jobs either, but you should also consider looking at your oil cooler/filter adapter. Mine has a fairly substantial leak I thought was the china wall. Come to find out its not, although the china wall needs to be resealed either way.. I got the filter adapter gaskets for 3 bucks on rockauto, they are FELPRO.

 

[adropp692000]

would the oil cooler/filter adapter cause the engine to smoke?

 

[melonas22]

I would say no. It can look like a china wall leak though. It makes a frikin mess of the tranny and anything behind it I know that!

Does your car smoke out the pipe??

 

[adropp692000]

Ok, you guys will never believe what was causing the smoke and where the leak was coming from. The oil filler cap has an extender neck on it, about 4 inches tall. It allows you to fill the oil without having to use a funnel for the most part. it leaks from around the bottom of that extender, runs down the valve cover, and leaks on the exhaust manifold. WTF????? I tried to tighten it but it won't budge. I'm thinking they may have screwed it in under the valve cover and used a rubber gasket or grommet that has broken down. Does anyone have any idea how to get that thing out of the valve cover so I can put a new gasket on it???????

 

[sdowney1]

It simply unscrews off the valve cover counter clockwise. It is an extension for the cap, you can discard it I think and use only the cap.
I would reseal it with some goo. It may also have a rubber o-ring that is ruined.

 

[melonas22]

Ya know... I tried to fix that extension thing ONE TIME, I gave it one shot to prove itself, and it still leaked. It came off next oil change and before it had a chance to lay waste to something else, it went into the dumpster.

The oil fill cap goes right onto the valve cover and doesnt leak. Live long and be happy now.

It made a decent sized mess of my passenger side cylinder bank. The driver side is spotless. POS.

 

[robert graham]

May be plugged oil return holes in the head...on older engines sludge can build up in those holes causing oil to puddle under the valve covers and then they leak....you're going to need to remove that valve cover to check/unplug oil holes and replace valve cover gasket....not a real big/bad job for most any mechanic....

 

[melonas22]

Valve cover gaskets on these are like 20 minutes max. Driver side should not even take 5 minutes. Passenger side has a little more to it, but its still easier than an F-body car.