Sealing up top - oil leaks

[Darkstar72]

Got a nice little collection of oil on the pass side of the intake manifold near the rear...pretty sure it's the PCV grommet. When I fix things though I like to over-repair it and figured might as well do intake gaskets and valve cover gaskets because from what I can find the PCV grommet will probably crumble into the intake when attempting to take out. Also it looks like valve covers are pretty common leak as well from my oil leak searches through the forum.

In getting ready to do this what should I watch out for? Anything else I should address or inspect while its coming apart? Any special tools I should make sure I have on hand?

Thanks.

 

[earlbrown]

Soak the new PCV grommet in hot water to soften it up a little and make it more compliant. Yes, your original is going to break and fall into the engine. Just leave it there. If the engine ever comes apart it'll be laying right there on the valley pan waiting on you.


For the valve covers with stock heads and covers, plain ole Fel-Pro cork is the way to go. Verify they'll sit in the stock valve covers without any stress (trim if needed), then glue them to the covers. After that skins over a little, CAREFULLY put them in place (PS can be a pain, DS is easy) making sure they stay in place. Run the bolts down and give them just enough preload to squish the glue joint.

After an hour or so, go ahead and snug them down. The next day snug them again.

There's a chance it might take one more hit, but once the cork gets fully married to the rough casting of the pan rail, they will seal for decades. That even included taking them on and off.


Also, while you're there, I HIGHLY recommend replacing the 30+ year old plastic rocker buttons. When the heads fall off, bad bad things happen.

 

[Darkstar72]

When you refer to gluing them in would I be better off using a skim coat of black RTV or some High Tack? Also, from searching it looks like that I would be gluing them to the cover itself and leaving dry on the head side, correct?

 

[earlbrown]

Whatever you have that's sticky. Once the cork marries the head surface it's not inclined to go anywhere.


Yeah, dry on the head side. That way you can remove the covers without destroying the gaskets.

 

[GNRick]

Buy the pcv grommet from Kirban. Parts store grommet don't fit. Richard Clark designed it.

 

[Darkstar72]

Buy the pcv grommet from Kirban. Parts store grommet don't fit. Richard Clark designed it.

Roger that. I ordered the grommet and a couple gasket sets from Kirban just to have on hand.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

While u r at it, test the pcv.....Most I've checked were leaking under boost. That alone, will cause leaks.

 

[Darkstar72]

I ordered a PCV as well from Kirban when I ordered the grommet. If it's coming out anyway and I don't have the history of the last time it was replaced figured it's time to change it.

Thanks for the tip.