Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

[CaptainDucky]

Ok....Background....we were at lake a week ago and oil started seeping out of the valve cover. It sounded like an egg being cooked and looked like one. Got a new gasket, (OEM of which these are hard to find) and installed today. Thought we could hit lake tomorrow because there was not any oil seeping and everything seemed ok until I looked down on panel and noticed that the temperature was around 200ish. I have a bucket with water it in to run in so I don't have to use the muffs on it (water restrictions). I happened to notice a steam coming from engine thinking it was just the oil that was burning off from changing valve cover gasket. Low and behold I got down to look for oil seepage and what did I see but bubbles coming from the Top exhaust elbow (#21 in manual) and now I know where the steam came from. I will be changing this out now and I am dreading it like the plague.

I was wondering if I could just drain the oil and reuse it since basically all I did was turn engine on and run for only 6 minutes? Also, I plan on using the same filter since it wasn't used either. Filling oil over and over to find all the leaks is going to get quite costly unless you guys think it would be ok to use!

Thanks

 

[Bondo]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

Ok....Background....we were at lake a week ago and oil started seeping out of the valve cover. It sounded like an egg being cooked and looked like one. Got a new gasket, (OEM of which these are hard to find) and installed today. Thought we could hit lake tomorrow because there was not any oil seeping and everything seemed ok until I looked down on panel and noticed that the temperature was around 200ish. I have a bucket with water it in to run in so I don't have to use the muffs on it (water restrictions). I happened to notice a steam coming from engine thinking it was just the oil that was burning off from changing valve cover gasket. Low and behold I got down to look for oil seepage and what did I see but bubbles coming from the Top exhaust elbow (#21 in manual) and now I know where the steam came from. I will be changing this out now and I am dreading it like the plague.

I was wondering if I could just drain the oil and reuse it since basically all I did was turn engine on and run for only 6 minutes? Also, I plan on using the same filter since it wasn't used either. Filling oil over and over to find all the leaks is going to get quite costly unless you guys think it would be ok to use!

Thanks

Ayuh,..... I gotta believe yer impeller failed sometime Before yer valve cover gasket incident,...

Oil leaks don't sizzle,.... Overheated cast iron Does when oil leaks on it....

Yer Cookin' the gaskets.... Something is Very wrong....

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

Did you say you had oil coming from the exauhst elbo? or did you mean you still had oil coming from the valve cover onto the exauhst elow? If it's from the valve cover make sure your not torque-n it down to tght (just snug-em) also make sure the mating surface's on the cover and head are flat and there are no uneven areas or dings.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

just an FYI for when you find your overheat issue - OEM valve cover gaskets are GM part numbers for GM based engines.

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

Did you say you had oil coming from the exauhst elbo? or did you mean you still had oil coming from the valve cover onto the exauhst elow? If it's from the valve cover make sure your not torque-n it down to tght (just snug-em) also make sure the mating surface's on the cover and head are flat and there are no uneven areas or dings.

I would assume that is was residual oil left over from changing out valve gasket. I didn't see any oil seeping from new gasket so I figure it was a situation that some of the oil I didn't wipe away. As for the torque of the nuts, I torqued them to 40 in.-lbs as specified in manual. Now I am not sure what you mean by flat on the head. Should the head be as nice and flat as the cover after I clean it. The cover cleans up nicely and is smooth as a baby's bottom. However, the head resembles the back of my truck that has on of those Rhino roll on liners. It is not flat and does not resemble the valve cover at all.

Again, can I reuse oil since it was only a few minutes?

Thanks again

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

Ayuh,..... I gotta believe yer impeller failed sometime Before yer valve cover gasket incident,...

Oil leaks don't sizzle,.... Overheated cast iron Does when oil leaks on it....

Yer Cookin' the gaskets.... Something is Very wrong....

Changed impeller late last year. Had issues with the bellows and Exhaust elbow then. Fixed that all up until this past weekend. Noticed the oil first then noticed the gasket on exhaust elbow.

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

just an FYI for when you find your overheat issue - OEM valve cover gaskets are GM part numbers for GM based engines.

So I can find these at parts store without waiting on them?

Thanks

 

[HMcClard]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

Former lubrication engineer. It's your boat and your call... but... If the oil had water in it, nope. Some of the compounds in the motor oil especially zinc dithophosphate precipitate out with water in the oil and byproducts cause quite a bit of corrosion. Same applies especially if you see cloudy oil... that means the water is emulsified and will do especially babbit bearings harm. Oil is cheap compared to pulling the engine and putting new bearings and other stuff in it.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

I think that the point bond-o was making is that the oil leaking was a symptom of something else being very wrong, that being overheating. I would suggest that you might have bigger problems than a bad valve cover gasket.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

So I can find these at parts store without waiting on them?

Thanks

possibly - depends on the motor being used. your 140 is the 3.0 liter. only a few of the autoparts stores can get gaskets for the 3.0 since it is an industrial engine only, never used as an automotive engine. however the 2.5 (the 3.0 liter's little brother) was originally in the 1963 Chevy II, so they should be able to get them, may take a while.

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

I think that the point bond-o was making is that the oil leaking was a symptom of something else being very wrong, that being overheating. I would suggest that you might have bigger problems than a bad valve cover gasket.

I am sorry if I came off bad...I was just trying to go through the history of what I've done and figured that at the time I changed impeller and water pump and exhaust elbow etc... that i might have missed or not known about some of the other problems. I am starting to wonder at this point where to start. I don't have a way to pull engine unless you have a way I could fix a garage wench on a budget. Other than that where else would I need to start.

No disrespect to Bond-O at all....he has been a gem in the past with all his wisdom.

Thanks

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

the issue with impellers, a new one can be taken out by simply hitting a plastic bag in the water and momentarily starving the pump of water. new a year ago does not mean its still good.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

Yup, that steam coming from the running motor and the 200 degree temp both point to overheating, you better recheck your impeller & be ready to replace it. If you think it's OK you could take off the feed hose inside the boat and see if it flows enough water. But first tell u about what went on with bubbles from the exhaust elbow. If the elbow failed it could be keeping the cooling water from doing it's job.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

The simplest explanation is always the best place to start. With that kind of overheat it is very possible that you damaged your water tube and impeller pump housing. I would look at replacing both the impeller and housing (preferably with OEM), even though the impeller is only a year old. You might want to check your thermostat too.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

I don't have a way to pull engine unless you have a way I could fix a garage wench on a budget.
Thanks

I have, in the past, utilized the services of a tow truck with a hydraulic boom to lift engines in and out of boats. Even seen it done on a boat alongside a sea wall. Just a suggestion.

As others have stated, looks like you are chasing 2 problems, the worst one being the overheating. I, personally, would not pour used oil back into engine, even if used for a few minutes, but that's just me.

Why are you draining the oil again, anyway? No need to do that if changing a manifold or valve cover gasket on a 4 banger, that I can see. Is your exhaust / intake manifold a piece unit? I pulled the one piece 3.0 manifold off my old boat a couple of times and never needed to drain oil. If it was an intake on a "V" 6 or 8, then yes, but not a 4.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

Yup, that steam coming from the running motor and the 200 degree temp both point to overheating, you better recheck your impeller & be ready to replace it. If you think it's OK you could take off the feed hose inside the boat and see if it flows enough water. But first tell u about what went on with bubbles from the exhaust elbow. If the elbow failed it could be keeping the cooling water from doing it's job.

Or worse, letting water into engine exhaust ports.

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

Ok... So I guess my plan of action should be to remove and replace the impeller. Check the feed hose. Replace the exhaust elbow gasket. Replace thermostat. And would I need to replace the valve cover gasket again then or can I reuse if I take it off to get to exhaust elbow?

Now on removing valve cover don't I need to drain oil first? If not then the oil reuse question is null. Taking the valve cover off would help me in getting to the exhaust elbow handily.

Thanks for all advice.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

My .02 - use permatex. I don't use valve cover gaskets on any engine I build - permatex doesn't leak. Little more work to do the cleanup if you need to get back into the motor but worth it.

If you decide to use cork or rubber gaskets then at least use some gasket sealant - this stuff works great and you can get it at most auto parts stores
http://www.iboats.com/Aviation-Form...ing-_-Maintenance & Boat Care-_-Permatex-_-NA

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

You do not have to drain the oil to change the valve cover gasket.

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Need Advice on Valve Cover Gasket Please

My .02 - use permatex. I don't use valve cover gaskets on any engine I build - permatex doesn't leak. Little more work to do the cleanup if you need to get back into the motor but worth it.

If you decide to use cork or rubber gaskets then at least use some gasket sealant - this stuff works great and you can get it at most auto parts stores
http://www.iboats.com/Aviation-Form...ing-_-Maintenance & Boat Care-_-Permatex-_-NA

Funny thing is I did use permatex on exhaust elbow with gasket. I used it on thermostat as well and that hasn't leaked at all. I tried using it on valve cover to make my own gasket but i guess I didn't get enough because it didn't seal. So I went back to oem gasket. Now that I have to take valve cover off again to get to exhaust elbow will I be able to use the gasket (oem) and slap some permatex under it?