Valve cover leak
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 67
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Breeze
Valve cover leak
Just got off the boat (offshore boat captain) and my wife has been using my truck while I was gone so it doesn't sit for forever. I made a quick trip to the hardware store for some materials and back to the house. Total drive time was about 20min. Noticed that I had a terrible shake like a weight got thrown off a wheel. When I got home and started looking at my tires I was on the passenger side front tire and noticed oil on the driveway. That's when I saw the drop. Now I climbed under the truck and looked around and found oil all over the passenger header and starter and basically all down the passenger side of the motor. I popped the hood and and the valley was clean. Then I felt around the passenger valve cover and found a lower valve cover bolt missing. Second from rear on the bottom. My question after that long description is, can one missing bolt cause a leak bad enough to completely clean the oiled areas and start the truck and in about 1 min have clean oil dripping down? If so, when I get a bolt should I go ahead and replace the gasket? Cheers.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,910
Likes: 18
From: NW IA
Not sure one bolt missing would cause that massive of a leak, are you positive it's not running down from the HPOP cover area? There are some here that have one missing or broke, no leaks......these valve covers are one of the better points on this engine IMO and pretty rigid, little more forgiving than others.
If that one bolt is the problem, it's just a matter of getting another one and reuse the old gasket after you inspect it and clean it off with a clean rag.
I would look long and hard to be sure it's not coming from somewhere higher, or perhaps not a glow plug.
If that one bolt is the problem, it's just a matter of getting another one and reuse the old gasket after you inspect it and clean it off with a clean rag.
I would look long and hard to be sure it's not coming from somewhere higher, or perhaps not a glow plug.
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 67
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Breeze
Pulled the inner fender liner and found it leaking from the valve cover. Upon further inspection the bottom rear most bolt was loose as well. Pulled and inspected everything and reassembled. Now no leak. It's the littlest thing that can give you a heart attack.
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