Okay my car is leaking to much.

I just replaced the valve cover and spark plug gaskets and it leaks. I suspect the problem is how the head is bolted on, according to the Haynes manual it says that the VC needs to be torqued down to a little over 50ft lb (if memory is correct). Any First I went around and was just tightning them with just a regular wrench, and I was noticing that the nuts were just spinning, not getting any tighter. So it seems to me that the bolts that screw into the aluminum head are just spinning around when the nut goes on them and it's not tightening anything. So my question is what can I do to get those initials bolts to be in there good enough to get the VC tq'd down a little more, or can a bead of TRV sealant around the head and use that with the VC gaskets until I get a new head or engine?

Next leak. Sine where on the front of the engine. Over the weekend I changed the oil, removed the oil pan, and replaced the front main seal because there was a leak somewhere. Now the leak is even worse. It's not the oil pan because you can see the oil start from above it, and I don't think it's from VC mentioned about because I don't see any trails of oil leading down. Any other ideas what it can be? I'm thinking either the main seal was not seated properly or it's something else which I don't now head gasket or the aluminum oil pan gasket?

For reference I am not using a full synthetic oil, I'm using Castrol Syntec part synthetic, so that may eliminate the high mileage leak from changing to thinner oils.

At this point I'm clueless and am about to remove the whole engine and rebuild whatever I can.

other possibilities are the front engine cover...or the oil filter or the tensioner..

I would say by what you are describing.it is the front engine cover

I hope you didnt torque it to 50 ft lbs. First tighten it to 2.9 ft lbs., then to 5.8-7.2 ft lbs. First nut to tighten is in the center of the vc, then the back one thats to the center left, then front center left, then back center right, front center right, and so on. Did you use gasket goo with the gasket and did you make sure the vc and the head was clean and flat?

no I didn't tighten them to 50 ft lbs, maybe the manual said in lbs. Anyway I didn't even get a torque wrench on them. Just tightened them witha a 1/4 rachet, so I think a few I over tightened:rolleyes:

Tightened in the order you listed

Yes the gasket and head was clean and flat.

No I didn't use any goo, I was thinking about redoing it with a layer of RTV sealent around the head to go along with the gasket.

Thanks for replies and thoughts so far, I'm gonna check the front engine cover next.

On the bright side I'm getting good at taking the belts and pulley off and putting them back on:eek:

Mate,

After using the RTV sealent around the whole of the gasket did this fix the oil leak?

talking to the local autoshop guy here, he thinks that you dont need any sealent for rubber gaskets...

also how much sealent should u use..alot or just a small amount?

has anyone managed to take off the valve cover and replace it without finding leaks ot using any RTV ?

cheers

[i]I was noticing that the nuts were just spinning, not getting any tighter. So it seems to me that the bolts that screw into the aluminum head are just spinning around when the nut goes on them and it's not tightening anything. [/B]

Sounds like you stripped the bolts. You should be able to remove the stripped bolts and replace them; then you should be able to torque them to the correct amounts. You don't need any RTV w/ rubber gaskets.

Josh

i've taken my VC off twice and put it back on... at 118K and 122K, and i dont drip a drop!!!

id suggest checking your PCV system, might be creating mega pressure inside your motor which would make those annoying leaks so much easier to have...

Try replacing your PCV valve , a bad one can cause leaks all over the place !!