Oil Leak

[97ranger4x4]

So I just took my truck to the local AAMCO to have them just look at my truck really quick. I have been having a leak for a few weeks now which I thought was coolant because of the smell when it was going onto my exhaust manifold. Well he hooked up the coolant pressure tester and it holds pressure with no sign of a coolant leak. He said it looks like its oil from the back driver side of my engine. He said it most likely is not the heads, probably just a valve cover. When I did my intake gaskets last year I replaced the valve cover gaskets with FEL-PRO ones. Everything was fine until I washed my engine a few weeks ago. Could for some reason the simple green made a leak in the valve cover. It looks like it is only comming on the driver side towards the back of the motor againts the firewall. I will see if I can check the bolts and make sure they are torqued correctly. I dont think I ever put locktite on them. Should I?


Thanks for your input.

 

[MAKG]

If you used one of the Fel-Pro lower intake gaskets, that could be it. They SUCK.

But there is no substitute for inspection.

No, Loctite on dinky little bolts is a bad idea unless you like the idea of extracting them from the head.

 

[97ranger4x4]

Yeh I got the general consensus on the fel-pro intake gaskets... after I installed them...

I am guessing their weakness is the RTV sealant that goes on both the front and rear of the intake manifold, Right?

Well I guess i will have to spend a Saturday taking it apart... Also, can you remove the lower intake and still keep the valve covers on?

Basically I am wondering if it is leaking past the RTV, then wouldnt there be no way to get an oil leak from there? Because doesnt coolant flow through the center/top of the block where the intake manifold sits, and the oil flows through the heads up into the valve covers? So the only two places I could have an oil leak is the valve cover gasket and the heads correct?

 

[MAKG]

No, the valve covers are on top of the lower intake. Both have to come off.

You should be able to see the leak BEFORE tearing it down. If it's a mess back there, clean it up, idle the engine for 5 minutes, and take a look. Use a mirror and flashlight if you have to.

It's rather difficult to leak OIL from the heads (at least at the bottom). It's not difficult from between them (lower intake), or from above (valve covers).

It's also possible in principle to leak past the cam sensor (if you have one), but not nearly as easy as it was to leak past the distributor on 2.9Ls.

 

[97ranger4x4]

Well I will try and get in there with a flashlight and mirror and see if I can find out where it is comming from.

 

[Hahnsb2]

If you used one of the Fel-Pro lower intake gaskets, that could be it. They SUCK.

But there is no substitute for inspection.

No, Loctite on dinky little bolts is a bad idea unless you like the idea of extracting them from the head.

I like fel-pro gaskets but the lower intake gaskets they make for the 4.0 are all wrong, no gasket material between the lower intake and block at each end of the valley, I took them back and went some place else for different gaskets.

 

[97ranger4x4]

yeh well at the time it seemed like it was a great kit because it had everything i needed. What I am worried about is, the RTV sealant that goes between the intake and the block at each end of the valley. What are the chances that it has gone out. and even still isnt there only coolant in that valley? Therefore if the RTV went out on that particular spot, it would be coolant leaking, not oil?

 

[Hahnsb2]

No, there is only oil in the valley.

 

[97ranger4x4]

so then where does the coolant run through? Just the intake manifold? I thought it went though some ports and through the valley. Do u have any skematics on how it looks?