The Oil Gusher

[gmcnoob]

I have large amounts of oil pooling up around the intake manifold bolts on the passenger side rear. The valve cover gaskets were just completely redone by a mechanic and I am sure that is not where this oil is coming from. Please have a look at the pictures let me know what you think.

Is it possible that oil is coming up through those bolts?

Notice the oil dripping from the vacuum advance. Is it possible that oil can leak from there or is it just being splattered there somehow?

I just need to know what I should try first... Lots of posts say to reseal those bolts. I took about 100 pictures this morning from every angle. If there is something else you need to see please let me know. I greatly appreciate any advise on this.

[xrcr]

A lot of times chrome valve covers are a pain to keep from leaking so don't swear it's not the VC. You should have a gasket on your Distributor. I guess you could be getting some from your intake, might re torque. Clean it up good and run it and watch, if it's the VC you will see it. Once the oil gets out from wherever the air will throw it everywhere. Remember you get what you pay for and this advice is free, take it for what it's worth...
xrcr

[77 350 Shorty Wide]

Good Morning, Oil can weep past the threads of the bolts at the center of the intake manifold and coolant can weep past the bolts located at the ends where the water jackets are. It's a good idea to use either a little dab of silicone or thread tape on the bolts to ensure a good seal. But the source could still be the vc gaskets or even the distributor gasket both a good place to look even if they were changed. On the valve covers the use of a load spreader on each bolt can help make a better seal by widening and reinforcing a larger area for clamping pressure.

God Bless, Terry

[enaberif]

Distributor gasket can be bad causing oil to bypass.

Crappy valve cover gaskets and valve covers can cause leakage too.

[gmcnoob]

Originally Posted by xrcr

A lot of times chrome valve covers are a pain to keep from leaking so don't swear it's not the VC. You should have a gasket on your Distributor. I guess you could be getting some from your intake, might re torque. Clean it up good and run it and watch, if it's the VC you will see it. Once the oil gets out from wherever the air will throw it everywhere. Remember you get what you pay for and this advice is free, take it for what it's worth...
xrcr

I hear ya. I spoke to the mechanic about it and he said to bring it in for another look. I just don't want to be throwing more cash at something that I could possibly fix myself.

Back when I didn't know any better a friend of mine convinced me to replace the valve covers and air cleaner with the chrome crap. Now I'm thinking he just wanted to get my original parts.... Everything he touched ended up causing a problem....

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by 77 350 Shorty Wide

Good Morning, Oil can weep past the threads of the bolts at the center of the intake manifold and coolant can weep past the bolts located at the ends where the water jackets are. It's a good idea to use either a little dab of silicone or thread tape on the bolts to ensure a good seal.

God Bless, Terry

Silicon and tape = BAD.

Use thread sealant made by locktite and a few other companies.

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by xrcr

A lot of times chrome valve covers are a pain to keep from leaking so don't swear it's not the VC. You should have a gasket on your Distributor. I guess you could be getting some from your intake, might re torque. Clean it up good and run it and watch, if it's the VC you will see it. Once the oil gets out from wherever the air will throw it everywhere. Remember you get what you pay for and this advice is free, take it for what it's worth...
xrcr

Chrome valve covers have a tendency to leak because of crappy gaskets and too smooth of a surface where the gasket meets.

Take some 80 grit emory cloth or sandpaper and ruff up the flanges where the gasket sits so its rough and not smooth and then use spread bars and good tbars to hold the valve covers down.

[77 350 Shorty Wide]

Sorry my bad. not trying to mislead anyone. I misused words, should of just said use a thread sealer and left it at that. My point of it possibly weeping at the bolts is correct.

Terry

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by 77 350 Shorty Wide

Sorry my bad. not trying to mislead anyone. I misused words, should of just said use a thread sealer and left it at that. My point of it possibly weeping at the bolts is correct.

Terry

Yup. Its usually the 4 center bolts that make the biggest mess but when your putting a engine together put thread sealant on the majority of the bolts and save yourself a mess lol.

[Slammed84]

I built a motor for a guy once and he reused everything besides the actual longblock I built. A couple weeks later he called me saying the engine was seeping oil everywhere, and it was.

Turned out his oil pressure canister switch dealy on the back of the intake was seeping oil from around the joint where it comes together. Luckily it was not my fault.

Check and make sure that canister is in good shape, they can cause a huge mess quick.

[gmcnoob]

Thanks guys! If it is the valve covers again the mechanic said he would take care of it for no extra charge since that's what I paid them to fix. I only took it to them because there was a broken valve cover bolt that I couldn't get out myself. I'm trying to learn and fix everything I can myself. But i am a noob. Can you suggest some good valve covers for my truck to replace these cheap chrome ones?

I also had a question about the oil filler cap. I guess this is also called a breather? Mine has a closed rubber plug so how can it "breathe" if it is plugged? Some posts suggest to put an open grommet there, some say leave it plugged. What do you think? My oil pressure seems high, sometimes up to 60.

I am also constantly confused about the vacuum system. Most of my ports are plugged and although it seems to run great I always question whether I have the lines routed correctly. There is also one on the intake behind the carburetor that is plugged. Should I be using that one for something?

Thanks for sharing your valuable info with a beginner.

[Bigstevex4]

Clean it up run it look just like photo shows see were its leaking stop guessing.

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by gmcnoob

Thanks guys! If it is the valve covers again the mechanic said he would take care of it for no extra charge since that's what I paid them to fix. I only took it to them because there was a broken valve cover bolt that I couldn't get out myself. I'm trying to learn and fix everything I can myself. But i am a noob. Can you suggest some good valve covers for my truck to replace these cheap chrome ones?

I also had a question about the oil filler cap. I guess this is also called a breather? Mine has a closed rubber plug so how can it "breathe" if it is plugged? Some posts suggest to put an open grommet there, some say leave it plugged. What do you think? My oil pressure seems high, sometimes up to 60.

I am also constantly confused about the vacuum system. Most of my ports are plugged and although it seems to run great I always question whether I have the lines routed correctly. There is also one on the intake behind the carburetor that is plugged. Should I be using that one for something?

Thanks for sharing your valuable info with a beginner.

I have cheap $25/pair chrome valve covers and they do not leak because of what I said above.

On top of that I also use felpro blue gaskets with antisquish rings.

[truckin 79]

Originally Posted by gmcnoob

I also had a question about the oil filler cap. I guess this is also called a breather? Mine has a closed rubber plug so how can it "breathe" if it is plugged? Some posts suggest to put an open grommet there, some say leave it plugged. What do you think? My oil pressure seems high, sometimes up to 60.

.

That is probably your problem right there or a big part of the problem. Do you have a PCV hooked up? You need some kind of system to help get rid of the blow by gas that builds up in the block and this will also push some oil out of the valve covers. They make breathers for valve cover gaskets to help vent gases but a closed rubber grommet is no good with breathers. Also the problem you run into with valve covers is over tightening. So that is why people use larger hold downs to help distribue the clamping force

[enaberif]

Yes one valve cover needs to be vented with a breather and the other valve cover should have another spot for a pcv valve.

[Bigstevex4]

You just need one valve cover vented. the pressure is the same both side are connected through push rod holes.

[LSX408]

You definately need to put a breather on one of the valve covers if you don't already have one. You have to have a way to relieve crankcase pressure.

[gmcnoob]

Yes, it has a PCV valve on the other side. I am pretty sure it is functional. When I squeeze and release the tube it clicks. Are you guys saying that the side with the oil filler cap should have an open grommet? Why would the covers come with a closed one?

[Slammed84]

Post complete pics of both valve covers when you get a minute.

[Slammed84]

You should have PCV valve..... which you have already.
You should have oil fill cap.....
You should have breather on passenger valve cover.

[Oldriginal86]

Right valve cover needs a breather of some type so the PCV valve can draw the vapors from the crankcase. Originally the valve cover had a pipe to the air cleaner housing. Fresh air was drawn through a fiber mesh filter clipped to the air cleaner base. Install a breather and things should get better. I'm surprised the mechanic that replaced the gaskets didn't pick up on that.

[gmcnoob]

Originally Posted by Slammed84

Post complete pics of both valve covers when you get a minute.

Here you go. This is the best pic of both that I have at the moment. Mine only has PCV on one side and oil cap with closed rubber grommet on the other.

[Jaysonb]

What might look like a closed grommet at a quick glance, is probably a baffled grommet. Where it looks closed in the hole, it is most likely a flap. It will let fresh air suck in, put helps with oil splashing out.

[Bigstevex4]

That oil fill cap is a breather.

[gmcnoob]

Originally Posted by Jaysonb

What might look like a closed grommet at a quick glance, is probably a baffled grommet. Where it looks closed in the hole, it is most likely a flap. It will let fresh air suck in, put helps with oil splashing out.

The one that came with it I am certain was closed. There were no holes in it and it looked just like the one in the first pic. I just picked up the one in the second pic that is baffled like you said along with a new PCV valve. Thank you!

Question for you guys... Some guys have told me that oil in-fact can leak up through intake manifold bolts... Others, including my dad who spent his younger years building race cars in the 50's and 60's (too bad he lives 3000 miles away) said he does not understand how oil could leak up through intake bolts... unless there is a serious problem. He said there ain't no way any oil should be under there and if anything it would be sucking it in, not pushing it out. Can someone clarify this for me.

Hopefully the proper breather and new PCV will help cure my problem.

One more thing. Would it be better to hook something (trans line, vacuum advance) to the threaded vacuum port that I currently have plugged behind the carb or leave these attached to the carb?

I'm pretty sure it was used for some kind of cruise control application that is no longer in use on this truck.