Hi All,

Relatively new to me 240D. Love this car. When I bought the car the engine was clean and dry.

Adjusted the valves and changed the oil. All went well. I thought I cleaned everything up when I installed the new gasket. It all went off a hitch and the car runs like a top! Now oil leaks around the valve cover. Dribbles down and around. This occurs at a significant but I would not say an alarming pace, 2qts/2500 miles, but messy, messy. Here is some additional info.

- previous owner used 20W50. I changed to 15W40 (dino) when I did the oil and valves.
- there is some blowback, which concerns me slightly.
- car has 180K miles, runs perfectly.
- the valve cover bolts were not terribly tight, so I naturally tightened them to try to stop the leak. Checked today they were ~25ftlb so I backd them off a bit (it was leaking before I tightened them).

So, should I try replacing the valve cover gasket? Was the change in viscosity a problem given there is some blowback?

Thoughts welcome.

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1982 240D (4-speed)
1988 Volvo 240DL (5-speed wagon)
1999 Volvo V70
2002 Volvo XC70 (the grocery getter)

I always change the valve cover gasket when I adjust the valves. So that would be my first suggestion.

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Sorry I forgot to mention that I did change the gasket...it seemed to go on smoothly. I will edit to make that clearer.

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1982 240D (4-speed)
1988 Volvo 240DL (5-speed wagon)
1999 Volvo V70
2002 Volvo XC70 (the grocery getter)

It is possible to have some dirt under the sealing surface or even in the Gasket Groove if you did not clean the Head and Cover off before removing it.

It is also not unknow for the Valve cover to develop a hair line crack or even be warpped.

I also suppose it is possible that the prior owner had overtightend the nuts and squished out the Aluminum and not you cannot tighten it down as well.

Even when I install a new Valve Cover Gasket I go to the local 99 Cent store and get a tube of Silicone Sealant.
I put a thin bead inside of the Gasket Groove; also I degrease the bottom edges of the valve cover.
After the Gasket is on the Valve Cover I put a thin layer of Silicon Sealant around the bottom of the Gasket.

I wipe off all the Oil and dirt from the Cylinder Head and install the Valve Cover. I only slightly snug down the Nuts and allow the Silicone Sealant to cure several hours; after that I tighten it for good.

When I re-use the Valve Cover Gasket I just rub off the old Silicone Sealant on the bottom edge and renew with new Silicone Sealant.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

X2 911
Clean/degrease it all with a good volatile solvent like petrol. RTV/silicone in the groove & on the mating surface on the head works well. Makes it a little harder to get off next time, but no leaks.

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

25 ftlb is a little too much for the valve cover nuts. FSM states 15 NM or 11ftlb of torque.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Sounds like I should get a new gasket and try again...

How do you clean all the oil of the block?

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1982 240D (4-speed)
1988 Volvo 240DL (5-speed wagon)
1999 Volvo V70
2002 Volvo XC70 (the grocery getter)

But there is something else that needs checking with the VC off. The vertical studs that the nuts screw on to sometimes are loose in their threads. Even with a new VCG and proper torquing if one or more of these studs are loose an oil dribble under the VCG will occur. Don't ask how I know this.

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1984 Mercedes Euro 300D NA
1997 Ford F-350 Powerstroke Turbo Diesel

If you use The Silicone Sealant you will not have to replace the Gasket with a new one.

In my case I degrease and clean the Valve Cover/Head area before I loosen the Valve cover so there is not dirt there.
After that I only wipe the surface on the head where the Valve Cover Gasket Seats with a clean Rag and that leaves a light film of Oil on the Head.

Or you could to as layback40 said and degrease it with a solovent soaked on a Rag.
I use Brake Cleaner for that sort of job.
If you do that the Silicone Sealant will Glue itself to the Head and you will get a really good seal; but not so bad that you cannot get it loose.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

1) if you just put the new valve cover gasket on, its probably still good, no need to get another one

2) degrease the mating surfaces

3) use a little RTV like the guys here suggest... I like using the "indian head gasket compound" or sometimes it is just called "shellac gasket compound", its a very mild adhesive, it does not quite dry and it makes the gasket sticky.

4) these are great cars and all, and we all love them, but only four nuts holding a valve cover on a 5 cylinder motor is not their best design work... so unless you do all the degreasing perfectly, leave no microscopic particles on mating surfaces, say at least 12 Hail Marys, and kick a leprechaun, it's gonna leak...

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'82 300D (project)
'46 Willys (project)
"Nothing seems to be the way it should in this garage." -jt20
"Smarter than an engine, dumber than a hoodlatch..." -jt20
"Start jumping up and down to smoosh down those engine mounts" -DeliveryValve
"no" -kerry
"At this rate, you may have it done by winter" -layback40

My guess is a warped valve cover or some unseen dirt around the gasket when you installed the new one. It is also very easy to not seat the gasket properly when installing. I didn't get mine right and had oil leaking all over but after removing and re-installing it was perfect and still is.

I was having a similar problem on a 300D. I cleaned things up good, glued the gasket to the valve cover with Permatex high tack and then put Permatex tack & seal on the other side. Tack & seal does not harden. The plan is for it to come loose easily at my next valve adjust.

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Diesel-guy