Folks, I have been chasing down an oil leak at the valve cover for a couple months now and it is starting to drive me crazy!!

It leaks at the drivers side front corner, but the rest of the valve cover is sealed nice and dry, even the entire front section of the cover.

So far I have tried two new gaskets, torqued the valve cover nuts to FSM spec, torqued them a bit looser than spec, and tightened them slightly and then a good amount more than FSM spec. Nothing helped.

I applied a small amount of gasket sealer to the mating surface of the gasket at the spot I assumed it was leaking at but that did not help either. I even did a rough check to see if the cover was warped by setting it on a 1 X 8 piece of wood, and the cover appeared to be ok.

Any ideas, I'm really getting tired of the mess on the engine and on the underside of the car.

Any idea where I can get a good used valve cover for a modest price if I need to go that route??

Glenn

__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 102K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 238K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 211K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 246K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 384K (diesel commuter)

I'll be watching this thread with interest as I've got similar leaks but in more places.

__________________
Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Near each stud hole on the valve cover is a "stop" which limits how close the cover can get to the head. If the cover is warped, filing down the appropriate stop(s) can help ensure a good seal.
Don't get too carried away, lest the cover will cut through the gasket.

Couple different times I had trouble seating a VC. Discovered one of the Studs had backed out when I removed the nut and was up enough I didn`t notice it. thought the VC was tweeked.

Removed the Studd, blew out the hole with Brake Cleaner and a Air Hose. used a bit of Blue Lock-Tite and screwed it down.

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

Wood tends not to be straight when it "comes out of the packet"!

Find a bit of modern glass - better still find a surface plate or a surface table (I know that that's difficult for the average DIYer which is why modern glass is often the best of the rest of what's left)

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

X2

I've noticed those pesky studs rising to the occasion too!

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

What is the easiest way to remove the stud so I can locktite/JB weld it if necessary? I'm thinking a pair of vice grips on a non-threaded part of the stud.....

__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 102K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 238K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 211K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 246K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 384K (diesel commuter)

In my case, they were finger tight and came right out. I double nutted them to screw them back in. If they are too tight to unscrew with your fingers, a pair of VG should work.

I have some 6 inch needle nose, bent needle nose and a pair of the reg jaws, and one small 4 inch pair for for my watch repair stuff.

Charlie

__________________
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

You could also double nut them to take them out

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Well, I got a chance to work on the valve cover leak today. I think I found what is causing the leak. All the Valve cover studs were tight in the head but I noticed on the drivers side front one (where it has been leaking) the threads for the nut were worn way down and almost stripped. Guess that is why it is not staying torqued down properly.

Now for my repair options.

1. Get a new stud (where can I find one and what is the thread pitch for both ends)

2. Remove the stud (in tight so I guess a vice grips) and replace it with a long bolt (again, what thread pitch for the end that goes in the head).

While I believe either option would work, what would you do if you were faced with the same issue?

Glenn

__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 102K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 238K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 211K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 246K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 384K (diesel commuter)

I'd just go to a junk yard and grab one. That way you know you're getting the right one. Use a double nut to extract the stud and maybe grab a spare while you're at it.

use a vice grips or better yet a stud extractor for the one on your engine.

__________________
Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Not a bad idea, but the nearest junkyard around here that has an old Benz in it is 92 miles away. One of the hazards of living out in the boonies I guess....

__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 102K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 238K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 211K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 246K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 384K (diesel commuter)

I find it a waste of time to go searching in junkyards for small parts. Just take the nuts to a hardware store and find some metric bolts there to figure out what size nut you need and buy some new ones. My Ace hardware has a decent selection of metric hardware.

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85 300D Turbo

Ouch! Yea, I guess that's a deal killer.

__________________
Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Fastenal carries the correct metric size and in many varations. http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/fasteners/rod/double-end-studs/

__________________
Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )