M119 Valve Cover Gasket

[emerydc8]

I installed new valve cover gaskets on my E420 after changing the upper timing chain guides. A few months later I noticed oil seeping out from the front right passenger side.

Interestingly, I have a friend with a 92 500E who recently performed the same operation, with the same brand of Victor Reinz gaskets, and experienced the same problem.

In the past, I've never had any trouble with the dealer gaskets, but I am told that Victor Reinz is OEM. Could there be a significant difference between the two brands? Perhaps they are both Victor Reinz. I'm not sure.

What I am sure of is that my friend and I both installed the gaskets correctly and torqued the bolts to the specified setting. I'm thinking about increasing the torque slightly to see if that stops the flow before I try the factory gaskets. Any thoughts?

[mbdoc]

Reinz is NOT oe on that part & their failure rate IS high!

Stick with dealer gaskets on that part number.

[Gilly]

Be positive the leak is from the valve cover, how about the timing chain tensioner?? Or front cover?

[emerydc8]

Thanks. I will probably go with factory gaskets if the retorque doesn't work.

I did change the timing belt tensioner at the same time, but based on where I see the oil leaking, it is well above that point. I will double check it and the front cover anyway.

[duxthe1]

If the timing cover to cyl head seam isn't perfect it's good practice to put a dab of sealer on that seam to help prevent a leak there.