I have a 2005 with 53,000. I don't drive it often. I took it out recently and noticed oil burning smell.

 

Check the valve cover gaskets. That is usually where it is.

 

I see your oil leak and raise you my TWO leaks.

Mine is an 07 and it started the same crap a month ago. I have it leaking from both sides. The culprit is the seal between the valve covers (called cylinder covers in the manual) and the little breather cover that bots onto the valve cover. They used a trashy sealant there.

I ordered new sealant, new bolts and new valve cover gaskets -might as well do it right. $88 for the bolts and gaskets, you can buy the RTV locally.

I will be tearing my off on Saturday and taking care of this. Welcome to the club! If I can find it, I'll post the DIY procedure, but if I don't Ala_xfire will.


Where is St. Charles?

 

Actually, the valve cover vent seals, not the valve cover gaskets,
The valve cover gaskets are rubber and seldom fail, whereas the vent seals have no gaskets, they use RTV sealant, which does tend to fail over time.

 

Oh, parts are easily obtained thru Needswings.com

 

OK, the GENERAL vicinity of the valve covers, look there.

 

Sorry if I offended, just didn't see the OP pulling the valve covers unnecessarily .....

 

None taken, I should have put a smiley face. :-)

 

Any idea what the cost would be to replace both sides One side is showing a tad of oil around the cover. I would prefer to do both. Not a job I would be comfortable tackling myself.
Thanks

 

No idea.
Figure 2 hours labor and a tube of Permatex Black RTV or MB Sealant.
( if we are talking about the vent covers )
If valve cover gaskets, then 1 hour labor and $10-$25 for the gaskets from RockAuto.

 

Given the age of our cars, I'd made up my mind that I was not goingto take the breathers off and not the valve covers as well. Also, I believe that I can get a better "Set" of the RTV by letting it breathe with the assemblies off the car.

My perspective:
Order bolts, gaskets and RTV. Have them change the gaskets, redo the RTV and put in new bolts as recommended. Close to $100 in parts and maybe 3 hours labor. Most markets, that means about $400 total.

It is stupid that this happens, but Ive had three Crossfires, the first two did not do this, but this car is a low miles garage queen that has sat a lot. I think that has a lot to do with it and 50,000 miles is low miles.

In any event, valve cover gaskets can go down hill over time, the cars are ten years old and you may end up with the car another ten years - so I'd to it all and be done with it. That is what I am going to do, myself, this weekend - wish me luck cause I am not one to represent myself as a mechanic.

 

The very best way to do it is to remove the valve covers, take them to maxcichon and have him bead blast them,
then install the vent covers,
then black crinkle paint them,
then bring 'em back home and reinstall them with new rubber gaskets and hex head bolts like I did.
But then, that's just me .......

BTW Max, I have new Pyles on the way .....

 

Hey, black paint? That would look SO GOOD on my SE.

 

He has another set I took him, don't know if he has done them yet.
Check with him, I seem to recall that he did and sold them to someone at the last fall Dragon.
I don't know if whoever he sold them to ever sent him the old covers.

Here are mine :




Nikon camera - black krinkle valve covers

 

Is that a Needswings intake or a Max Intake?
I know you told me last summer...

 

It's a Gen 1 Needswings that I got from a guy in San Diego for $100 4 years ago.

 

Please, could you tell me the brand of paint used, and the number of coats?
These are baked in the oven if I remember correctly after painting, would it be wise to use the oven in the kitchen or would that be a contentious point with the missus?
The small aluminum screws in the bypass covers are they tightened to 1 ft.lb ?
These screws (SHCS) can be had for about a $0.35 each if you buy 50 of them. Amazing mark up wouldn't you say?
Thanks.
CLICK

 

I hate to respond to this Dave, cause I know you are gonna fuss at me ( again ).

As to the paint and number of coats, I will have to let Max answer that.
As to baking in the oven, yes I know he did that cause Tina threatened to throw him out if he ever did it again.
As to the screws, mine are ALL stainless steel hex head. The little screws are just slightly over finger tight.
I HAVE SEEN NO GALVANIC CORROSION !

 

Um, that would be the ones holding the breather cover to the valve cover, right?
Those holding the valve covers on are tighter, right?

 

Y'know, it's always fun to read through a thread to see what's up.

BUT, sometimes it costs one work!

I have the replacement VC's, but haven't yet bead blasted them. I was, by coincidence, going to do that next week. I may be able to ship them in a couple of weeks. been pretty busy.

For a State employee.

180, I use VHT Wrinkle Plus:

VHT Wrinkle Plusā„¢ Coatings -- High Heat Coatings

(2) heavy coats for a nice wrinkle finish, 3 for a heavy wrinkle.

over 2 coats of self-etching primer:

Self-Etching Primer - Aerosol | Dupli-Color

following can directions.

After dissecting a number of leaking breathers, then cleaning and painting them, I have to stress the importance of removing every last bit of old sealant. And it is a bit harder than one would think.

My theory: the sealant is applied robotically and the breathers are attached the same way. The sealant always seems to be stuck quite well to the breathers, but pulls off the VC's easily. I figure it skinned over a little in manufacturing.

So, IMHO, one should remove the VC's and really clean them well before trying to apply the new RTV.

The VC gaskets are reusable so long as they are still flexible and resilient. Clean them before reuse.
But, at least they're cheap.

Steps:

1) Remove and strip/clean. This includes the M4 threads. Buy a tap if you need to.
2) Now, REALLY clean and degrease them.
3) Paint, following rattlecan directions. (I paint them with the breathers in-place, no screws).
4) Let dry 24-48 hours. Send wife shopping. Then bake @ 200F for 20 minutes.
5) Take a good, close look at how the parts fit together-you have to place a bead of sealant not just around the perimeter, but you need to seal the chamber (cross) flange and the bolt holes too.
6) Squirt a 1/8" bead on the "Figure Eight" of the BREATHER. It has the female groove. You need a bit larger bead on the bolt holes. I strike (screed) it flush, making sure of 100% coverage/groove fill.
7) Stick it together and screw it down to 10 in/lb. Iterating between the screws to make sure they are even. Soon. Don't make the MB mistake of letting it skin over!

If you use an "L-key" wrench, just tighten the M4 screws with the "short arm" of the wrench to limit torque applied. The extra sealant will extrude as you do. Wipe it off carefully. You just painted it!