Damn, I think you boys all need to apply for MENSA membership based on what I found today!

After a morning 20 mile run, I threw the cardboard back under her. Had a lot going on today, so I didn't get to look at it as much as I wanted. Well, when I looked at the cardboard about 8 pm tonight, I saw a small drip of oil on it for the first time. Oddly, it was on the driver side, closer to the front of the engine bay than the rear.

Grabbed my flashlight and phone and took this photo on the drivers side...



D.U.R.T.Y. !!!

Obviously something going on there now that I have gotten a look at it in better light.

Here's a shot from the passenger side, much better...



So I am assuming the leak is oozing down the driver side of the valve cover, hitting the area underneath (including the front diff, see photo above) and then, due to the incline of where I park, making its way to the passenger side, where it collects.

Per the advice above and some of the other threads I've read, I decided to try to tighten up the bolts and I was gobsmacked at how loose they were! I am wondering if the low torque requirement I've read about (something like 50 in lbs...meaning about 5 ft. lbs?) results in these babys vibrating loose? Not sure. I know the VC was changed at 160K or so. (I am at 180K or so now)

Has anyone put some Lock Tite on theirs when doing the VC job? Or is that contraindicated?

Anyway, I had a hard time getting to the very rear bolt on the driver side and some of them on the passenger side, so I am going to need to get a wobble extension Saturday morning and give them a gentle turn. Then, I'll hit everything with degreaser and proceed to do my fluid changes.

THANK YOU to all who chimed in on this post and others on the forum. I told Mrs. vonhughes, "It is great when folks you've never met can help diagnose problems and advise solutions from hundreds or thousands of miles away. THIS IS THE PROMISE OF THE INTERNET!!!"

I'm hoping this puts my rig back on the path to Cali. Hopefully I'll have a Part 3 coming up soon!

p.s. After cleaning everything up and tightening all the bolts on the VC on Saturday, I had an opportunity to pick up someone from the airport, which is a 100 mile round trip from my location last night. This morning I'm happy to report I saw no running/dripping/oozing from any of the locations I saw previously, so I'm assuming this chapter is closed. Thanks again!