Found my first oil leak this morning...

[JRZEE2000TR4LTD]

My son and I just finished putting our 5VZ-FE (3.4L v6 3rd gen) back together. Replaced the valve cover gaskets, tube seals, and cleaned/ resealed the camshaft plugs and the "half moon" plugs. It smoked like crazy when we started it up, and it looks like we overtightened the valve cover bolts. Will this fix be as simple as replacing the 16 grommets (with less torque on the bolts, of course)? Or did overtightening those bolts ruin the new valve cover gasket too?

You cleaned and resealed the cam plugs? Why not use new? They're cheap enough. Did you use the FIPG in ALL the right places?
If you overtightened your VC bolts you would have cracked your VC cover probably.

Check out this write up. It is OK but it leaves a few things out.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...e-cover-gasket-replacement-part-s-n-pics.html

You need to put a little dab of FIPG on the "corners" where the "humps" are on the head. Looking at the gasket should make this obvious. Also, a little smear on the half moon seam on the head. The writeup shows the other place you use FIPG (between the cam plug caps)

Don't reuse the upper plenum gaskets. Looks like this has already been gone over.

Don't need new half moons. Pull them straight up and out and clean the head and half moons and re seal with FIPG.

The PROPRER way to install the spark plug tube seals is with the lip INWARD. Like this ^l l^ NOT this vl lv. You'll need to get a tiny screwdriver or pick and gently run it around the seal. Starting from back to front (or front to back, whichever is easier) tilt and engage each seal one at a time when lowering the VC onto the head.

I used a little blue Loctite on my VC bolts. Blue keeps things in place but isn't difficult to remove the bolt at all. I think a lot of peoples issue with the bolts coming loose is actually shrinkage from the VC gasket or the bolt seals creating space then coming loose. Tightening them up helps but obviously is an indicator that the gaskets will need replacement sooner than later. Also, need to use the proper torque pattern for the VC cover.

That's all I can think of now.

 

[PatrickStapler]

So angry at myself right now. Finally tackled this job today. Got up at 7 AM, popped the hood, sprayed everything down with degreaser, busted out the pressure washer and cleaned everything up in the engine compartment. Removed the lower skid plates and cleaned those and the chassis. Wasn’t needed for the job, but I was already at it...so. Anyway, proceded to remove all the bits. Got everything thing broken down and cleaned up. I noticed the video and no one here for that matter mentions anything about the front cam shaft seals. Looks like that is a even more intrusive job. Best I can tell the front of the engine has to be removed with the timing belt and front engine cover. So those were left on. Saw no evidence of a leak at those areas anyway

Now the angry part. I started to reassemble the valve covers. Opened the box of parts and started looking for the spark plug tube seals...what, no seals. WTF? Not in the box. Grabbed my phone looked at my order from TPD...NOT ORDERED...dammit to hell. Completely did not order them. Guess which part appeared to be leaking the most...yep the spark plug tube seals. The spark plugs were soaked in oil. The half moons and rear cam shaft seals were also leaking. It appeared the VC gaskets had been replaced once, but the half moons and the cam shaft seals weren’t touched. Could have easily completed this job today...not so much now.

 

[PatrickStapler]

Well...got it did today. Went ahead and bought the Felpro seals this morning since NAPA had them in stock. Hopefully they will be fine for a few years. Have to say that’s one hell of a job. Makes me appreciate working on my Mustang even more.

Now on to the shock and struts.