Need help with a diagnostic

[Dementedfish]

I'm seeing what appears to be oil burning off of the connection between the headers and the downpipe on the driver's side of my 97. I had a complete valve and head job completed 3000 miles ago with the gaskets replaced so I'm confused where this issue might be coming from. Anyone have any ideas? I've attached some pictures of where the smoke is coming from, note the wet areas.

 

[JayRolla]

Go and start checking your valve cover bolts and see if they are tight. I tighten mine a little every oil change. They like to loosen up. Dont go to tight, they are going into aluminum. I cant remember the tq rating for them.

 

[Dementedfish]

Go and start checking your valve cover bolts and see if they are tight. I tighten mine a little every oil change. They like to loosen up. Dont go to tight, they are going into aluminum. I cant remember the tq rating for them.

That was my initial thought, as one of the valve cover bolts is directly above where the leak appears to be, in fact I'm almost certain this is the issue but I'll have to go in and confirm with a socket wrench and see if it's loose.

 

[jgue467]

10mm. 54in-pounds (4.5 foot pounds) no more...

 

[weekendclimber]

Go and start checking your valve cover bolts and see if they are tight. I tighten mine a little every oil change. They like to loosen up. Dont go to tight, they are going into aluminum. I cant remember the tq rating for them.

I have a similar issue and just figured that my gasket is going. I might try this first and clean up my covers and manifold to see if that's all it is. :ybrick:

 

[soundmanlpte]

Yeah... Those bolts love to get loose. Mine were not tight at all when I did my valve cover gaskets.

 

[02SE]

Someone could have also gotten carried away while tightening the valve cover bolts, and cracked the valve cover.

 

[Dementedfish]

Someone could have also gotten carried away while tightening the valve cover bolts, and cracked the valve cover.

^Hope that isn't the issue lol.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I am constantly retightening the VC bolts I can get too.

 

[JRZEE2000TR4LTD]

First, really try to find exactly where it's coming from. Look for the highest wet point. Clean the wet area up real good with brake clean (cold) then drive it, and keep looking at it until you find the leak. If it has anything to do with the work you had done ( it probably does) take it back and tell them where it's leaking.
I only ask you to find the leak because the shop is going to say it's something else and want to invade your wallet again and I'm pretty sure that head job you had done was a MAJOR expense.
As you can probably tell, I have mechanic trust issues. I understand anybody can make a mistake, especially with a major job like the one you had done, but just own up to it and be "fair" and honest and everybody's happy. Sorry for the rant and to all good mechanics on this site as there are more then a few of them, just wish I encountered more good ones then bad ones. OK I'm done.

PS Blue Loctite on those VC bolts to keep them secured.

 

[Dementedfish]

Resurrecting an old thread. Tightening the bolts did seem to fix the issue, no more valve cover leaks. It's been about two months now with no more leaking but I still seem to smell burning oil occasionally when I'm idling or right after I turn the car off. It's not bad at all but I can definitely smell it.