Various leaky parts

[samdajellybeenie14]

My valve covers and my transmission (I can't seem to find where it's actually leaking) are leaking. Can anyone more or less give me some advice on this? I'd like to not spend $600+ at a mechanic if I could do the valve covers myself for a lot less and maybe learn a thing or two about my truck in the process. Even though my truck is leaking oil and trans fluid, it still runs like a top and has never (except for the starter contacts and fuel pump circuit randomly going out...) let me down.

Scangauge says that trans temps are good - never seen it get anywhere near 200. Coolant temp stays around 200-202.

 

[samdajellybeenie14]

My guess is that the trans has been leaking for a good long while because there's what appears to be trans fluid caked onto the steering rack.

 

[BlazeRunner]

Power steering fluid for these vehicles is ATF so be aware of that when looking for leaks.

 

[BlackCat914]

I'm on my phone so I can't see the pics real well, but it just looks like oil from the valve cover gaskets leaking down.

 

[Ryanincc]

Power steering fluid for these vehicles is ATF so be aware of that when looking for leaks.

How do you mean?

 

[Ryanincc]

Looks just like mine did yesterday before I paid my neighborhood Exxon garage about 350$ to put on new valve cover gaskets.

Also needed new anti swaybar bushings since the oil at them up. I bought the bushings at autozone for 16 and installed for 90.

 

[samdajellybeenie14]

I'm on my phone so I can't see the pics real well, but it just looks like oil from the valve cover gaskets leaking down.

Hmmm...I think you may be right. Now that I think about it, the stuff all over the trans DOES kind of look like oil and not ATF. I'll check it out tomorrow and let you know.

Also, I've heard that leaky valve covers are sometimes nothing more than the bolts needing to be torqued down again. Do you know anything about that? I'd be too scared to cracking the covers to actually do it...although it would be a shame if I spent $600+ getting the gaskets replaced when a simple tightening would have sufficed.

 

[02SE]

Hmmm...I think you may be right. Now that I think about it, the stuff all over the trans DOES kind of look like oil and not ATF. I'll check it out tomorrow and let you know.

Also, I've heard that leaky valve covers are sometimes nothing more than the bolts needing to be torqued down again. Do you know anything about that? I'd be too scared to cracking the covers to actually do it...although it would be a shame if I spent $600+ getting the gaskets replaced when a simple tightening would have sufficed.

It looks like motor oil to me too. I would just GENTLY snug down all of the valve cover bolts, and see if that does the trick. Often, that is all that is needed.

 

[samdajellybeenie14]

It looks like motor oil to me too. I would just GENTLY snug down all of the valve cover bolts, and see if that does the trick. Often, that is all that is needed.

GENTLY meaning "not torque them down to the torque spec?"

 

[02SE]

If you use a torque wrench and torque them to the proper spec, that's fine.

Most cracked valve covers and/or stripped threads I've seen, were where someone just grabbed a ratchet, and tried to crank them down too tight.

Do enough wrenching, and you eventually know how much force you can safely apply to various types and sizes of fasteners. If someone lacks that experience, then they absolutely should use a torque wrench.

On critical fasteners, a torque wrench should be used regardless of experience.


So what I was saying is that if you don't have a torque wrench that is accurate in the range you need for the valve cover bolts, and you just try to tighten them with regular wrench, do so gently.

 

[snowninja]

seems like a common problem where the valve cover bolts work themselves loose over time or were not properly torqued to begin with or both! first thing to try is to tighten them up as others have said. then remove any oil you can see with some shop towels and watch it over the next couple weeks. go from there..

 

[samdajellybeenie14]

Sounds like a plan. Thanks guys.

 

[BlazeRunner]

How do you mean?

The power steering system uses automatic transmission fluid dexron II or higher

 

[Ryanincc]

The power steering system uses automatic transmission fluid dexron II or higher

Sorry, had a brain fart and misread you.

 

[kball]

If you do torque them down to whatever the spec is, remember it's inch pounds not foot pounds!

 

[LittleCaesar]

Very gently.

For the real fix replace the gaskets, cam plug seal, spark plug tube seals as well as remove and repack the half moons.

 

[samdajellybeenie14]

Just out of curiosity, I just checked my oil level and it was fine (about halfway between the first and second dot on the dipstick), but I'm curious as to why it smells like gasoline. That can't be normal. It's not an irregular color or anything, it just smells like gas.