Impossible Oil Leak?

[chaseincats]

Hi gang,

Got a weird one for you today.  It seems oil is somehow sneaking out of my valve cover's oil cap even though it is VERY tightened down.  There is definitely a thin oil trail coming out of it and running further back on the top of the valve cover.  The outlet for the valve cover breather hose also seems to be moist around the base of that L-fitting.

Any idea how this is even possible?  My oil pressure gauge is showing maybe 2/3s of the way up while driving and sits at around 1/4 at a traffic light so the pressure in there isn't anything out of the ordinary.  I didn't think the oil caps had gaskets on the top, did they?

[jonbill]

I'd bet your oil cap is cracked.

[Patcon]

Does your crankcase/ pcv system work correctly? The oil caps are supposed to have an O ring. At different times they were integral to the cap and then the valve cover

[chaseincats]

9 minutes ago, Patcon said:

Does your crankcase/ pcv system work correctly? The oil caps are supposed to have an O ring. At different times they were integral to the cap and then the valve cover

The PCV valve is only a couple years old but I can check tonight.  My cap absolutely does not have an O ring...I'll go to oreillys tonight.

[Captain Obvious]

8 minutes ago, chaseincats said:

My cap absolutely does not have an O ring.

Absolutely, huh...  "Are you sure about those five minutes?"

[chaseincats]

10 minutes ago, Captain Obvious said:

Absolutely, huh...  "Are you sure about those five minutes?"

Unless I never noticed because it's rock hard rubber.  I'll check tonight and report back.

[jonbill]

I'll have to check mine - never noticed an o ring.

[SteveJ]

Be careful when you doubt the Captain. I looked at all 3 I had lying around and found no gaskets, but once I opened the parts manual website...

But not surprisingly...

Edited April 17, 2023 by SteveJ

[Zed Head]

It's actually a shaped gasket, by CO's picture, not an o-ring.  The question is, does it still exist in the cap.

The fact that oil is leaking from two places kind of suggests blowby pressure.  Maybe a clogged PCV valve or hose.

 

[chaseincats]

13 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

It's actually a shaped gasket, by CO's picture, not an o-ring.  The question is, does it still exist in the cap.

The fact that oil is leaking from two places kind of suggests blowby pressure.  Maybe a clogged PCV valve or hose.

 

I'll give it a look tonight then and report back

[siteunseen]

#10

[jonbill]

Well isn't CO clever.