Oil seeping around filler neck?

[Wana]

I've always had a little bit of engine oil on my valve cover after a drive. I had thought that the gasket in the filler cap (original) was to blame, and finally got around to making a new one out of thin rubberized cork gasket material. The cap feels tighter now when I screw it on - however I now have even a little bit more oil coming out. Watching with the engine running, when I rev it I can see a tiny bit of oil bubbling out down around the area where the filler neck meets (or goes into) the valve cover. Is this a welded seam? What does this mean - can it be repaired or do I need to replace it (with one like Velox got from Ray /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif)?

 

[GregW]

I’d venture a guess that your rocker bushings may be worn. Not the answer you were looking for, was it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif

 

[Wana]

Greg, I appreciate your response but it exposes my ignorance. So, I'll ask another question to see if I can understand. What if I had said that I have a tiny hole in the top of my valve cover and a small bit of oil comes out of it when the engine is running at high speeds. Would this still lead you to suspect worn rocker bushings? I guess I assumed that there was a certain amount of oil under some amount of pressure moving around under the valve cover, and that it would find any hole to the outside and go through it, even if everything else (rocker bushings, etc.) were in fine shape. Am I clueless? Just trying to learn. Thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazyeyes.gif

 

[Skip & Lynne]

Wana I might be exposing my ignorance here also but thats how we all learn and these are a great group of folks here. Do you have a hole in the valve cover or is it the small hole in the cap. You might want to check the vent lines from the valve cover to see if they are clogged and pressurizing the crankcase a little. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[Wana]

No, the oil is not coming out of the hole in the cap, it is coming out around where the neck (the verticle tube where you pour the oil in) goes into the valve cover. I'll try to take a picture this evening to show exactly what is happening.

 

[Keoke]

Hi Wanna, the vent being referred to is "beneath" the "T" hose fitting at the rear of the valve cover,you must remove it to see it. Additionally the rubber elbo at the bottom of the vent pipe located on the Right side of the engine may be perished. Regarding the rocker shaft bushings remove the valve cover,start the engine and observe the amount of oil coming out of the tappets if significant [SmallGushers]or excessive flow the bushings are worn and must be replaced. However, if all of this is found to be in good condition then the joint between the filler neck and the valve cover is leaking due to old age. Any suitable filler: soldering ,JB weld ,ETC NO RTV can be applied to this joint inside the valve cover.--Fwiw---Keoke

 

[GregW]

Hi Wana,
Sorry, I wasn’t trying to put you on the spot. My line of thought was “how does the oil get up to the filler neck”. You’ve already gotten good leads above. Since the valve cover is vented to the air filter on the rear carb, there shouldn’t be that much pressure under normal conditions. Bad hoses (which I hadn’t thought of) blocking pressure relief or worn bushings (oil squirting up at the hole) could cause the leak that you are having. If you have everything opened up to put that shiny new valve cover on, you might want to take a look at those things.

 

[Velox]

[/ QUOTE ] can it be repaired or do I need to replace it (with one like Velox got from Ray /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif)?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Wana, sorry, just couldn't help myself here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif but since I put on that new cover on my mileage has gone up, I measured about 20 more HP seat-of-the-pants and the engine starts better, idles smoother and shifts easier. Or, not /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif Anyway, hope you get the leak fixed, just make sure the entire vent system is open and functional. I will tell Ray to be expecting your call /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif