Yuta

This is a remanufacutured engine that i put on last month. Currently it is on its second tank of gas. But I recently noticed that there is small oil spots in my parking lot. I traced it back to the front corner of the deck/head gasket. Attached is a picture i took. This is a new/remanufactured engine....And I don't think there is any oil passenge in that area of the head gasket... I am wondering maybe it is from the valve cover gasket on the top....It is new valve cover gasket. Maybe I should tigthen the valve cover nuts to see ...

bergercurtis

Be careful not to over torque the valve cover gasket bolts. Once they're snug- that's about it. The aluminum head will give much easier than the bolts. That said, helicoils are not fun. It may be the valve cover gasket at the camshaft bump or the cam seal, and oil running down the plastic timing cover.. You could dye your oil and UV light it.

If it were my car, I'd start by taking the valve cover gasket off and using some black RTV around.

acmoc

Don;t use rtv on the valve cover gasket.


The crown nuts are pretty much finger tight(7 ft lbs) or you'll snap the head of the stud off.

As to your question, oil will not leak from the head gasket. That's very unlikely unless there is a more serious issue.

And it'd be easy to check by looking at your oil and antifreeze.


I'm thinking it's the cam seal if not the valve cover gasket.
Take your valve cover off and see.

It really should not be that hard to replace and is cheap.

Simply set the mechanical timing
loosen the T belt.
Pop off the cam gear
Replace cam seal
Replace cam gear(At the same Top dead center setting)
Make sure crank is also at TDC
Tighten T belt.
Replace valve cover