Weeping oil from valve covers

Hey all,

I've done some searching and I've come up with mixed answers about whether or not this is a problem. I very rarely run into any wet oil around my valve covers. But it seems like some is escaping near the front of my engine. It's pretty much the same on the driver's side. It isn't leaking onto the ground, or even the frame. It's just leaving a film on the block and covers. Any sage advice? Should I just let it run?

 

You may want to pull a couple coils out and make sure it's not leaking into the spark plug tubes, if they are dry your probably fine running like that awhile but if they have oil in them you should change the gaskets soon.

 

I would go ahead and change the gasket and the PCV valve. When you do add a bit of gasket maker where the valve head and timing cover meet. You can get the PCV valve when you do this. If the PCV valve goes bad it can cause a leak around the gasket as pressure has to escape somewhere.

 

That’s a little more then the normal “seep”. I’d say you should make time to change them when you get a chance. It’s nothing prudent, but will need to be addressed at some point.

I say normal because, almost all the 4.0 engines I’ve seen, start to look “moist” in the same area after about 6-7 years. Mine has looked this way for years. So far it hasn’t gotten any worse.

Here is a link on the process if you choose to do it yourself.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...over-gasket-replacement.649648/#post-22571043

 

First tighten down the valve cover bolts. That is sometimes/often the problem and that fix costs nothing.

 

I would also check on that coolant leak on that hose.

 

With all the rust on the hardware and spring clamp, you must be from the rust belt.
Like Dm93 said, check the sparkplug/coil hole for oil, and if none or very little try snugging up the cover screws. On a valve cover that old, 2011, I'd expect to find some seepage.

 

I've also got a little oil on mine weeping in the same places at 130,000 miles. It is due for spark plugs... hopefully no oil in those. I really don't have time to do the valve covers right now but I will if I need to. How long does it typically take to do the valve cover gaskets?

 

Looks like the dipstick isn't fully inserted. Might be a stretch, but you sure it's not just from that ? Because the seeping also doesn't appear to be uniformed around the whole valve cover.

 

That's not that bad but if it starts getting on the exhaust manifolds it will make a stinky burning smell

If it was my vehicle I would fix it just because I don't like oil/fluid leaks