Minor oil leak? really cant find it!

I just put new valve covers on and torqued them all to 13ft lbs. I think that the oil from when it was leaking befor i did that might be still running down but i dont know. I am finding oil on parts of my starter on the passenger side and on the round silver thing above the oil pan on driver side.. i see oil above and below the head gasket but i dont think it is my head gasket...could it be? tm i am going to do a very good clean up in the spots i can hit. I guess my big question is is it just valve covers still or is it my heaad gasket(please dont be hg). Any input appreciated. i have 216xxx on the truck btw oil changed every 3000-5000 miles.

 

Get a dye kit from the auto parts, thats your best bet.

 

so just go ask for a oil dye kit? and if it were the main seal wouldnt it be coming out of the dust cover for the tranny?

 

Just remember leaks go down and back, clean it up real good and do the dye test. Only test one at a time (oil, transm, pwr stering) dont put the dye on all your fluids at the same time, it will just makes things worse for you. I have some dye but you'll need the uv light and the glasses ( I need those for work.)

 

well it is definatly engine oil but thanks i will proceed to clean as best as possible to try and avoid buying the dye stuff. Thanks and would you happen to know the answer to this?....>and if it were the main seal wouldnt it be coming out of the dust cover for the tranny?
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are there half moons on our 3.4s? i forget... the little half circle peices that sit in the back and the valve cover gasket sits on? did u apply sealent to the corners where the gasket turns a steep 90 by the cams? really hard to tell without seeing it. like was said before, clean it all up, every angle. run the truck and reinspect.

 

shit no i didnt WTF WTF now you say that i have to now even if it not that thats leaking ....and you mean applying sealant to bottom of gasket where it contacts the aluminum?

 

ok so check this out. i borrowd this from someone on google lol. its good practice to put a little dab of sealent next to the cam caps... also you have to remove the half moons on both the back and front, clean the old sealent off and reseal them, then promptly put the new gasket on and install

 

so those little hal moon things actually pull out? your talking about the peices of metal on the ends that looks like it slides in?

 

yup. they are sealed in. they can most def. leak... but id still clean everythign up first and see where the leak before u pull it apart.

 

An older 3.4 I had was leaking from under the rear cam caps. I had to remove the cap and put silicone under there to seal. It was in the shop manual, but I just ASSUMED it was the valve cover gasket leaking. You know what ASSUME does? It makes an ASS of U and ME!! LOL

 

so i am going to check to see if i can feel any from the caps....if i do how do you get them off?

 

anybody? on how to take caps off?

 

sry man had to eat dinner. those caps are ony sealed in. just give them a little budge and they will spin out of their slot...

 

and you dont have to do anything with the cam right? and thanks for the help. i went out to feel around back there and boy was it real greasy...hope that this is the fix to my problem...will be breaking iit all down again monday night.

 

I made a diagram for you (see attached) to further illustrate what lotsoftoys mentioned about them spinning out.

...and I have a story to go with it so you'll know what not to do.

The first time I was expected to knock them out I was told to just use a small hammer & a screwdriver handle, nothing more was said.
I didn't think much about it & just struck them on the outside face & knocked them out that way.
This breaks the edges of these pieces and renders them useless.

 

so knock on thetop corners...thanks a bunch yall i found a gap from under the car where i can see the caps and they are def leaking...will do it tm night and see what happens thanks again been a big help

 

My valve cover cracked 2 weeks ago and I had it welded and then i torqued the bolts to 110 inch pounds. The best thing to do is take it to ur local car wash and use the tire soap and soak the block and head. Then rinse it and drive it for about a week and then see if you can still see any. Even after I washed mine I could still smell oil burning for about a week but now it is clean and perfect.

 

it only takes a drop of oil on your header to smell really bad and plus you can really get the oil off the back of the head without burning it off.

 

thaNKs i will do tire cleaner after i fix the caps