r1racer

Does the cylinder head need to be removed to get to the gasket inside the cylinder head?

boonies

No. Most likely the oil is migrating from the valve cover. Replace that gasket and you should be okay.

r1racer

So how do you get to it? To me it looks like the head must come off to replace. If so, doesn't that mean the rear covers would have to come off too = not a DIY job?

boonies

How do you know that the oil is leaking where your have added the arrow? IMO it is unlikely.

Remember, the oil pressure and cam movement will push a lot of oil around that space and the dried out (at 100k miles) valve cover gasket simply won't keep the oil where it belongs.

The leak is most likely coming from the top of the spark plug tube, which will be sealed by a new valve cover gasket. If you install the gasket (and it isn't pinched or off center) and it still leaks then you will need to do some research to find the answer.

Good luck.

r1racer

I'm not 100% sure but I believe that I can see where the leak starts. I can also tell from where the oil starts on the coil pack. There is also a gasket where that arrow is pointing and if the valve cover started leaking it's reasonable to believe this would too.

I'm going to take that coil pack out and confirm...if it is, oh well. Maybe a small dab of sealant inside the spark plug tube for a temp patch or no?

emmm

So I replaced the valve cover gasket and upper tube seal. The job wasn't too bad, but the air filter box will be the end of me, lol. I've driven just over 5k miles and checked the wells, OIL AGAIN! I've either pinched the gaskets somewhere, or there's a leak coming from where r1racer has pointed to.
r1 - did you happen to look further into your theory?

I'm going to order another set of gaskets and take it all apart again. Hopefully I've just pinched a gasket, or maybe I used to much RTV sealant? Do you even think I need to use RTV?

Prospeeder

That is the cam bearing/upper cylinder head. Theres no gasket. Its silicone sealer. You really should remove the timing belt when you remove that because it can do strange things to the cams with all the belt tension on and cams not bolted down. Remove bolts, pry it off. Its tuff, and clean everything super good and use like Ultra Grey or Ultra black RTV, VERY small amount, remember theres like almost NO clearance when its bolted down so a small layer is squished to almost nothing.

4Driver4

If you used any at all, you used too much.

Clean that crap up and try a new gasket unless you are fairly sure the leak is coming from further below. Personally, I doubt that the lower gasket is the issue if you got oil in the plug wells that quickly. Sounds like the leak is worse not better?

4Driver4

That depends on the year. Many have the internal gasket around the wells. IIRC, 05 has a gasket.


You mean chain, not belts?

emmm

Ok great, thanks! Ordering new gaskets and gonna give it another shot (without RTV). I'll come back with some results.