hey guys, I just went do an oil change in my car, got under and saw this;

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/aannese/P281208_161701.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/aannese/P281208_161601.jpg

I think I may have identified the source of some of the leak but I'm really not good with engines (though i'd like to be :doubt:) so I have no idea if this is actually causing it. I think there may be another issue which I can't find though, as there's a heap oil above this too. If you look at the photos in the post below (image limit :mad:), there's a bit of rubber which is hanging down near the alternator belt and some other thin belt, which appears to be a seal that has come out.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/aannese/P281208_1613.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/aannese/P281208_161301.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/aannese/P281208_161702.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/aannese/P281208_161801.jpg

I'm gunna take it to my mechanic asap but just trying to figure out how much my bank account is gunna suffer :( so any ideas would be great... cheers guys

Im sure MadMagna will correct me on this one :P

However, from the looks of it, I'de say its the rocker cover seal thats gone.....

Mine had the same look about it.....

As for the bit of rubber - hrm....shall leave this one to Mal.

Im sure MadMagna will correct me on this one :P

However, from the looks of it, I'de say its the rocker cover seal thats gone.....

Mine had the same look about it.....

As for the bit of rubber - hrm....shall leave this one to Mal.

No need to correct mate, you are spot on.

Rocker cover gaskets are leaking, may have come lose but more likely have gone hard as is the norm.

Assuming you know how, pop off the rocker covers, replace the gaskets and the plug tube seals as well (kit is about 90 bucks for both sides). With the covers off, make sure you really clean the balance breather tubes and pipe as well as all the PCV pipes, valve and hoses.

Other rubber is a seal on the timing belt cover, is really redundant and can be cut off for all it matters. Dust gets in around the engine mount bracket anyway so this will do little

cheers for that mate, legend! where would be the best place to get the gasket kit from and will it matter if I drive the car for the next week or so until I have time to fix it?

You can still drive on it. Dont leave it for months, you can cause damage to your top end. A week or two is fine.

As Madmagna pointed out in another thread, your fuel economy probably isnt that great though. My car was using 12.5lt/100km, changed the rocker cover seals - bingo straight back to 10-10.5lt/100km.

Just keep an eye on the oil level, but going from your pics - its probably not leaking too much.

Not sure if you have Bursons or Repco in SA, but either of those will have the kits. Make sure you do get them with plug tube seals, old one's will be rock hard.

SA have Sprint Auto, they have the kits or at least can get them no worries.

The leak does not look too bad, more an issue of build up over a long time

Keep an eye on the level and then do it when you can

well I called Sprint and apparently they don't do the kits, they just have the gaskets for $10 each. Called Repco and the do the kits for $73 each side. Called Mitsu and they do the Gaskets for $23.75 each and plug tube seals for $15.95 each.

So i'm thinking i'll get the Gaskets from Sprint for $10 each ($20 total), and the plug tube seals from Mitsu (i'm guessing i'll need 6) totalling $115.70. Does this sound alright?

Yep 6 plug tube seals, 2 rocker cover gaskets.

May aswell take the time to change the front & rear plugs to iridium/platinum plugs, and change anything else you're not certain about - like leads, dizzy cap, rotor button etc (saves you ripping the car apart later lol )

Also, get a inlet manifold gasket kit (from memory, if the factory metal one is there, you *can* re-use, if its an aftermarket gasket, change it). Repco sell these for around $15, includes upper and lower intake manifold gaskets, throttle body gasket, and a few others.

Throttle body gasket is metal from factory, and is ok to re-use.

well I called Sprint and apparently they don't do the kits, they just have the gaskets for $10 each. Called Repco and the do the kits for $73 each side. Called Mitsu and they do the Gaskets for $23.75 each and plug tube seals for $15.95 each.

So i'm thinking i'll get the Gaskets from Sprint for $10 each ($20 total), and the plug tube seals from Mitsu (i'm guessing i'll need 6) totalling $115.70. Does this sound alright?

Sprint do them as I have purchased them from Sprint in the past, just the Moron behind the counter was too lazy or stupid to look them up. (gather you must have called holden hill branch lol)

They are Permaseal rc3040k (k being for kit)

See how you go with this now

Sprint do them as I have purchased them from Sprint in the past, just the Moron behind the counter was too lazy or stupid to look them up. (gather you must have called holden hill branch lol)

They are Permaseal rc3040k (k being for kit)

See how you go with this now

cheers for that mate, yea armed with that number it turns they do have them lol he's gettin 2 in for me tomorrow at $44ish each :D

funny thing is I called Glenelg and Edwardstown before and they both told me they didn't have the kits and Edwardstown wanted $17.45 for each gasket :nuts:

I'm having similar issues but not as bad as OP. The front rocker cover gasket and oil cap were replaced in September as they were both leaking.

Now the rear rocker cover and spark plug seals are leaking as well. Car's going into the workshop next week to bolt the blower back on so will get these 7 items replaced at the same time.

Mitsu spare parts quoted me $120 for the rear rocker cover gasket and 6 spark plug seals.