I have an oil leak off one of the hoses that connects each rocker cover and oil is spitting out of it and it falls down onto the exhaust. It lost close to 2L of oil after 400km and I'm also burning some oil in the engine so I'm a bit worried that if I don't fix this I'm gonna be in trouble.

I've tried tightning the clamps and reseating it but I think its broken.

http://imageshack.us/a/img69/287/img0650fd.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/img0650fd.jpg/)

http://imageshack.us/a/img96/6759/img0647dg.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/96/img0647dg.jpg/)

That hose connects the two rocker covers and should only be carrying crankcase fumes, not oil.

I would replace the hose (maybe shorten the damaged end and reclamp it), then check the positive crank case ventilation valve and hose in the front, as well as the one that goes to the air ducting from the rear valve cover. Look for blockages in the hoses, clogged up PCV valve.

Could just be your engine is very worn and creating a lot of oily fumes inside it through blowby at the rings.

Ok sounds good, I'll pop down to the wreckers and try and grab a replacement, but I'm worried that the damage is at the cover itself but I'll take a good look and grab both just in case.

I really, really doubt that hose has leaked 2L of oil in 400KM.

Something is wrong with your measuring or you are leaking elsewhere. Also 2L of oil in 400KM is a *lot*, if you *really* lost that much, then, its going to be a massive leak.

i suspect more likely that is a bad measurement.

Engine is probably worn and is using oil. That hose gets oil in it when the pcv valve is clogged. Clean that up and replace the hose. Should be fine then. If pcv is stuffed I bet those rocker cover gaskets are leaking.

Righto, looks like I need a new breather hose, a new pcv valve and new rocker cover gaskets (front looks fine but I'll need to redo the back.

Cheers.

The 2L was a bad calculation as the oil was supposed to have been topped off before I bought it and was empty less than 400km later.

Heres a pic of the culprit

http://imageshack.us/a/img834/8867/img0653gy.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/834/img0653gy.jpg/)

I am a little concerned about the amount of oil in the intake manifold!

http://imageshack.us/a/img843/2733/img0656ds.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/843/img0656ds.jpg/) http://imageshack.us/a/img850/523/img0654lqx.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/850/img0654lqx.jpg/) http://imageshack.us/a/img12/3444/img0658o.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/12/img0658o.jpg/) http://imageshack.us/a/img194/8234/img0660zd.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/194/img0660zd.jpg/)

I think the culprit is deeper in the engine, you are looking at symptoms of a problem, not a cause.
How many km?

Pull the plugs and let's have a look.

I'm with Max on this. 2L in 400km is A LOT of oil! That piping does NOT transfer oil, it can get in there, but it's not some oil return line or something on those lines. It can get oil in there if the PCV valve gets blocked.

I'm wondering if you don't have a head gasket issue or burn piston rings. Your intake manifold is heavily caked in oil. Is there a browny-majonnaise-like consistency substance inside the rocker cover?

I've had oil billowing out the back of my rocker cover in the past and after 80kms of driving I barely lost any oil.

It might be time to pull out a compression or vacuum tester and check the health of this engine.

OK following this thread closely with interest, my motor is exactly the same for oily intake ports as yours Rade, gonna be shitty if it turns out my motor needs a rebuild...... Does your engine smell like hot coolant or oil after a run?

Mine seems to have clear oil and coolant, no mixing of fluids, and no visible smoke out of the exhaust at all, blue or otherwise.... What about your car Rade, how many kms have you got on yours? I have just under 260,000kms

Definitely a look at the sparkplugs and if they are very uneven in colour, a compression check dry and wet.

I've bought Sigmas cheap in my younger days. At 160-180 thousand km those engines needed the full treatment, rebore, new pistons and rings, crank grind with new bearings, head overhaul. Still a cheap car for $500 plus $1500 for the engine work. Metallurgy has come a long way since then fortunately, but if an engine is used for short trips all its life and oil/filter changes get neglected or cheapened out on, I can imagine the v6 having bore wear, fouled rings and lots of blowby pumped up for the crankcase ventilation system to have to deal with at an early age.

Well I finished up and replaced the spark plugs (see images for old ones) and replaed the hose with a temp fix and the damn rocker cover is spewing oil really bad. I'm taking it back to the mechanic that sold me the car and making him replace it. If it blows again he can give me my money back or I'll report him to vicroads for perfoming dodgy road worthy's.

http://imageshack.us/scaled/thumb/46/img0663oq.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/46/img0663oq.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/scaled/thumb/705/img0662by.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/img0662by.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/scaled/thumb/690/img0661ya.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/690/img0661ya.jpg/)

Magna PI - PCV I replaced just before and the hose and no change, oil is def coming out the rocker gasket at the rear droping straight onto the manifold.

The oil was just replaced and the oil before was pretty dark (not caramel or creamy in colour so no water).

The rear bank spark plugs have all worn evenly so I'll see what happens.

I'm hoping it's just a case of the PCV valve is blocked and is causing a flow on effect but I'm very doubtful.

It could be the simplest option to get Mal to fix me up with another engine (hope he's got a good one lying around!)

Tartanterror, car is at 234,000km. The smoke is 100% oil and nothing else. It's certainly not a head issue from what it seems like but it could be rings pistons or valves for me.

No coolant just water in the damn system - lazy bastard mechanic said oh no water is fine in an alluminium engine! Idiot...

Plugs look fine.

Perhaps there is a problem with the rocker cover itself? Maybe split where that hose joins? Or a leaking rocker cover gasket just below that hose?

Sounds to me the gasket on the rocker cover is pinched, allowing oil to spill out. It is easy to do, I learned the hard way. It may just be a simple thing as replacing the gasket. The rear bank is the harder one to do as it is very hard to see the back of it. So the gasket needs to be seated properly in the rocker cover.
Best way to check where you can't see, is either a small mirror on a stick or a camera and look at the pics.

Well I've gotten quicker at taking the manifold on and off but I'm afraid I'll screw up the seal. I'm not very good with my hands like that.

When you say pinched, do you mean from over tightening or that the gasket wasn't put on correctly.

MadMax - The gasket was supposedly replaced a month ago in order to pass road worthy.

Yeah, It wasn't seated properly and when placed on the head, part of the gasket folded.
It is not that hard to do, it is just the gasket and tightness of the rocker bolts that you need to be sure of.

So do I need to just reseat the gasket or replace the gasket?

Depends on how badly it is damaged. Pull the rocker cover off first, to look at the gasket. Examine the cover for damage while it is off.

Once it's pinched, it can't be used again, use a new one. And also. the rocker bolts may have been tightened to much and damaged the cover.

Ok so cleaned the rocker cover seal area and lo and behold no leaks. Took it back to the mechanic and put it on a hoist. Leaking tons of tranny fluid straight onto the exhaust! Will let you know what happens next

Rear main seal. Bugger :(

Leaking tons of tranny fluid straight onto the exhaust! Will let you know what happens next

I'd love to hear the outcome of this one - I have a leak in that general area and though I confess I've been too slack :redface: to do much in the way of exploration yet, it initially appeared to be in the engine/tranny mating surface area.

Our wagon has just a few weeks of SA rego left before we must switch to Victorian and go through the Roadworthy process; so we have been getting a few other things out of the way.

Steve

On the Rego issue, just top let you know that if your vehicle is currently registered in SA IN YOUR name and you are going to register it in VIC IN THE SAME NAME, no roadworthy is required. You just ring VICROADS, make an appointment at one of their offices, go along fill out the form, pay the prescribed rego fee and a new plate fee hand in your old plates and away you go. Also their is no appointment fee for this transaction.
Just transferred two regos from NSW to VIC.
VICROADS will also transfer your license for no fee and you keep the same expiry date.

On the Rego issue, just top let you know that if your vehicle is currently registered in SA IN YOUR name and you are going to register it in VIC IN THE SAME NAME, no roadworthy is required. You just ring VICROADS, make an appointment at one of their offices, go along fill out the form, pay the prescribed rego fee and a new plate fee hand in your old plates and away you go. Also their is no appointment fee for this transaction.
Just transferred two regos from NSW to VIC.
VICROADS will also transfer your license for no fee and you keep the same expiry date.

Not really relevant.

Anyway it may be possible the oil from the split hose has gone everywhere so I'll keep an eye on things now and maybe clean it up see where the leak is actually coming from - might get some uv dye but it looks like its all stopped for now.

On the Rego issue, just top let you know that if your vehicle is currently registered in SA IN YOUR name and you are going to register it in VIC IN THE SAME NAME, no roadworthy is required. You just ring VICROADS, make an appointment at one of their offices, go along fill out the form, pay the prescribed rego fee and a new plate fee hand in your old plates and away you go. Also their is no appointment fee for this transaction.
Just transferred two regos from NSW to VIC. VICROADS will also transfer your license for no fee and you keep the same expiry date.

I realise this is off-topic; but if correct this will save me HUGE hassles - thanks John, will check tomorrow.