Oil Leak!!!

[BrianWrightR6]

Well I just got done putting a head gasket on my 400 thinking that was the source of my leaking oil, that or one of my head bolts was leaking. Well that did not work, after further investigation I looked at the bolt that holds the rocker arms up and it looked like the oil was coming out around it? I took that damn head off again and now going to order 2 new washers to go behind the rocker arm bolts. IF this does not fix it I really don’t know what to do? If the oil is coming out of one of the head bolts what are they to do about that? I am at my wits end; I just pray this fixes it. Let you all know when the washers come in and I get her back together.

Here is a picture of the culprit!

http://www.lostbob.dns2go.com/Uploads/Head 002.jpg

[Castor-426ex]

ouch...could cost hella $$$

[400exInMI]

OUCH!
HEY THAT COFFEE MUG IN THE BACK GROUND, GOT THE SAME ONE, USED TO WORK FOR EDS....

[quadman21]

Head gasket? or do you mean head cover gasket? You can get a rubber-like material head cover gasket instead of the OEM metal one that helps out a lot. Nasty break!

Some ideas.

First off that is the head cover and its not unusuall for the gasket to leak once the cover has been removed. It seems that most people dont use a torque wrench and the threads that the head cover bolts mate with in the head become worn or stripped and then the oil leaks by the gasket.

If that is not your problem then you may be correct that the oil is leaking from the seal on the rocker shaft(s) and you need to change them.

By looking at your pic it seems that you may have "tweeked" the head cover when the top motor mount was cracked or smashed off. If the new gaskets etc dont stop the leak I would think that a new head cover may be a good idea and you should change it anyway since its missing the top mount.

[Wired]

brian i have the same problem that you described. mine burns a he!! of alot of oil too and it leaks around the rocker arm bolts and head cover gasket. i have a new gasket and washers coming for the rocker arm bolts. hopefully this will solve the leak, but as far as burning the oil... i'll have to tear the engine apart this winter and asses the damages... i hope my cam and high comp piston is still in one piece, she tics like a ******* and its annoying.

[BrianWrightR6]

The cam and rocker arms look great, no scratches or sign of wear on them, I really think that it is the shaft that holds the rocker arms up leaking, (I HOPE). We will find out here soon, I ordered the washers today; they should be in by Friday.