Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Oil leaking from valve cover bolt

[9 Lives]

Not sure what causes this...



This morning while sitting at a stop light I noticed a lingering smell of straight diesel. Though to myself wow glad that isn't me!



After 2-3 miles of driving and the smell didn't stop I decided to pull over. Me and a employee got under my 98 12 valve to see if it was leaking any fuel. No fuel but when we popped the hood we noticed the left side of the last 3 cylinders on the head where the valve cover gaskets are were covered in what I thought was fuel. Later after dipping a towel down into it and smelling it we found it was oil.



Took the a look under the piece that fits over the valve covers and the #3 valve cover was leaking oil from the bolt. You could see a stream around 1/2" wide flowing out from the seat of the bolt. I thought that was weird. This had to of started within the last 500 miles or less.



I stopped off at a store and got a wrench and swapped the leaking #3 cover with #2 cover and all leaking has stopped???? What could have caused this? Is there to much pressure building up in the valve covers? the bolt was tight before I removed the cover.

 

[Joe G.]

There are some special little O-rings around the bolts on top of the valve covers. You may have had one that had a wrinkle in it. You have to get replacements from Dodge or Cummins for the O-rings. The bolts have shoulders on them to set them just right as far as pressure on the bottom of the valve covers to the gaskets is concerned. So as long as the bolts are tight enough to not vibrate loose they are ok.

 

[CumminsPower98]

There really isn't anything special about the o-rings that I am aware of. I have picked them up at the local parts store a number of times and they work fine. Aways lube them so they don't tear up when being tightened (new or used).

 

[JGrover]

Them little O rings on the cover bolts go bad pretty easy. Also, its very easy to pinch the big o ring for the valve cover itself on the head bolts. Dont ask me how I know:{