montero 3.5 oil leak

[philjherman]

Hey everyone,

I have a 3.5 2000 Montero with 102k miles on it and I have discovered an alarming oil leak.

I believe this is leaking from the passenger side valve cover gasket.

Fresh oil is present on the aluminum tabs that stick out under the valve cover. The oil appears on the rear tab first. It is dripping down the back corner of the engine. Oil is also present on all 3 vc bolts on the passenger side. Oil is also present on the back of the alternator.

I have done a lot of research and have attempted to rule out other oil leaks. There is no oil leaking out of the rear cam seal (plug with two bolts) and there is no oil on the bottom of the alternator.

So with all of this I believe the passenger side valve cover gasket is the culprit.

My questions about this are:

How long of a job is it to replace the vc gasket?

Does anyone have a diy or link that could help me? Photos preferred.

What else should I do while all of this is taken apart?

This job may be out of my league if that is the case I will take it to a mechanic. I want to know what the job entails as not to get ripped off.

Thanks in advance everyone I appreciate it.

 

[nwoods]

Subscribed.

 

[jlocster]

Leaky valve cover gaskets are a very common issue with this engine. At 100k miles yours are due to be changed.

It's advisable to change the spark plugs, spark plug grommets, plug wires, and rear cam seals at the same time you replace the valve cover gaskets since you'll have access to those parts. You'll also need a replacement intake plenum gasket and an EGR tube gasket as part of the job.

Watch this 6 part series of YouTube videos here to see what it takes to get access to the valve covers. Although this video stops at replacing spark plugs/wires, removing the valve covers would be the next step. It should help you decide if you want to tackle the job yourself or have the work done at a shop.

Good luck!

 

[philjherman]

Thank you so much jlocster. That is exactly what I needed!