I’ve been noticing white smoke and an oil leak coming from the valve cover on my 2004 Camry. I can’t figure out what’s wrong, but I’m worried it might be a major issue. I don’t know much about engine repair and could use some help from this forum. Could the gasket be bad, or is it something more serious? I’d appreciate any advice!
Looks like the job wasn’t done right. Maybe the bolts weren’t torqued properly or were skipped entirely. I’ve never seen a 4-cylinder valve cover gasket fail this bad. Could it be a defective gasket?
Oswin said:
Looks like the job wasn’t done right. Maybe the bolts weren’t torqued properly or were skipped entirely. I’ve never seen a 4-cylinder valve cover gasket fail this bad. Could it be a defective gasket?
If I have another mechanic redo the job, could it fix the damage? I don’t have the resources to do it myself. I’m worried it might lead to bigger engine problems, like a head gasket issue, if I don’t fix it soon. I sometimes top off the oil myself since the engine burns oil, but I’ve been a little late with oil changes. Could this have caused the issue?
@oddah
It’s just an oil leak. Keep checking your oil level and top off as needed. The gasket might have been defective or it could’ve folded during installation. I’ve had to redo jobs like this before, and it’s annoying, but at least it’s not too bad for this engine. Do you know what kind of gasket was used? I’ve been using OEM, but FelPro works well too.
It sounds like the valve cover gasket is still leaking, and the oil is probably burning on the exhaust manifold. You can clean it up from time to time to delay it, but eventually the gasket will need to be replaced for a permanent fix. Also, don’t forget the sealant where the timing cover meets the cam housing, as oil can leak if that area isn’t sealed properly.
When you install the valve cover gasket, you need to use FIPG (form in place gasket) where the timing cover meets the cylinder head. If you skip this, it will always leak there. Toyota calls it FIPG, but it’s really just a gasket in a tube you squeeze out where it’s needed. RTV sealant works the same way. Or maybe the gasket got pinched during installation.
A new valve cover gasket is usually around $80 for most Toyotas, so don’t stress too much about the cost. The real question is, did you use a torque wrench when doing the job? I messed up my first valve cover gasket job on my old Tundra V8 when I was 16. Four years later, I rebuilt half an engine on a Miata, so you learn as you go. The most important thing is torquing the bolts in the right order, so each part of the gasket gets even pressure. Did you follow the proper pattern? If not, the gasket might leak at the loose points. Hopefully, the valve cover isn’t cracked. If you’ve got a socket kit, an in-lb torque wrench from Harbor Freight, and some pliers, you could fix this yourself in a couple of hours in the driveway. It’s only an inline-4, so it should be easier than working on a V6.
@Michael
I don’t think I paid more than $30 for mine, and these engines are pretty easy to work on. The hardest part is making sure everything lines up when you put the gasket down.