Ok, the valve covers are leaking, simple enough. The heads, headers, and block have a bunch of oil on them.
This only happens when the engine has warmed up. I have also noticed that it has only happened just recently with the 100+* Texas heat. What I got the truck in June it was not doing it.
I suspect that it will get better come winter when it will obviously get colder.
One thing that bothers me is the fact that when I started the truck up after it had been sitting for about 4-5 days, when it started, it started rough and once it warmed up, I noticed the oil burning on the headers (as there was a smell). It appears to be worse on the passenger side of the block.
The scary part is that once the truck cooled off, I checked the oil level and discovered that the level had dropped from about half-way through the "safe" to just before the "add" oil level. I have checked this twice now and it has given me the same reading. My oil pressure has also been a bit high after discovering this problem.
I find all this concerning because I wouldn't have though you could lose THAT MUCH oil through some leaky gaskets!
And yes, I checked my plenum Monday night; all APPEARS to be well, it may be hiding.
This DOES lead me to wonder why my engine pings at 37-4000RPM under load.
Which also leads me to the belt problem.

When backing up one time, the wheels were locked full-lock to the right and I heard a belt squeel when the engine got gas. I have presumed that my belt was squeeling at 2-2300RPM under load but after thinking about it, I realized that the sound that it was making didn't SOUND like a belt. What it DID sound like it a sucking noise. Now I'm pretty sure my airbox is on correctly but I am wondering if the valve covers could be causing the noise since they are leaking, they might be sucking in air.

One other thing, the engine doesn't seem as responsive after about 2500RPM (ugh).


Any thoughts?


(pictures will come later)

 

Sometimes just tightening the valve covers bolts will keep leakage down and sometimes it needs new gaskets. I've also had oil pressure sending units leak down the right rear of the block and thought it was the right side valve cover.

 

+1 on retorqueing the valve covers this often fixes the problem. if not, the valve cover gaskets are not too hard to change. get the good (and expensive) rubber felpro gaskets.

i doubt you're leaking as much oil as you think. make sure your allowing plenty of time for it to drain down, truck level, etc, top it back off exactly and monitor it. just keep it full.

check your belt condition. if not less than 3 years old or if it shows lots of tiny cracks, just replace it.

if your truck won't rev up past about 3000 rpm, it might be a clogged cat, often caused by leaking plenum and being contaminated or just being a dodge.

pinging is not good. often caused by a vac leak, including plenum leak. also caused by carbon build up.

 

Those valve cover bolts will loosen up in a matter of months. I replaced my gaskets and a few months later when I changed the plenum gasket I checked them and most of the bolts had lost torque, about half a turns worth.
I had 5 loose bolts (not even finger tight) on each valve cover and when I checked my dads, his were the same (5 on each side).

The up side of a valve cover leak is that your spark plug heat shields will be easy to pull out.

 

What are the torque specs on the valve cover bolts? Thanks.

 

haynes manual says 95 INCH pounds not FOOT pounds,
that's only 8 foot pounds.

 

That low amount of torque combined with thick squishy gaskets and oil soaked bolt holes and vibration from the engine is probably why they tend to back out.

 

Thank you, I think I'm going to pick a Haynes manual up, they seem worth the 20 bux.

 

Anybody see an objections to throughing some locktite on the bolts, I know in some instances its not a good idea but I don't see why it wouldn't be on these bolts.

 

When I buy a vehicle I get a haynes manual for it that day, they are definitely worth the 20$.

Loctite would be fine, make sure it's blue (medium strength) and not red or green. Block off the rockers and clean out the bolt holes with a small shot of brake cleaner before using the loctite.