Help With Small Engine Leak - Valve Cover Gasket?

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EViS

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I have spotted a small engine leak at the top of the passenger side of my 2015 5.7l Ram 1500 with only 40,000 miles. I haven't noticed any performance degradation but would like to solve this before it gets any worse. Could I have some assistance with trying to diagnose where this leak may be originating from and what parts I may need to undertake the repair? I'm guessing that this could be a failed valve cover gasket, but would really appreciate some further opinions on where else to look?
 

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grizzstang

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More likely seepage from your intake manifold. The bolts loosen off pretty fast. I had some staining towards the back of the passenger side valve cover in 2020 and stumbled across a thread about retorquing your intake manifold bolts. I retorqued them and cleaned off the engine and haven't seen any seepage since. My 2017 has just over 43000 miles on it now and I just retorqued the intake manifold again this past weekend and sure enough they were loose.

The thread below will tell you how to do it:

 
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EViS

EViS

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More likely seepage from your intake manifold. The bolts loosen off pretty fast. I had some staining towards the back of the passenger side valve cover in 2020 and stumbled across a thread about retorquing your intake manifold bolts. I retorqued them and cleaned off the engine and haven't seen any seepage since. My 2017 has just over 43000 miles on it now and I just retorqued the intake manifold again this past weekend and sure enough they were loose.

The thread below will tell you how to do it:

Thanks for the reply and pointing me in the right direction to that thread. Do you, or anyone else happen to know the correct torque for the valve cover bolts?

I'll torque the intake cover bolts to 9 ft-lbs (12 nm) as recommended and per the sequence diagram. However, I can't find the correct torque for the valve cover bolts as well?
 

Burla

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Seams a little early but change pcv, maybe inspect it as well, see if there is any condition clogging it. Have you ever cut open filters? Maybe move to catch can.
 

Wild one

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Thanks for the reply and pointing me in the right direction to that thread. Do you, or anyone else happen to know the correct torque for the valve cover bolts?

I'll torque the intake cover bolts to 9 ft-lbs (12 nm) as recommended and per the sequence diagram. However, I can't find the correct torque for the valve cover bolts as well?
70 in-lbs. No local carwashes in the UK to wash the engine bay,as for 40,000 miles that thing looks terrible under the hood.
 
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EViS

EViS

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70 in-lbs. No local carwashes in the UK to wash the engine bay,as for 40,000 miles that thing looks terrible under the hood.
Thanks for this! Where did you find that specific torque spec as I couldn't seem to find it in the service manual which I have.

It probably could do with a bit of an engine bay detail. The body work and interior is absolutely perfect though :cool:.
 
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EViS

EViS

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Seams a little early but change pcv, maybe inspect it as well, see if there is any condition clogging it. Have you ever cut open filters? Maybe move to catch can.
Nope, never felt a need to open any filters. What should I be looking for as I'll be changing out the oil in the next two months or so?
 

Wild one

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Nope, never felt a need to open any filters. What should I be looking for as I'll be changing out the oil in the next two months or so?
Shiny specks in the filter pleats. If you don't have a filter cutting tool,you can use a sharp pair of tin snips to cut it open,don't use a saw of any type,as you'll get all kinds of saw debris on the pleats and you won't be able to distingiush them from engine wear particles
 

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Actually little bits of sludge or sludge specs. Maybe get a uao and get contamination numbers.

main thing check that pcv.
 

Wild one

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Thanks for this! Where did you find that specific torque spec as I couldn't seem to find it in the service manual which I have.

It probably could do with a bit of an engine bay detail. The body work and interior is absolutely perfect though :cool:.

 
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EViS

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Thank you for the replies all!

I finally got around to this job on the weekend. All of the air intake bolts were super loose. It took a couple of full rotations to get them to 12 nm. I followed the bolt pattern and torqued them to 8 nm at first, then 10 nm and finally 11.8 nm. I was getting a bit paranoid of not wanting to shear anything off! I cleaned all the residue on both sides and will monitor for any further weeping over the coming months.

The valve cover bolts were already torqued to 8 nm so that was good to see.
 
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