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YOUR RESEARCHvalve cover leak
Leading reported evidence
Clean with the carb cleaner
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
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0
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1
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Read evidence and context
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I presprayed with an engine degreaser and let sit overnight before I cleaned with the carb cleaner.
Leading evidence: 'Clean with the carb cleaner' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check leaky culprit by jacking the car' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I use the gold Lubro Moly brand and am careful when I torque fasteners.
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(My first clue my O rings had failed!) Despite this, the car never leaked oil on the ground or used oil.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I used razor blades and a peanut grinder with a wire wheel to shape the plug.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I used a synthetic grease to lube them up and they easily popped right in.
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Suggestion
If you are sure it's the valve cover that's leaking, try removing the three or 4 bolts at the bottom of the cover ONE BY ONE, Clean all the threads, goober the bolt from the head to halfway down the bolt with gasket maker and install and torque to spec.
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My 2000 996 has a small leak on the valve covers. No it's not the rear main I. Have checked. Has anyone done this job? I looked at the factory manual and not much is mentioned.
If you are sure it's the valve cover that's leaking, try removing the three or 4 bolts at the bottom of the cover ONE BY ONE, Clean all the threads, goober the bolt from the head to halfway down the bolt with gasket maker and install and torque to spec. Don't over torque. This has not completely fixed the leak problem, but it has reduced it to a slight weep, rather than a drip.
You can remove the spark plug tubes without removing the valve covers on a MY 2000 car. Each tube has 2 x O ring seals which harden and leak - if one tube is leaking, its best to replace all 12 seals. The trick is to remove the tube without breaking it, as its just pushed into the valve cover - use the search function for details of how to....
You can check for the leaky culprit by jacking the car and check for oil resedue under each coilpack.
Heres a writeup by cefalu (hope you dont mind) from a couple of years ago....
Replacing spark plugs and tubes in a 1999 C2
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Let me start off by stating this is the first time I have worked on a Porsche. Most of my wrenching has been done on Alfa's and BMW's. I am impressed with this Porsches engine layout. I thought it would be much worse than it has been. When you peek under the car or look in the engine compartment it looks like 10 lbs of Sh*t stuffed in a 5 lb sack!! But I am not impressed with this stupid spark plug tube. They had to know when they concocted this design it would leak.
I am in the process of doing the 60K service on my 1999 C2 Cab which includes replacement of the spark plugs. Because I read on Renntech that the spark plug tubes often leak and possibly crack I also ordered 6 new tubes and all new seals. I have only done the passenger side, and discovered that 2 of the 3 seals were deformed and leaking oil. Those deformed seals must have become deformed by Otto when he popped them in the motor in Stuttgart. There is no way they could break and creep like that with time. I used a synthetic grease to lube them up and they easily popped right in.
Of note, the spark plugs I found in my motor were Bosch, not Beru. I ordered new Bosch ones from Pelican.
I went to West Marine who is a marine retailer to locate the T handle rubber expanding transom plug. The plug was $6. The 1" (25.4mm) plug was too small. The spark plug tube is 26.3mm dia. Even when I screwed the plug in as tight as I could get it, the plug wouldn't expand large enough to fit tight inside the tube. So I ended up buying a 1-1/4" plug and trimmed it down to fit. I used razor blades and a peanut grinder with a wire wheel to shape the plug. The reshaped plug worked perfectly and easily pulled the tubes out.
You will note from the pictures how oily everything was. (My first clue my O rings had failed!) Despite this, the car never leaked oil on the ground or used oil. The tube leak was probably contained mostly by the outer seal. Although some did seep past. The tubes were full of oil, even on the one good seal.
It took 3 cans of carb cleaner on the passenger side, and one can of electrical contact cleaner to clean up the 3 coil packs and plugs. I presprayed with an engine degreaser and let sit overnight before I cleaned with the carb cleaner. It looks much better. All of the coil packs were fine and had no cracks.
Some people have noted it helps to remove the muffflers. ABSOLUTELY. I don't see how you can do this job otherwise. At least not with normal sized hands. Plus I didn't want to take any chances with the tube removal, spark plug threading and replacement of the coil packs. Considering how easy it is to drop the muffflers it's a no brainer. Most of these pics are the passenger side which is the "easy" side. The drivers side is worse. I started on the drivers side and gave up, then moved to the passenger side. That's tonight.
To remove the muffler you need to loosen the two 17mm bolts on the round cat to muffler clamp. Push the clamp towards the cat side until the clamp is flush with the end of the pipe. Then there are 3 nuts which have to be removed from the plate which is attached to the bracket with the 4 pipe supports. The muffler is free at this point. You need to remove the rear tire too because the muffler slides forward and then down. I didn't know what I was doing, so I also removed the 2 very long bolts which bolt the muffler to the bracket, but in hindsight I don't think I needed to do that. That's it and then you have excellent access.
The third picture down shows the support plate with the 3 holes that have the three nuts which have to be removed to seperate the muffler from the support bracket. The first and second pictures (before) shows the muffler bracket before I removed the muffler with one of the two long bolts (looks like a dumbell), that I don't think I needed to remove.
Lastly, despite the warnings against using anti seize, I lightly used it. I have 30 years of experience (weekend warrior) of working on all aluminum engines, and I have never once had a problem with anti seize. I use the gold Lubro Moly brand and am careful when I torque fasteners. When I replace these plugs next time, I know they won't be seized and will screw out safely. It makes no sense to me to not use anti seize on a spark plug. When water, aluminum and steel are connected together it makes sense to me to use anti seize.
All this work was done on a cold motor, not a warm one as suggested by PAG in the workshop manual.
I had my 2008 Carrera S ( 3.8L ) in for service last fall and they said the valve covers were leaking, and that warping was an issue with the stock valve covers. They recommended replacing with toe Turbo valve covers that are a different metal and more robust. From what I'm seeing in these posts, it may not actually be the valve covers leaking.
Please someone reply before I commit $1000 or more for new valve covers. Apparently takes over a 1/2 day to replace them.
Your 3.8 does not have spark plug tubes. The remedy you are being told sounds from the 70's. I would go over to the 997 Forum for some replies.......cuz after all your car is a 997.
Will do some digging and see what I find. Sounds expensive the way they want to fix it. Not a big leak at all; not a drop if oil on the garage floor. Just saw some oil residue on the bottom of the heat shields.
Spark plug tubes for sure, go buy 1" marine plug, and all you need is a 10mm socket, hex socket and small wrench and some patience. Luricate new tube's seals lightly before pushing in using the same marine plug you used to remove them.
The original post was from back in 2014... SP was responding to the Urologist
who seems to have a 997 which doesn't have Pee - I mean sparkplug tubes...
Spoke to the dealer again. Plot thickens... Guess the valve covers are not even sold separately. Porsche only sells the cylinder head and valve cover as a unit. So that tells me this is not the source of the leak. Must just be a gasket issue. Does anyone out there have experience with valve cover leaks on a 997 3.8L motor?
This is the 996 forums so we really don't care. Keep your problems on the 997 forums. We have enough of our own problems to deal with, both mechanically and psychologically.
I think your's is an M97 engine block, which is similar to the 996 engines. That means the cam cover is part of the cam bearing journals and there's NO gasket between the cover and the engine head. Sealant is used.
If you're a 9A1 engine, then I think it uses a rubber gasket. Can you show us a photo of your engine/engine bay so we can see if it's indeed an M97 engine?
Clearly the dealer that told me about replacing the valve covers with ones from a Turbo 997 were mistaken. The valve covers and cylinder heads are a single unit from the factory. I think the dealer now questions the oil leak location. I think they'd have to remove the cladding to see the heads and actually locate the small leak.
By the way, I have 2008 Carrera S, 3.8l with only 50,000km ( 30,000 miles ) on it.
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