SSdreamz

iTrader: (3)

the maiden voyage of the new engine was tonight... heres the story: car starts up... great oil pressure (70 ish) when cold, let the car warm up and then pulled her out of the garage. real nice and easy driving to the interstate. the car drives solid and pulls like hell... way more torque than before. oil pressure has dropped alittle which is to be expected as the oil gets hot. water temp is 210ish. pull onto the interstate and just go through the gears all the way to 6th. just as my engine builder told me to do. all of a sudden, white smoke is pouring out from under the car. pulled off and checked everything out. tiny drips of oil. still good oil pressure ( between 40 and 50). get off the interstate and head home watching the gauges like a hawk. once the rpms werent so high (under 4500) no smoke all the way home. like 5 miles. pull it in the garage and jack it up. drivers side is wet underneath. coming from close to the head. i can see oil built up on the rivited part of the MLS gasket. maybe a head gasket.. then i thought, id be seeing antifreeze and my temp would have been through the roof. look onto the top of the engine and see some oil laying on the header flange. so then i think valve cover gasket????? i did have a problem getting the new gaskets to seat right into the valve covers.. what you all think??? im praying to the car gods and to all that is holy that its only the valve cover gasket

thunder550

iTrader: (70)

What is your PCV setup like?

SSdreamz

iTrader: (3)

set up like stock, i added the LS6 valley cover but havent converted it yet

thunder550

iTrader: (70)

I just ask because I accidentally put my PCV check valve in backwards, got into boost a little bit and blew out one of the valve cover gaskets. Spilled oil on the driver's side exhaust manifold and it viola - engine fire. Fortunately I had an extinguisher.

Anyway, I'd check to make sure that your PCV lines are clear and that your check valve (if you have one) is working correctly. After the engine cools down check around the valve covers, you should be able to see the gasket if you torqued the covers down correctly. If you're careful when you remove the valve cover, you should be able to get the gasket to stay in the valve cover and take a look to see if it blew out anywhere or is damaged.

If it is a VC gasket problem, I'd have a compression/leakdown test done on the motor to see if you're getting excessive blowby and pressurizing the crankcase.

SSdreamz

iTrader: (3)

well to be honest, while putting the new gaskets in the valve covers i had a hell of a time, as easy as it sounds to put the gaskets in. they seemed too long and as i seated the gasket 80% of the way around the perimeter, i noticed i had excess gasket. almost like it was too big or i stretched it when putting it in

thunder550

iTrader: (70)

Yeah mine were like that too, even brand new out of the bag. I lined up and inserted the curved/indented side first, then came around both ends at the same time, then tried to compress/bunch up the straight side as much as possible. If you do that they should go in ok.

Phoenix 5.7

iTrader: (7)

u gotta kinda squish it together as u put it in. they are like that new, and a bitch no matter what. but they gotta be in all the way around.

SSdreamz

iTrader: (3)

well ill take the cover off tomorrow and check it for sure

blkbird

iTrader: (28)

Im sure thats what it is......

SSdreamz

iTrader: (3)

pulled off the valve cover and "BINGO" the back corner of the cover, the seal was not seated properly

thunder550

iTrader: (70)

Good to hear it was an easy fix

blkbird

iTrader: (28)

See, I told ya!!

SSdreamz

iTrader: (3)

lol well thanks for your input, now why dont ya come on up from texas and fix my other little problems..... SES light, new tune, putting a rear in hooking up my guages, and my power antenna...lol