I have a 2001 Land Rover Discovery II SE with 83k miles that has a decent valve cover oil leak. I’m not losing a significant amount of oil (just enough to get a whiff of it on the exhaust manifold every now and then), but I’m concerned as to how pressing it is to fix it. I don’t have the money right now (we went over budget on Christmas) and it may take me 3 to 4 weeks before I can get it back to the shop for a fix. Is it safe to drive until then (just for another 3-4 weeks)? I drive about 200 miles a week, approximately 40/60 city to highway driving. All advice/help is appreciated!
As long as there’s not a lot of oil leaking…it’s not that pressing. Just keep an eye on it.
A mechanic in the shop I go to told me a horror story of cars catching on fire due to oil leaks…is this a real threat or was he possibly just trying to “prompt” me to let them fix it immediately?
have you had anybody tweak the bolts on the valve cover on each side ? sometime they get loose, but don"t tighten them a whole lot. i drove my truck for a long time with that smell of oil, but your mechanic is right, it could cause a fire if it is leaking profusly it:s your call, please ck. the oil level at all times-- good luck & merry xmas
I am not sure about your engine but many valve cover gasket replacements are fairly easy. Make sure you follow the directions on torquing the bolts, if you are at all mechanically inclined.
That story has a collection of other stories: Dead man’s curve, the Corvette in perfect condition but has an awful smell that can’t be removed and the warehouse full of WW2 Jeeps in perfect condition. Buy silver eagles now.
I am not sure about your engine but many valve cover gasket replacements are fairly easy.
I would concur with that for pre-fuelinjection systems. But with multi-point fuel-injection systems replacing a valve cover can be very involved. Even pre-fuelinjection…some can be a pain…My 84 S-15 was a royal pain (Good old GM engineering). By the 4th time I replaced the gaskets it got easier.