ok i need advice and opinion

[whitejerzy]

i have no knowledge of engines or anything. i dont trust no repair shope so look at my pics and let me no if ther something wrong with my engine. im pretty sure it shouldnt have black oil around the engine. also if some 1 can explain the part of an engine that i took a pic of. also how often should u get tuneup or change spark plugs n wires. i am a man and i can use tools im pretty sure if told i can do it. but priority is the oil on engine. thx

 

[whitejerzy]

id greatly appreciate honesty. does any 1 live in new jersey who i can trust to fix my car if u guys see a prob.

 

[repthemazdas]

i have no knowledge of engines or anything. i dont trust no repair shope so look at my pics and let me no if ther something wrong with my engine. im pretty sure it shouldnt have black oil around the engine. also if some 1 can explain the part of an engine that i took a pic of. also how often should u get tuneup or change spark plugs n wires. i am a man and i can use tools im pretty sure if told i can do it. but priority is the oil on engine. thx

damn u can start by changing ur valve cover gasket thats where most of ur oil is coming out

 

[whitejerzy]

ok but but give me a reson y this is happening. id like to have some knowledge on this issue so i can be aware and not get jerked by a repair man

 

[JDMJNKY]

Yea does look like a bad valve cover gasket ( oil leaking out ).I replaced mine not too long ago pretty easy to do.Also you might wanna clean that engine bay so you do know when you have a new leak or something.

 

[jred321]

ok but but give me a reson y this is happening.

because valve cover gaskets need to be replaced when the car gets old

 

[whitejerzy]

ok wher can i get 1 and about how much. is this common. wats a good cleaner to clean it. im trying to make car safe cuz i got twins on the way. thx guys is ther a how to on this.

 

[jred321]

i assume any autoparts store would have it or be able to order it. it's fairly common. you can clean with an engine degreaser

 

[jred321]

to change do this http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5931&highlight=valve+cover but without the painting of the valve cover

 

[whitejerzy]

thx guys

 

[whitejerzy]

is the gasket the black rubber or is it the cover. do i need to replace both or black rubber. reason i ask cuz im searching this on pep boys and all i see is back rubber thats inside of cover.

 

[JDMJNKY]

is the gasket the black rubber or is it the cover. do i need to replace both or black rubber. reason i ask cuz im searching this on pep boys and all i see is back rubber thats inside of cover.

Yes thats the gasket you need the black rubber one.The one I got was from napa also came with new grommets.

 

[CTt3P5]

Not sure what auto stores charge but you can get a new OEM one from onlinemazdaparts.com for around $30 shipped.

Just follow the how-to linked a few posts up. I used the same to change mine a little over a year ago due to the same thing. No problems since.

Oh and you do not have to remove the spark plugs or so I have read. But depending on how old they are it may be a good time to replace them.

 

[whitejerzy]

yes i just got that gasket for 38 at autozone. next gota get spark plugs n wires. does it really matter if i buy cheap or exspensive ones. iusually buy the inbetween cost products.

 

[beej336]

well from the second picture you posted it looks as though your wires have already been replaced. that blue color are usually NGK wires.

 

[thecrash91]

quick question, can leaky valve cover lead to oil in the engine and burning oil? and not just oil on the engine itself?

 

[StevieB32]

quick question, can leaky valve cover lead to oil in the engine and burning oil? and not just oil on the engine itself?

No, since a leaking valve cover gasket won't allow the oil into the cylinder. It could however drip onto hot engine parts(ex.exhaust manifold) and burn off, causing some smoking/odour.

 

[thecrash91]

nah i have oil on the valve cover as well as coming out the exhaust when i start the car was hoping for something easier then valve springs or whatever they're called

 

[Ride92]

The second also shows your PCV valve, the yellow looking right angle thing on top of the valve cover. That also shold be changed on a fairly regular schedule. It is common for the PCV valve to go bad and need replacing, I believe mazda says do it whenever you change spark plugs. As for the valve cover gasket, they do need replacing from time to time. The material they are made of sometimes dries out and cracks, this is due to heat of the engine and the heat under the hood. Nothing to serious looking there just some routine mantinence items. As for a good shop I'm not in the area, but be sure to ask to see the old parts that were replaced when drop the car off, there are all sort of storys of people going to have something changed and the part never actually being changed. I always make sure they show me the old parts.

 

[P-Funk!]

If after you repace the PCV & it gets clogged with oil again in only thousand miles (or less) - you should invest in an oil catch can. Your engine will continue to put oil through the PCV (and into the engine) through the vacuum lines. It is a symptom of worn engine rings.