2002 5.4 has an oil leak that i can't SEE!!!! argh
it is at the rear of the intake somewhere by valve cover? IIRC doesn't the intake manifold use "reusable" gaskets? I did this a few yrs back but done alot since then. I believe the only place back there that CAN leak oil is the valve cover? Is there anything else I might need to plan on.... It is OIL and its as high up as the intake/valve cover area...just can't SEE and sure as hell am NOT going to clean it to try to see it....we know what water does on the plugs and coils......lol

 

Intake does not use reusable gaskets. And it isn't your intake. That doesn't come in contact with any oil. Only coolant and fuel. Oil is somewhere else

 

These engines have been known to leak oil at the head gasket. Oil for the valve train comes up through passages in the block and head sealed by the head gasket from what I understand. So, I would suspect either the valve cover gasket or the head gasket.

 

at the head gasket???..jeez. That is actaully what it is looking like but i was really really trying to talk myself out of that!!! i guess i need to clean it first (then put new plugs in) to see.
Then have to add some pin stripes to see how high up the oil is coming from.
thanks guys

 

I had the problem a long time ago with a 71 Pinto. It had the optional Ford of Germany engine, the 2.0 L OHC engine. It started leaking oil at the head gasket. I thought it was burning the oil at first and just added oil because I was working overtime and didn't want to deal with it. When it got so bad that I was adding a qt every 50 miles, I knew I had to do something. I washed the engine and it was obvious that the oil was leaking from the head gasket. I pulled the head and replaced the gasket. There was a note in the gasket set to increase the torque on the head bolts to prevent gasket failure. So, it was a generic issue.