I've got a general engine question here... (I know, I don't own a V8 in my F150, but the only reason I'm posting here is because it seems as if there are more knowledgeable people here, plus it can happen to any engine... so it doesn't really matter where it goes.)

Anyways, here's my big ol'e question that I can't seem to find anywhere out on the net or by doing searches:

Could a valve cover leak be from a warped cylinder head?

Or I can rephrase it if you don't understand:

The valve cover obviously attached to the cylinder head. It is leaking at the valve cover. What would cause it to leak, besides a bad gasket? The valve cover looks to be perfect. Would a warped cylinder head cause an oil leak at the valve cover seal?

Also, about how much would the head to be warped for it to cause this?

 

I don't think it would be possible. If the head was warped there would be head gasket issues. Most likely the leak would come from over tightening the valve cover.

 

If the head warped that bad to cause a cover leak, my guess is there would be far bigger problems to worry about. There would most likely be coolant in the cylinders or oil. Either torqued to much or out of sequence. Or a bad gasket that may be seated improperly.

 

Well, it makes sense... but this is what baffles me...

I don't see any oil in the coolant, and it doesn't smell of gas or exhaust; it smells like normal antifreeze.

However, when I am driving, I can keep my heater on at a reasonable setting and then all of a sudden it just goes cold and even if I crank it up, it stays cold. It's not gradual, or anything, it's just like it's warm then bang it's blowing cold air.

Let me also shed some additional light on this too...

This past summer my alternator's shaft got bent. I went to go move my truck from a parking lot to the front of my building where I work to load some stuff in the bed. After moving it, I turned it off so I didn't waste gas while I was loading some stuff in my truck. When I was ready to go, I started the truck up and I heard this "bang" and then all of a sudden I was getting a whining noise. I was like WTF?! So I open the hood and I couldn't figure it out. So I drove it thinking it would go away. After a couple days, I got fed up with the noise and since it was under warranty I took it to my Ford service shop who couldn't find where the noise was, but happily replaced the pulleys. Still noisy.

So I got a buddy of mine who works at a very large diesel garage, and we found out it was the alternator shaft. So I went to NAPA and bought a new alternator and just for the heck of it some new pulleys and had Ford refund me the money and some labor.

I dropped it in, and started it up. I'm still getting the whining noise, but it isn't nearly as loud. With the engine on, I'm clearly looking at the belt routing, and it looks like it's going straight. So I figured it was because it was new. This was about 3-4 months ago, since then there still a little bit of a whine, but it's not enough for me to complain. However, now since it is getting cold out, there is this squeak that is coming from someplace in the engine. I'm thinking it could be contamination of the belt, and I going to replace the belt next week and see if that will stop the squeaking and hopefully the whine.

Now ever since that happened, I started noticing the oil leak at the valve cover gasket and oil around all 6 of the plug threads even the side that isn't leaking.

My other concern is too, is that I've got a ticking (not tapping) noise... I was thinking it was the injectors, but from listening to videos, I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't lifters or the tappets.

I'm beginning to think my engine is warped or something isn't right.

 

There is no way your head could be that warped and still run right. Throw some new valve cover gaskets at it. And as for the lifters or the tappets, they all make some noise. You should hear my old ladys explorer, sounds like it's gonna blow every time she starts it up, been doing that for years.

 

No. Replace the Valve cover gasket and be done with it. Oil leaks can come from headgaskets though.

 

When it blows cold check the heater core hoses for heat. If they are cold check the water pump and thermostat. If they are hot check the blend door actuator in the HVAC system.

.

 

I think your thinking way too hard about this....If the valve covers are leaking, change the gaskets, torque them down to spec & forget about it!....

 

Really?!

I hope next week when my truck goes in for them to replace the seals and check everything that there isn't anything else that is wrong.

32k on the clock and valve covers leaking?

I dunno, I've seen worse.