01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

Here's mine, 140k, I was shocked to find out that my front valve cover was the one that was actually leaking and the rear was 'okay'. <-anomaly!

Still changed it. FYI, when ordering the VC gaskets from toyota they wont send you the spark plug tube seals... not like you have to change them [i did], but just letting you know.

Also, when doing the rear bank, you have to remove the intake manifold top half [pain and really the labor killer as it would take much less without screwing around with removing all the hoses, wires, and manifold itself]. Anyways, 3.5hrs of labor and it honestly took that long, but well worth it!

With a motor this clean, i was told i can change to synthetic 'no problem' regardless of mileage and it would run smoother as it doesn't break down as dino oil - highly considering it...

FRONT *****ty pic, hoped it would've came out as nice as the rear one....

REAR


**I'm compiling a list of replies in other threads, so call this the 'ultimate valve cover thread' if you will...

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

98 ES300 188k miles dealer serviced thru its life, supposedly.

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

Just took off my front valve cover this morning to replace the gasket that was weeping a little bit. I'm very happy with what I found underneath. Engine has slight varnish, but aside from that look's awesome! It has 180k miles, I purchased it at 173k miles. So, not sure what oil it has been running but the car was dealer maintained till I purchased it. So I assume it was a decent name brand oil. I'm currently running PP 5W-30, and will be changing the oil out later tonight again with PP 5W-30.

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

This motor is at or over 190k miles.

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

Another High-miler

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

106K mile 1MZ that i have.

imherenow

yikes!! i hate to see these kind of repair. i imagine all that time and $$ (by mechanic).
Also how did you know front valve cover was leaking. was it like a random look or something else that cause you to peak at the leak.
i have had conventional Castrol and Pennzoil 5w30 and don't think i will going for synthetic.

Bdub215

iTrader: (1)

These are My 3VZ heads on the bench (well table) still with 133K miles they're clean.

Bdub215

iTrader: (1)

You can see it smoke if its bad enough, and all of the build up around the gasket area is a dead giveaway.

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

You'll notice oil drops on your garage floor [dead giveaway for me] but i knew they needed to be replaced way back, just didn't have time with Christmas, so i waited a couple of weeks. It'll get progressively worse and you'll notice this [on the front one if its bad as well], a gunk build up of oil;



Another giveaway for me was physically inspecting the motor from underneath, i saw oil and sweating developing... *amongst other parts, upper oil pan gasket, lower pan gasket, that are barely sweating like the rear-main-seal, but I'll never be replacing that one... that is a labor *****, and not worth it.

Also, i almost forgot to mention the slight smell of fire, or burning oil, as that is what's happening since it can drip on the exhaust manifold, and more so in the rear one since its slanted lower than the front one! So i had my motor degreased and power washed quickly to remove most of the gunk.

idream08

yep, they told me months ago but i never saw a drop of oil in my driveway. I'd check my oil every 1,500 miles and never had to add a thing. I could see oil building up in the gasket area, but like i said i never had to add oil or anything.

My friend gets out of car and says is your car leaking gas or something, lol....not funny. I didn't smell anything. I was trying to put off the valve cover change for a couple of months since i had to pay some other unexpected bills. But, things got worse I go to a drive-thru and the lady says, sir is that your car i smell, lol. Anybody who got in my car could smell it, i guess I got immune to it, because i never smelled anything unless running heat. But, the deal breaker was when it started smoking. That was embarrassing and I wasn't going to be riding around like that.


I made a post yesterday, sorry didn't take any pics. But, I had to replace my valve cover at 117k, that's not normal is it? on my last Lexus I didn't have to change it til around 180k.

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

^ every car is different... mine went at 140k, and the rear was fine and the front was 'bad', which is an anomaly in itself as its the rear 9/10 times that goes first.

I guess it comes down to who did the work on the production line, age of car, etc.

And with VC gaskets you shouldn't have to add oil ever, as it's sweating or one-two drops over the course of a day not more than that.

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

Very nice, mine is not leaking and i am not really a DIY person, so i'll have to wait for a reason to check under the valve cover, Im at about 210k miles now on a 2001. On a side note, i have switched from semi synthetic to regular 5w-30 and it has really helped with my rear main seal leak. I can't justify getting that fixed considering the es is now my extra car and the miles.

marcoes300

I have to do the front and rear cover gasket ( lexus did change my timing belt 2 month ago and told me that the VC gasket ( front and rear) was leaking . They charges 650 $+ tx to change both gasket . 90 $ more if i want to change spark plugs... i dont need to add oil because the level stay the same ... i only see few oil leak on the manifold....

what do you thing guys about the price lexus give me ?, I dont know anything about mechanics

its a 98 lexus with 185 000km

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

^ WOW... why didn't you have it done at once...

90$ for plugs, sure, my plugs cost me 55$ and was charged 1hr labor [at 70$] with my mech.

I just paid 275$ for 3.5 hrs of labor to do my gaskets, plus 40$ for the gaskets 20$ each & ~15$ for the intake manifold gasket.

650$ is too much, you need to remove the intake manifold.