Oil on Driver side Valve Head Cover?

[ApacheAg]

Hey y’all! I’m sure it’s been covered but want to try to confirm an issue I am having on my truck. Or at least get y’all’s 2 cents on what I should do.

Long story short after a cross country road trip I went to change my spark plugs and noticed small pooling on the driver side valve cover. Not much but for sure noticeable. I scoured the forums and found some similar cases and photos of the same location and same pooling of oil. The consensus was a hairline crack in the valve cover.

Today I dropped my vehicle off for routine maintenance and to have the location inspected (truck is a 2019 w/ approx 57k miles)

Just got a call saying they couldn’t see a crack and/or see where the oil came from and said it probably was from the last time it was serviced (At the same dealership) and it was spilled. Idk seems like that be pretty sloppy work… they cleaned it up and just told me to keep monitoring it every 500 miles or so. Should I be happy with this answer? Should I go elsewhere for a second look? What would you do?

Thanks In advance!

 

[FordTechOne]

If they cleaned it up and couldn't find a crack, I would suspect it was from a previous oil change. Especially if the shop uses bulk oil on a reel, they tend to leak from the nozzles and can make a mess. Definitely keep and eye on it though.

 

[CoronaRaptor]

If it's leaking, it will show up in 500 miles, keep checking your oil as well at every fill up in case it gets worse. Hopefully just a sloppy tech. Usually the oil change guys are not the same ones doing cam phasers and the like, so the skills are not as sharp or the eye sight.

 

[ApacheAg]

If it's leaking, it will show up in 500 miles, keep checking your oil as well at every fill up in case it gets worse. Hopefully just a sloppy tech. Usually the oil change guys are not the same ones doing cam phasers and the like, so the skills are not as sharp or the eye sight.

That’s the plan, I’ll check after 500 and hope for the best and just monitor closely this next 5k miles. Frustrating if it was just sloppy work. I appreciate both y’all’s input!

 

[CoronaRaptor]

That’s the plan, I’ll check after 500 and hope for the best and just monitor closely this next 5k miles. Frustrating if it was just sloppy work. I appreciate both y’all’s input!

As long as the tech cleaned it up really good, it won't take much to notice it if it is cracked or leaking, that was a mess on there, for sure. At least it is documented already, so they won't just clean it next time if it is leaking.

 

[DINOZR]

When my '19 got the cam phaser recall last month, they found and replaced a cracked valve cover while they were in there. Only 24k miles. So the issue definitely exists on 2019s.

 

[Therock88]

That’s the plan, I’ll check after 500 and hope for the best and just monitor closely this next 5k miles. Frustrating if it was just sloppy work. I appreciate both y’all’s input!

Just a thought here, and maybe already researched....But when I look for leaks, I always consider my old friend GRAVITY, and noting that oil (or anything else) does not flow UP...I go to the very highest oil residue spot and assume it has to be (usually) at the highest spot. Looking at your photo only and the way oil might leak out and down (yellow arrows)...I wonder if it might be the connector there leaking a little? I think that is the Turbo side PCV connector if I am seeing it correctly. Just a thought.

Good luck, and hope it is nothing serious.

DC

 

[ApacheAg]

Just a thought here, and maybe already researched....But when I look for leaks, I always consider my old friend GRAVITY, and noting that oil (or anything else) does not flow UP...I go to the very highest oil residue spot and assume it has to be (usually) at the highest spot. Looking at your photo only and the way oil might leak out and down (yellow arrows)...I wonder if it might be the connector there leaking a little? I think that is the Turbo side PCV connector if I am seeing it correctly. Just a thought.

Good luck, and hope it is nothing serious.

DC

View attachment 336466

That’s a good thought, I am probably just gonna inspect each week and I’ll keep that location in mind for a potential source! Appreciate the photo too to drive that point home

 

[ApacheAg]

When my '19 got the cam phaser recall last month, they found and replaced a cracked valve cover while they were in there. Only 24k miles. So the issue definitely exists on 2019s.

Well I’ll tell you what. I just was not satisfied with my answer from the Ford service manager. Today after work I took the engine cover off with one of my coworkers and cleaned the valve cover off well. It’s almost like the mechanic didn’t clean it off. Here is what we found in all of 30 seconds of cleaning and investigating… suspicions confirmed and I am pretty pissed with the laziness of the dealership.

How would y’all handle going back?! Or don’t lol

Side note as this is my only vehicle do you think I would be good to do light driving on it? I still have to get to work!! Just Don’t feel like ******** anything else up.

 

[Therock88]

Well I’ll tell you what. I just was not satisfied with my answer from the Ford service manager. Today after work I took the engine cover off with one of my coworkers and cleaned the valve cover off well. It’s almost like the mechanic didn’t clean it off. Here is what we found in all of 30 seconds of cleaning and investigating… suspicions confirmed and I am pretty pissed with the laziness of the dealership.

How would y’all handle going back?! Or don’t lol

Side note as this is my only vehicle do you think I would be good to do light driving on it? I still have to get to work!! Just Don’t feel like ******** anything else up.

Good work! And I would say you will be fine. It did not just happen, and not like it will leak all the oil out until you can fix it. I would just be sure to keep tabs on your oil level, just in case. And drive it until you can fix it....And take it back to those lazy techs!

Also, you could probably drop a little super glue or JB Weld on the crack, if it would make you feel better until you get it fixed..

Good luck..and Take care.

DC