I almost made it 1000 miles on my new rebuild before my valley pan gasket cracked and caused quite the smoke show on the freeway. I was not leaking coolant and did not have a vacuum leak but it just started pouring oil all over the place with a good pool on top of the valley. This was a gasket that came with a set AB sold me. Is there a specific brand I should look for? Are there some brands out there that just suck? I don't even know what brand came in the gasket set. Any thoughts?

 

If you want a quality VPG then get a FEL-PRO or MAHLE/Victor Reinz. They fit spot on the first time and perform like they should long term.
I've used these (and the valve cover gaskets) many times with ZERO issues.
RockAuto has a decent price, but you can get these at any local NAPA, Advance, etc.

 

Thank you for that. My mind is a little blown... Check this out, the big ripple towards the rear is what was squirting oil out. I must of really muffed that up when I put the manifold down? I don't even know...

 

It looks 'blown out' a little. Any chance your PCV (the hose and oil catch from passenger side vale cover to plenum) was clogged?

 

I replaced those hoses and cleaned the valve cover gaskets top to bottom as well as replacing the little diffusers inside the valve cover outlets on both sides. I blew in them and they are clear. But I was having a problem with the valley pan "oil canning". That popping, clunking noise that a big flat piece of metal makes when it is flexed. I checked to make sure there wasn't excessive block pressure, and the compression is good and even on all 8 cylinders so ring blow-by isn't likely. Also there was never any leak of coolant or vacuum at all even when this thing blew out. I got nothing... Chicken bones in a Jade bowl again I guess.

 

So just drove to work with the new oil pan gasket on and I heard a little clunking again. I'm certain that if this continues the same will happen. Back to the drawing board I guess.

 

Smell your oil dip stick. Do smell fuel?

 

I do not smell fuel but I can press on the valley pan gasket under the manifold with my bare hands and make it clunk. It might be the way I am installing it..? Am I creasing it when I line everything up? I doubt I have that kind of strength. I was sent another valley pan free of charge because of how quickly it broke but the brand I got was all-makes. If it was just a quality issue wouldn't many of us be having these problems?

Chicken bones, jade bowl.

 

Its not the gasket it's you lol.

No fuel smell means you have a pretty solid issue in your PCV system

 

I hope so, I think I will check the drivers side at the plenum. I realized i didn't check that one since all this was going down. Is there anywhere else aside from the 2 hoses that come out of the valve covers I need to look for. Should the passenger side have a trap too? Because I put one in there.