LIAR! 100% of them leak at some point - like as you are installing them! Without diligent snugging of the bolts and a bit of good luck, the factory setup will always leak. Short of that, sealants and locktite on the bolts seem to be the only other thing that works.

As for understanding what is what on the truck, next time you see something you can't identify that looks wrong check the diagrams in RAVE. Typically the breakdown in the beginning of each section does a good job of labeling the pieces. There are a lot of pieces and ancillary stuff hanging off these engines. You will be much better off if you can confirm if the part is critical or not for yourself.

Regarding the oil light staying on so long, that isn't cool. You may have a bad pressure sender. Do you have a way to check your oil pressures? You can typically get a loaner gauge from a parts store. The oil pressure at startup should jump up pretty quickly. Is your engine making nasty clacking noises before the light goes off? Without oil pressure the lifters will want to collapse. What type of oil and oil filter are you using?

 

Some of the engines fail before they can start to leak

 

I just had to add in here ALL valve covers leak on ALL cars once you get to around 100k.

I feel like on a LR forums talking about nothing but LRs there is a lot of negativity and some newcomers have to hear all of it about these trucks when it applies to 100% of other vehicles.


anyhoo, yeah thats just a valve cover gasket.

 

I do have a copy of the Rave on my laptop but I was out on a 2 hour trip and only had my smartphone on me. Wont even try downloading it to my phone.... With all the talk of bad HG's the first think I thought of when I saw that rubber gasket sticking out was "OHH ****..... the HG!". It takes years to learn all there is about the mechanics of vehicles, so mind my lack of info in some areas.

Anyways Im using 10w-40 Shell Rotella T engine oil. I did not overfill, the dipstick was getting low so I added 2 quarts. May need to add more, will check again tomorrow. I do not get any clamps, clings or any other strange noises from the truck while the light is on or after. The engine tick when it feels like it but thats expected. No other noticeable differences in how the vehicle operates at the moment. Again the gasket could have been like this for some time, just never noticed it until today.

 

Well, just to be clear (and you may know this, I really don't mean to be a dick), if the oil is at the bottom line on the dipstick, you need to add one quart. If it's below that, add a quart at a time til it's between the line, then add enough to top it off.

If it was more than a quart low, it may very well be that low oil level was causing the light.

Try not to let it get that low - it's really not good for your engine.

 

Like I said I changed the oil twice this past year, not cause it needed it but because I had access to free oil changes and wanted to take advantage of it while I had it. With that said I never noticed any leaks since I've owned the vehicle, never had any problems with the oil light and so I felt confident that oil level would be just fine. I now need to determine about how much oil leaks and weather those bolts came lose, if so I will try to push the gasket back in and tighten them down as a temporary measure until I can get a new valve cover kit and do the job. I've heard that's its a bloody pain in the *** to replace them due to the ignition coils needed to be removed. Is there a way around that?

 

I don't think there's anyway around it being a PITA to replace them.

The advice I've read several times is to not replace them, just tighten them down. Replacement doesn't solve the problem. The bolts holding the valve covers down work themselves loose and the covers leak, no matter if the gaskets are new or old.

 

Only 2 oil changes in a year?

 

He was in Alaska without his Rover.

 

Amen on the any old valve cover gaskets leak, one from my Mercedes could stand in the corner by itself.. I was going thru a quart of 20W50 every week. New gasket, and a can of Baar's oil leak treatment and no oil loss in three weeks.