L67 manifold gasket oil and air leak

[wrx884]

Got an 98 VT L67 recently to take the motor from but in the mean time ive been driving the car as normal to make sure this motor doesn't pop up with any issues ect..... before the motor swap happens. Anyways when I bought this car there was a heap of oil leaks down the back of the 2 heads which suggested the rocker cover gaskets. I replaced those degreased the whole motor and all has been fine over 2-4 weeks roughly and it seems the leaks at the back of the rockers have stopped so all good there.

Yesterday I had a look to check on this and noticed I had fresh oil leaks pooling on top of the manifold. while the car was running I actually spotted tiny bubbles coming from some sections of what appears to be the manifold gaskets (not rocker cover gaskets). has anyone seen this? is this a sign the gasket is failing and must be replaced or will nipping up the manifold bolts be enough to possibly stop this leak? I have no idea if the manifold gasket have been done on this car before so I'm guessing it mayb best to assume it hasn't but then again mayb it has and the bolts were just not torqued up enough?

photos were hard to get but u get the idea.

 

[luckyvt94]

Should just replace them.
They aren't expensive and not hard to replace if your handy.

Definitely get the steel gaskets not the shitty plastic ones

 

[wrx884]

I should but i'll spew if I find they have already been done LOL.

what are these steel gaskets u speak of? where are these found?

 

[supercharged-ride]

I should but i'll spew if I find they have already been done LOL.

what are these steel gaskets u speak of? where are these found?

I haven't seen any, not saying there not out there but gee they must not be many.
If its doing as described my guess is they need doing short of if the intake is faulty as in warped but i doubt it, i did a vrs set in my l67 but when i put the gaskets in i used Hylomar which is a universal jointing compound (cost thow $30 for a 200ml can but it goes a long way) so i knew it sealed and wouldn't leak it withstands temps up to 250 deg celsius

 

[Tree cutter]

You can get aluminium lower inlet manifold gaskets from Mace engineering. the plastic ones get brittle and crack and leak

 

[EYY]

You'd be crazy not to replace those gaskets. They're very easy to replace, especially if you're pulling the engine out

 

[BOR15]

why not do a few other things while you are there. You will need to remove the supercharger, so replace the gasket and o-rings for it. while it is off you have easy access to the thermostat. Also the fuel rail will need to be removed so injector o-rings and baskets are easy access.

Check for play in the supercharger by lightly rocking the pulley back and forth with your fingers and no belt. if there is play you have a warn coupler. replace it and the oil in the snout.

oh, and get some thread seal for the bolts on the intake. not locktite

aluminium gaskets and the supercharger gasket can be purchased from Mace

HOLDEN INLET MANIFOLD GASKETS TO SUIT ECOTEC & L67 SUPERCHARGED V6 VS VT VX VY - Mace Engineering Group aluminium gaskets

L67 Supercharger Gasket - Mace Engineering Group supercharger gasket

Supercharger to Lower Intake Manifold O-Rings - Mace Engineering Group supercharger o-rings

 

[wrx884]

I haven't seen any, not saying there not out there but gee they must not be many.
If its doing as described my guess is they need doing short of if the intake is faulty as in warped but i doubt it, i did a vrs set in my l67 but when i put the gaskets in i used Hylomar which is a universal jointing compound (cost thow $30 for a 200ml can but it goes a long way) so i knew it sealed and wouldn't leak it withstands temps up to 250 deg celsius

Ive got a can of that in the shed for when we do the gemini heads tho some gaskets already have their own sealant and they suggest not to put this on if they do. I'm assuming the aluminium ones will need them tho?

You'd be crazy not to replace those gaskets. They're very easy to replace, especially if you're pulling the engine out

I will be doing as much as I can while its out, at the moment ive been trying to get the rear main housing plate off to not only do the rear main but the gasket near where the water gets blocked off is leaking so wanted to kill 2 birds with one stone there but might have to wait till the motors out to do this one. seems I cant get the box to drop low enough so I can undo the trans lines so the box can be removed but that's in another thread I posted LOL

why not do a few other things while you are there. You will need to remove the supercharger, so replace the gasket and o-rings for it. while it is off you have easy access to the thermostat. Also the fuel rail will need to be removed so injector o-rings and baskets are easy access.

Check for play in the supercharger by lightly rocking the pulley back and forth with your fingers and no belt. if there is play you have a warn coupler. replace it and the oil in the snout.

oh, and get some thread seal for the bolts on the intake. not locktite

aluminium gaskets and the supercharger gasket can be purchased from Mace

HOLDEN INLET MANIFOLD GASKETS TO SUIT ECOTEC & L67 SUPERCHARGED V6 VS VT VX VY - Mace Engineering Group aluminium gaskets

L67 Supercharger Gasket - Mace Engineering Group supercharger gasket

Supercharger to Lower Intake Manifold O-Rings - Mace Engineering Group supercharger o-rings

Looks like i'll be going shopping cheers I do have plans to do what I can while its out (or in car now if its not too hard) if there other things I may need to do or check I'm all ears. So far ive only got a full heater hose set ready for it, done the general servicing on it and done the rocker gaskets that's about it.

theres no real play in the pulley what so ever so I think I'm right there, I haven't checked the oil yet tho its not leaking where is says it sometimes weeps from behind the pully.

The thread seal is that like using grease on the head bolts ect....? I remember having to put grease on the gemini head bolts to protect them and also so they don't seize up in the holes over time.

These manifold gaskets tho do I need to make sure they are from a particular series and model? I do know the gaskets vary on the standard ecotecs right through from vs-vy models and sometimes the series matters?

 

[wrx884]

just had a thought thrown at me, the bubbles seen could it be possible its not air and could just be the oil getting hot enough its bubbling instead? it did seem more like air to me tho since I only saw it happen while the car was running and not so much after 5 minutes or so after the car was turned off.

either way its leaking oil so gaskets are getting changed when they arrive.

 

[Decicrate]

Do not use a gasket between the blower and the lower intake manifold, just use the Blue RTV silicone.
I know this sounds a little strange, but the under blower gasket seems to compact rather quickly and go brittle. This can cause vac and boost leaks.

Have done buck loads of these things just using silicone and have never had a single issue.
Just remember less is more.....