Oil leak cracked head?

[GK813]

I've had my VS V6 sedan stored for about a year and a bit and now when I run her she's got an oil leak roughly somewhere below on both sides of the rocker covers but I cant see where its coming from I can only see the oil burning away as slight smoke, I've looked at the oil cap on the drivers side rocker cover and it does not have any white milky mix of oil and water and the dip stick is not showing any signs of water mixing either its just oil and there is no white cloud of smoke from the exhaust so could I have a cracked head or could it be just worn out gaskets, if its just gaskets could it be the extractors gaskets although I don't know anything in this field I would think the main engine oil doesn't go anywhere near the extractors as they arnt a part of the cooling like the rest of the engine or am I wrong? From memory there wasn't this oil leak before I stored it

 

[Immortality]

Rocker cover gaskets would be my bet. Not uncommon on older engines.

 

[vc commodore]

Rocker cover gaskets would be my bet. Not uncommon on older engines.

X2 with this response

 

[trel]

99% rockers yes old car sitting around for over a year, things go brittle.

 

[GK813]

Ok great I'm glad to change a gasket than a head, are there any brands you would recommend or to stay away from and what would the torque settings for the rocker cover bolts be?

 

[vc commodore]

Ok great I'm glad to change a gasket than a head, are there any brands you would recommend or to stay away from and what would the torque settings for the rocker cover bolts be?

Unfortunately I don't remember the brand I bought for the ecotec in my VY, but it was from sprints....It was the cheapest they stocked and 18 months (give or take a few), and they still haven't leaked....IMA, they are rubber and slot into a groove in the tappet cover, so very easy to do. I am of course assuming VS have the same style of rocker covers as the VY

Torque....I did them up until they were firm.....ie, felt them bottom out and stopped at that...No torque wrench

 

[losh1971]

Ok great I'm glad to change a gasket than a head, are there any brands you would recommend or to stay away from and what would the torque settings for the rocker cover bolts be?

Can't go wrong with Permatex. Just use a 1/4 ratchet and nip them up.