QuestionMiddle February I took my Sebring in to the dealer because of rough idle and hesitation. Need EGR valve replacement. Work was completed fine; I also requested transmission service (replace gasket and fluid), and had spark plugs and wires replaced.
Received car back, parked in garage over newspaper (I always do this after transmission services - bad prior car experience). Didn't drive too much, cause had recently bought a new car. But did notice small drop of oil about 16 inches in from pass tire. Never had any type of leak before. Now, 4 weeks later leak is much bigger, and I took back to dealer to find leak source (figured they loosened something during plug wire replacement or something). Dealer now says valve cover needs replacement, plus serpentine belt because it's soaked w/oil and no good! Car has 128,000 miles, so I know these need to be replaced anyway, but at a cost of about $600 it's something I was going to do in a few months, not now! Do you think it's suspicious that a car with no leaks suddenly leaks from the valve cover after the prior service I described - or is it just my dumb luck?
AnswerHi Stacey,
If the leak is from one of the two valve cover gaskets then I don't see anything in the history of the other work that would have caused such a leak. On the other hand, I would wonder about where the leak is originating,i.e., from what area of which cover, as that might possibly not require as extensive a dismantlement as a $600 job!. It might very well be just a matter of torqueing the bolts around the cover which are accessible rather than having to remove the intake manifold plenum which was done once when the plugs were changed, (but the valve covers didn't have to be touched when changing the plugs) in order to get to all the bolts. So my inclination would be to go to an independent shop about which you might have a good recommendation and ask them to look for the leak and determine if indeed they have to do that removal of the intake manifold plenum to reach the screws in the area of the leak, or alternatively could they re-torque all the accessible valve cover screws to see if that might largely stop the leak? They too could assess the condition of the serpentine belt as well. There is a good chance that if the bolts were tightened you wouldn't have to replace the gaskets and the leak would be history.
I suspect some unnecessary work being proposed here. So get a second opinion. If you have a friend with a torque wrench you could ask them to tighten all the bolts he/she can reach to 88 inch-pounds, (about 7 foor-pounds). I suspect there is a good chance if the leak is in an area that is accessible all that needs to be done is torque the bolts. If not, I don't believe it is a $600 job, in any case.
Roland
