When I put my JWT clutch/flywheel in a couple months ago..I noticed what looked like a little oil seepage coming from the rear of the driver's side valve cover gasket area. Figured since it was so minor...I'd see if it got worse before replacing it.

I am in the process of installing my APS Twin Turbo kit and installed my 1 step colder iridium plugs just a few minutes ago. Sure enough when I got to the rear plug on the drivers side of the motor, the upper part of the plug (NOT THE THREADED PART IN THE MOTOR) was coated in oil. It looks like the little circular gasket that is supposed to keep the oil out of the spark plug tube is not doing it's job. This is the first leak if this kind that I've seen on ANY nissan VQ (I've owned 2 other cars with VQs to well over 100K miles)

My car has 40K miles on it...and yes I know it's still under the nissan drivetrain warranty...but I do NOT trust nissan techs to work on my car, and if I have to pay 10 bucks and do the labor myself on the valve cover gasket...so be it.

Anyone else have this issue?

 

update:

Took the valve cover off and I have no idea how it's leaking. There's a hard rubber grommet that's built into the valve cover that goes over the spark plug tube. The one that's leaking looks just like the other 2. It isn't damaged, or loose. I think I might need a whole new valve cover to solve this problem.

Anyway I decided to just re-install the valve cover for the time being.

Advice since I really screwed up. DO NOT use a torque wrench on bolts that require less than 10ft-lbs of torque. I snapped on of the valve cover bolts before my torque wrench even registered the 8ft-lbs that I'd set it to. The valve cover doesn't leak...thank god..but I just about **** my pants when I did it.

 

I have snapped exhaust manifold studs as well on the vq...even with less than 10,000 miles. Big pain in the *** from low quality factory hardware.

 

the torque for these bolts is: Step 1) 9 -26 in/lbs ; Step 2) 65 - 82 in/lbs. Please for the love of your Z, buy a factory manual! $20 on ebay. And buy an inch pound torque wrench.

Sorry to kick you when your down but it pains me to hear these stories: $30k car, $8k mod, but no manual or proper tools.

 

I have a factory service manual. The first step I torqued to 2 ft/lbs (24 inch/lbs). The second I torqued to 7ft/lbs which is equivalent to 82in/lbs.

My less than a year old craftsman torque wrench is obviously badly calibrated.

I've been working on cars for a long time...I'm not an idiot. Even the best techs out there break bolts every once in a while. **** happens. I'm not b!tching about nissan hardware...just telling my story so others are more careful.

 

My apologies, must have misread your post. Good luck with the project

 

no prob...

 

Aren't you suppose to tighten to strip then back off 1/2 a turn? I'm sure I read that in the Z for Dummies book I bought at the Honda dealership....

 

The factory service manual doesn't state anything about backing them off.