Hi. Sorry if this is bit long.

I have a 2001 (51 plate) Focus Mk1, 1.6L, Zetec SE. There has been a slow but continuous oil leak around the corner bolt (offside rear) of the valve cover for some time. This has lead to a nasty build-up of oil. With the MoT looming, I though I’d try to fix it by replacing the gasket.

I bought a gasket on eBay and fitted it. But the oil continued to leak.

I thought it might be because of the gasket quality. So I bought a ‘proper’ one from Ford (£33+,for a bit of rubber – yikes) and fitted it.

It still leaks.

For information:
It’s a plastic cover..
It appears unwarped.
I’ve checked for cracks – none.
The gasket is rubber, and no sealant is needed.

I’ve used the correct torque setting (60lb-in = 5 ft-lb =6.8Nm).
The breather pipe seems unblocked (I can blow through it when its disconnected) so presumably there’s no severe excess pressure forcing oil out.

Any suggestions on how to proceed are welcome.

 

See if you can get a good replacement rocker cover, yours would only need to be a tiny bit out of shape for the leek to persist.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply uruk hai. Yes, a replacement cover is worth a try.

Cheers

 

No problem, let me know how you get on.