smoking from rear drivers exhaust manifold??

[baddriver]

on a 1996 XLT 4.0(x) OHV

...something is leaking onto the exhaust manifold causing it to smoke from under the hood on the rear driver side. i cannot tell if it is oil or antifreeze nor can i see where its leaking from. it seems like it coming right up from under the last spark plug.

From what i can tell, there is no coolant in the oil. no codes are being thrown.

what are common leaks that would cause this?

does oil smoke look different than coolant smoke?

 

[Lube]

Well for starters, coolant doesn't smoke...it turns into steam. Check valve covers for leaks.

 

[yavapaires]

Yep, if it is coolant, you would sure know it, unless you have a bad cold, and can't smell.LOL

 

[baddriver]

after closer inspection.. it seems like oil is seeping from the back part of the driver side valve cover gasket and burning on the manifold..

wonder if i can get away with tightening the bolts....

 

[yavapaires]

after closer inspection.. it seems like oil is seeping from the back part of the driver side valve cover gasket and burning on the manifold..

wonder if i can get away with tightening the bolts....

Most times that is all it takes. Just don't get carried away with the wrench. You can bend the valve cover flange pretty easily.

 

[Lube]

Like any other fastener, the bolts for your valve covers have a torque spec. If you go beyond that spec, you run a good chance of damaging the valve cover or worse. If the bolts are already to spec, the only cure is new gaskets. And no, you can't torque something without a torque wrench. ASE says that the guys with 40 years of 8 hours a day experience can come within about 20%.

 

[yavapaires]

Like any other fastener, the bolts for your valve covers have a torque spec. If you go beyond that spec, you run a good chance of damaging the valve cover or worse. If the bolts are already to spec, the only cure is new gaskets. And no, you can't torque something without a torque wrench. ASE says that the guys with 40 years of 8 hours a day experience can come within about 20%.

Yeah, I agree with you, but whatever happened to good old common sense? I guess there are some out there that subscribe to the old addage about how tight to tighten something "a half turn before it strips"

 

[Lube]

Yeah, I agree with you, but whatever happened to good old common sense?

Based on what I've seen in 40+ years of being a mechanic, it's VERY uncommon.