Oil leak - Commodore
Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 18:20
ThreadID:
38786
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12536
Replies:
8
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100 Series
I have a 2003 VY supercharged Commdore that was parked up for 3 weeks while we went to the Cape. On return I found an oil leak and the car was taken in under warranty for repair one week prior to the warranty expiring.
Holden claim they fixed the tappet coevr gasket and steam cleaned the engine all under warranty. 5 weeks latter I have moved house 1000km away from the dealership where the repair was done and had the 60000km warranty done at Holden in Mackay. The dealership now tell me that the car has an oil leak from the valley cover gasket that they will not cover it under warranty, even though the warranty only expired one month ago and has done less about 1000km since the last oil leak was fixed (car was transported on a car carrier from the old house to the new).
My question.
What is the difference, if any between the valley cover gasket and tappett cover gasket?
If there is a difference, how far apart are they from each other??
THanks 100 series
Reply By: Member - Phantom (WA) - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 18:41
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 18:41
Hi 100,
The tappet covers are prone to leaking so I would suggest that the dealership did nothing untoward. The normal system at our dealership is to steam clean first and get the car back in a few days to determine WHERE the leak is from. The valley cover is in the centre between the two tappet covers and is normally called the inlet manifold gasket. Also leaks on occasion.
Steve
AnswerID:
200731
Reply By: ZUKSCOOTERX90(QLD-MEMBER) - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 18:45
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 18:45
Mate as far as know it the valley gasket or valley is between the heads/rocker covers.If i am wrong some one will let us both know.Sure is tough luck though.
Cheer's Bob.
AnswerID:
200734
Reply By: Gerhardp1 - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 18:57
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 18:57
Contact Holden Customer Assist.
If your job was done in a Dealership, they should have details of your car VIN and Rego number, and they will readily be able to get details of the warranty repair that was done.
You have the same symptoms so you should be able to get a warranty fix since the first fix failed .
AnswerID:
200735
Follow Up By: 100 Series - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 19:43
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 19:43
Already got the ball rolling with Holden Customer Assist who claim they will contact me in the near future.
I also go a reply from the dealer who said in an email, "Unfortunately Holden will not cover this repair under warranty as the part in question is a "perishable / useable item". As the vehicle is out of warranty now it is up to Holden (not New Pioneer Motors) whether warranty approval is granted."
Persihable item is a bit of a joke, does that mean all the gaskets on a car that is 3yrs old with 60000km on the clock are about to fail??
FollowupID:
459873
Reply By: Exploder - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 19:06
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 19:06
Mate, it’s not a Holden without a oil leak! As my mate a mad Holden fan say’s LOL
Oh yes and it's a common problem
AnswerID:
200738
Follow Up By: Stu050 - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 20:32
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 20:32
Yup, engine oil leaks on Holden engines are optional extras that are always included
FollowupID:
459882
Reply By: David from David and Justine Olsen's 4WD Tag-Along - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 22:24
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 22:24
Stick at it. There is such a thing as implied warranty. It is reasonable to assume that the original problem was due to the valley gasket not the tappet cover. Ask new Pioneer to prove that they fixed the problem with the tappet cover gasket, because you believe the problem was the valley gasket all along. Also it is reasonable to assume that is searching for oil leaks in the upper engine that the valley gasket would be a suspect, and it should have been changed under warranty as
well.
Implied warranty means that it is reasonable to assume that something that failed so close to warranty expiry was defective prior to warranty expiry anyway and should have been dealt with.
AnswerID:
200782
Follow Up By: David from David and Justine Olsen's 4WD Tag-Along - Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 22:25
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2006 at 22:25
damn keyboard..."it is reasonable to assume that "in" searching for oil leaks"
FollowupID:
459907
Reply By: Member - MrBitchi (QLD) - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 08:18
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 08:18
A "V" motor has an inlet manifold in the "V" (valley) between the two banks of cylinders. This manifold is often referred to as the "Valley Cover". The "Valley Cover gasket" is the gasket along the front and rear of the manifold, (actually 2 seperate gaskets) where it joins the engine block. It has two other gaskets, one on each side, which are the inlet manifold gaskets.
The "tappet cover gasket" is ..... the tappett cover gasket ;-)
They are very close together at the front and rear of the head and a leak from one can easily be mistaken for the other. On 5LT V8 motors, valley cover gasket leaks are very common.
The cycnic in me suggests the original dealer is quite aware of this and just did the rocker cover gasket as it's far easier (cheaper) to replace than the valley cover gasket, and as you were leaving town.... car was coming out of warranty........
AnswerID:
200810
Reply By: TerraFirma - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 10:52
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 10:52
You can get better quality gaskets to stop these types of leaks I believe, look into them if oil leaks bother you. I have owned 5 Toyota's and not one of them ever dropped a sniff of oil, why can't an Australian car do the same..??
AnswerID:
200836
Reply By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 22:00
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 22:00
Go them 100 series we have the same motor in our VX s pack and now have 68k on it with out oil leaks, lucky maybe. Holden are supposed to have warranty on work that they carry out so if it is now out of warranty but this work was only done 5 weeks prior then they are to wear the costs as it is an continual warranty issue with this gasket that was supposedly fixed 5 weeks ago. I got new shocks on the rear of myn 3 weeks out of warranty as they told me they had put new ones in but infact all they did was put new mounting rubbers on, wasnt till I got a flat and pulled wheel off noticed the same shockies on it. They were leaking oil. Go get em mungrels. Regards Steve M
AnswerID:
200960