Hello,

I have a 1988 Cherokee Jeep with a 4.0 Liter Straight 6 Cylinder. It has 180,500 miles on it. It was given to me and I was told it has a bad Head Gasket; however, it runs good and seems to bubbling out
Oil at the Head Gasket area…
Here (http://www.pennswoods.net/~luke1027/oil_leak.jpg)

Upon closer inspection, I found the Hose from the on the top-front of the Valve Cover (which goes to the Air Clearer Box –back side) was Kinked closed. I also noted that the Valve Cover – Oil Inlet Cover was bubbling around it with this hose kinked closed. With this hose kinked close there was a very high positive pressure in the Valve Cover being produced. Once I straightened the kink out in the hose mentioned above the pressure was relieved. Which seem to minimize the Oil Leak at the Head Gasket and certainly the bubbling around the Oil Inlet Cover.

Here are my Questions to the group:

1.) Should the Engine be building up this kind of pressure in the Valve Cover when running? I Noticed when I plug the hose to the air box with my finger and pressure would build quite fast and strong. Is this normal?

2.) If the Head Gasket is Bad, will it cause this kind of pressure to build up in the Valve Cover…just like it is doing?

3.) I have no coolant fluid in the oil and no oil in the coolant fluid, would my Head Gasket still need to be replaced? Would that prevent the Positive Pressure build in the Valve Cover?

4.) I have taken a compress check of the cylinders and they don’t seem to reflect a bad head gasket. So, if the Head Gasket leaks when the Valve Cover Hose is plugged, would this be a bad head gasket?

Thanks

Pete W.