"Dad. The engine's smoking real bad."

Those are the first words I heard this Sunday morning. She took the truck down to the local pool for her lifeguard/first aid training and called me from there. I'm sure her teenage friends were hysterical about an impending fire. I ran to NAPA and got the intake and valve cover gaskets with the plug tube o-rings for $50. The Victor Rienz valve cover gaskets look more substantial than the Felpro gaskets I got at Advance. Maybe this is why they are leaking a year and a half later? It needs to cool, I need breakfast, then I'll dive in. I imagine it decided to smoke a little more today as it's been cold down here (40 at night). All of the lifeguards were huddled up at the edge of the pool in their sweatshirts and sweatpants. I bet they are looking forward to getting wet later!

So it is leaking oil then?

It was leaking. I have the new one on now. I forgot what a PITA it is to get a couple of those valve cover bolts and one of the EGR bolts out/in. There is still some smoke being produced as it burns off the exhaust.

It was a little unsettling for the engine to run rough on the first startup, but I hadn't plugged the #4 coil all the way in.

What other potential leaks are there on the driver's side at the back of the engine? Did I get the only possible culprit? The passenger side is showing just a little oil in a couple of spots. I'll change it if I get really bored some night.

Looks like I got it. The wife took it to get some groceries, and when she got back there was no smoke and that pleasant burning oil smell was gone. I don't think I'll ever have that rusting frame problem with the coating of 10W-30 there.

It was October of '05 that I changed the gaskets last.

And I guess I can bring the intake gaskets back. I didn't take the plenum off.

I don't think I'll ever have that rusting frame problem with the coating of 10W-30 there.

Doh! I should have done that trick 3 years ago! :lol:

No leak today. I wonder how long it'll last...

Well, I got back under the truck tonight because it still seems to be leaking from the rear camshaft tower area. It looks like there is a plate covering the rear camshaft tower, held on by 2 bolts, and it is leaking from the base of that plate. It is not leaking from the base of the towers at the point where you are supposed to apply a bead of RTV, which I did when changing the valve cover gasket. Something under that plate seems to be leaking. It does say to apply a bead of RTV where the front and rear camshaft tower meets the head. It would be a bummer if it were leaking there. Thanks for any help!

Did you replace your camshaft seals at the time of your timing belt swap?

At the first timing belt swap, I had the shop do the seals. I did not do them when I did the timing belt the second time. Is there a rear camshaft seal back there under the cover? If so, I'm sure it's never been changed.

http://www.car-stuff.com/cs_auto/mmpb/isuzu/rodeo/camshaft_rear_seal_plug_set/felpro/cs446e1ddd94b0c
Is this what I need?
They are rear camshaft plugs. Under the cover? Nobody at planetisuzoo.com has mentioned these plugs either.

Seems a couple of guys on the Zoo have seen this before, including trooperbc. I'll let you know how the repair goes...

Getting the part is always a blast.
Advance: "You'll have to get me a part # cause I wouldn't even know where to begin to look for it."
NAPA: "It's listed with a number, but I can't get it."
Honda dealer: "It's $14 per cap. I can have it overnighted for another $19. That's about $50. Otherwise it'll be here a week from Wednesday."
One online supplier had it for about $15.
Three calls to St. Charles and I have the correct parts on the way.

If anyone has done this before, please let me know if the rear camshaft plug is the only part I need for this job. I understand there is also a very cheap (63 cents) cap that goes somewhere back there as well, and I don't know if I need it. Also, I hope this can be done without removing the valve cover again. It looks as though there is no need to remove it. I'm going out now to see what I can see after taking the plate off the back tower. Thanks.

I doubt you'd need to remove your valve covers - my mechanic did mine at the time of timing belt replacement, and I know for a fact my valve covers haven't been off since 2001.

I do believe Trooperbc has excellent knowledge and is a very informative poster, we can definitely benefit from his knowlege. I believe he has experienced this before....maybe??

I honestly don't know if *both* my camshaft seals were replaced, I'm thinking maybe just the front. I'll double check with my mechanic tomorrow; he's working on a check engine light issue on my Yota now.

I'm guessing these plugs or caps are not changed unless they begin to leak. The Honda parts girl thought the valve covers needed to be removed. When I said I didn't think so, she said only the Honda Passport needs to have the covers removed. Doesn't sound right to me, but what do I know?

I don't think trooper did this job himself. I think he had a mechanic do it. Somehow his vehicle got home from the factory without the retaining plate or cover that is supposed to be on the back of the cam tower.

The intake does need to come off for the passenger side of the engine... Waiting for FedEx to drop my package. For some reason they need an adult signature to deliver it.

These are the rear camshaft plugs. FedEx came this morning...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v380/surferfletch/caps.jpg

My camshaft blog continues...
After the engine cooled, it was easy to break the 12mm grade 8 bolts and remove the retaining plate. I had to put it back, though, because I didn't have nough time to figure out how to pick that seal out of its recess. It's going to suck. Off to little league...

The driver's side is done. I had a small seal puller that looks like something the dentist would use and pried it out. If I had to do it again I'll bet it would take all of 10 minutes. A 3/8" drive and 12 mm socket does squeeze in back there for the retaining plate bolts. The plug is almost fully seated just by pushing it in there. Some tapping around the edge and replacing the retaining plate fully seats it flush with the head. It's dry on that side! I'll do the plug and valve cover gasket on the other side this weekend. I'm thinking about refrigerating the next plug to facilitate the install. Any thoughts?

not a bad idea. but refrigerator not freezer imo. i usually put a light film of white grease on seals i install. i seems to help the installation and it's displaced for the most part as it is installed.

//bc

Thanks for the tip.