95 lesabre oil leak?

[pete379]

Hey guys i have yet another mystery oil leak on my car. I had the pan gasket replaced a few months ago and now its dripping again. I don't believe its the pan gasket cause you can smell the oil burning somewhere. Its dripping on the front drivers side. Doesn't look like the valve covers. They have a little oil around them but no fresh oil. It almost looks like its coming out of the head gasket. There is shinny fresh oil around the area. Is this common on the 3.8? Cause normally they would leak coolant but i know its possible for oil to leak. Its strange cause it looks like its above the head gasket but below the valve cover. I hope its not the head gasket. If it is can the oil be wicking up the front of the motor to appear that its above the head gasket? I know that valve cover gaskets are a very popular leaking area, but they don't look fresh. Any help or suggestions would be great. Car has 148K on it with new intake gaskets also.

[LeSabre97mint]

Pete

It does sound like the valve cover gasket is leaking. I don't believe that it's the head gasket because the headgasket on the 3800 doesn't have to seal oil under psi unlike overhead cams.

Regards

Dan

[pete379]

thanks for the info on the leak. I am going to try and replace the valve cover gaskets this weekend and see if it makes a difference. Maybe its dripping more in a spot that i can't see off the valve cover so it looks like the head gasket.