Oil leak--Valve cover gasket or PCV?

[1989 DX R]

I'm smelling burning oil when I drive my car now, and it seems to leak from the front left side of the engine, from the valve cover. Would it be the gasket causing this or the PCV valve?

[88WhiteLX-i]

Most likely your Valve cover gasket. It's not hard to replace both and it's pretty cheap too. I say replace them both just because, and then see if you still have your oil burning smell.

[ACCORD EX]

i would replace both and adjust valves if they haven't been adjusted in while , because you gonna remove the valve cover anyway ! if you can't find gasket you can use gasket maker !

MIKE

[smufguy]

u know the funny part is that. Most hondas leak oil from the valve covers near the distributor (top left). i always wondered why they do that. every honda engine, despite its an acura or a lude or anything. they all leak from near the distributor. Wonder why they do that.

[ACCORD EX]

may be it's a rounded shape ! :D

MIKE

[Greg]

Smufguy,

The factory always puts extra sealer shit on the valve-cover gasket at the rounded part. I always use some RTV and add a thin layer at the rounded part that goes over the distributor to keep it from leaking there.

But maybe you're also thinking that they always leak from there because nobody ever replaces their old, leaky distributor o-ring oil seal?

Anyway, my car leaks a little bit from there (87 accord LX), and I've been thinking it's the distributor seal, but I've been too lazy to change it, and it's also too damn cold in Chicago to be doing little jobs like this on my car until Spring.