Oil leak from rear of cylinder head

[odonovj]

2002 automatic liberty 3.7 6 cylinders

I've changed the head gasket and put everything back together, followed by smoke which led me to find oil dripping onto the exhaust on the passenger side landing on the O2 sensor not that that matters.
I removed the valve cover for the second time and I tightened down the two lower rear head bolts by as much as I safely felt (no room for my torque wrench) it wasn't more than an eighth of a turn, if that.

The oil drip seems to have lessened but it still remains.

So the dilemma is,
1. leave it be and suffocate slowly, no one will know before the coyotes come to clean up.

2. Apply something to the exterior (not sandwiched)

3. Apply something sandwiched between the block and head

I really don't want to have to remove the head again and be faced with the temptation to torque that corner bolt down any further , I just don't trust that that outcome would be in my favor.
Maybe,as a last resort but I'd rather hold off on that unforgiving move .
That poses the other decision, if I do remove the head again, and decide that I need to take it to the Mill....Is that an absolute best decision to make or are the chances liw that id require that process.


I'd love to hear from someone who has actually successfully remedied this.
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[turblediesel]

I have never seen option 2 work at all.

Generally valve covers leak oil more often than head gaskets. A small amount of silicon sealer on the valve cover could help. Not too much or you'll have silicon boogers plugging things up inside.

 

[odonovj]

I have never seen option 2 work at all.

Generally valve covers leak oil more often than head gaskets. A small amount of silicon sealer on the valve cover could help. Not too much or you'll have silicon boogers plugging things up inside.

Thanks TD, Okay, that would be one of the sandwiched solutions which I'm trying to avoid having to do if at all possible, but I think I may as well dream on.

 

[BC56]

Have you checked the cam position sensor? More towards the front of the rocker cover but prone to oil leakage. Not an expensive or difficult fix.

 

[odonovj]

Have you checked the cam position sensor? More towards the front of the rocker cover but prone to oil leakage. Not an expensive or difficult fix.

Ya I've done that but since my last post I think I've figured out what's wrong. The back end of the blue gasket with the ridge in the middle is the problem. Hard to explain but the length of the gasket between the two back bolts/fasteners , is a millimeter or 3 too long thus not allowing the gasket to sit 100% on the cover.
So now as I write I have put a slight bead of permatex on the cover ,then clamped the gasket to that bead with every clamp I could find.
It's sitting on the bench curing over night.

So I'm hoping that that's the solution, and it's pretty sad that the gaskets that are being suggested by all the major players for vehicle specific applications are not being thoroughly vetted.

I'll follow-up tomorrow