I notice oil leaking from the driver's side under the valve cover lip and onto the header where it mates to the head. Looking at the vc gasket, I notice no tears but:

1. There's oil on the outside lip of the head (where the gasket rests).
2. There's oil on the gasket edges.
3. Regarding the small tabs around the gasket, a few of them aren't quite tucked into the vc lip after I pulled it off.

So how do I tell if I need to buy new ones or if it's just an issue of a proper seal?

 

those gaskets are cheap. Just trough a new one set on and that should fix it.

 

I noticed you have 1.6 promags. How did you get the stock vavle covers to fit, that's if you are still using stock valve covers.

I've heard if you gut too much of the bracing out of the valve covers, when you tighten the cover down it tends to spread the valve covers apart, causing a leak.

 

Yeah, I may end up getting new ones but I really want to know what's going on with the leaking here and why.

Daryn95z- I am using the stock valve covers, I snipped the brace supports on one side of the valve cover (leaving the other half of supports intact). It seems to still fit quite snug because I still need to wiggle the vc around to get a flush fit. But what you said still makes me wonder if the cover is more spread apart.

Maybe each of those tabs on the gasket must be pressed in completely

 

If I was in your situation I'd just go with the new gaskets and if there is still a leak it might be time to look into some new valve covers.

Maybe some composite LT4's?

 

I have a brand new set of GM OEM valve cover gaskets that are still in their original packaging if you would to buy them from me.

 

I would love to get the lt4 valve covers but that'll have to wait due to funds.

I know I can get the gaskets for ~$15 at Autozone, I don't know what brand though. Are they any different from the GM gaskets?