External head gasket oil weep, fix solutions?

[JB21]

Noticed a very slight weep from the head gasket on my MR2 when coming off track. Originally thought it could of been the rocker cover, or maybe the oil control valve housing, as this sits right above, but its not. Its defo from the gasket circled below.

Engine is now 22 years old, and has 155k miles on it, so no real surprise given how much it gets abused.

When I say weep, its literally just a drip after a 10 lap session. Even the 100 mile journey home there was only a slight drip.

I'm thinking of using something like JB weld, either the putty or epoxy to try and seal it given its in a very accessible location.

I don't think the oil channels within the head are highly pressurised like the coolant channels, so it may cure the weep.

Thoughts? Leave it be and see how it goes or try and seal it before it gets worse?

 

[clio tyres]

Dodgy brothers know the way forward.

 

[NBG182]

Are you sure the leak isn't actually somewhere else on the engine (out of sight), and it's then leaking down to the head/block joint and running along the joint to where you are observing the drip? I had this happen on my van. Looked like the newly installed headgasket had an external leak along the back, but it was actually the vacuum pump leaking on the side of the engine and the oil was migrating along the head gasket to drip down the back.

I wouldn't expect a headgasket to develop an external leak like that if it has been fine for years, would have thought a combustion leak was more likely. But I guess stranger things have happened!

The head will contain both pressurized oil feed lines, as well as un-pressurised return passageways. I reckon you'd be lucky to get a good seal with a bodge fix, but maybe it's worth a try before you pull the head off.

 

[JB21]

Are you sure the leak isn't actually somewhere else on the engine (out of sight), and it's then leaking down to the head/block joint and running along the joint to where you are observing the drip? I had this happen on my van. Looked like the newly installed headgasket had an external leak along the back, but it was actually the vacuum pump leaking on the side of the engine and the oil was migrating along the head gasket to drip down the back.

I wouldn't expect a headgasket to develop an external leak like that if it has been fine for years, would have thought a combustion leak was more likely. But I guess stranger things have happened!

The head will contain both pressurized oil feed lines, as well as un-pressurised return passageways. I reckon you'd be lucky to get a good seal with a bodge fix, but maybe it's worth a try before you pull the head off.

Gonna clean, then talc the whole area to pin point the leak, to make 100% sure where its coming from before doing anything.