valve cover

[BlueLego]

so i read up on the article about the ecotec's eating oil because of something being wrong with the valve cover. the heat steaks or something. i was down at the junkyard picking up some parts and found a 2004 cavi with the ecotec. i got the valve cover for 10 bucks off of that but i was wondering if this will fix it? i remember in the article that it said replacing it with a newer year valve cover will stop it from eating oil. will the 2004 work? please let me know asap so i don't waste my time tearing that off of there. thanks

[Whitetigerboi83]

i havent had a problem with my 02
but i have noticed some oil in the airbox above the intake from the breather tube but no noticeable oil consumption

[BlueLego]

yaaa that's expected because thats your crank case ventalation. i had that box off asap though and put a full CAI on. i'm putting a oil catch can on soon to get rid of all that shit that gets sent through the intake. i've had a problem with eating oil since i got the car and from what i've heard quit a few others have. i've learned the hard way with spinning rod bearings because of low oil and also with the bad timing chain tensioner with crushing my intake valves. i've spent more in oil alone with always adding to it then the fix alone costs. i want to be able to drive far distances without worrying about being low on oil all the the time.

[Greencoupe2.2]

What year is youre car? My 03 has never burnt any oil, never heard of any issues with the L61 other than the timing chain tensioner.

[BlueLego]

mine is the 02. i'm guesing they fixed the valve cover problem after that particular year. its an article off of GM for when your car is eating oil. if it doesn't eat oil you have nothing to worry about. found it somewhere in the grand am site.

[Redog]

I would just swap it before it becomes an issue ;)

[BlueLego]

already became an issue lol
i've had that damm engine apart 3 times now!
one time was my fault though for. i spun number 4 rod bearing and the journal measured out like not even a half a mm under spec so i did oem rod bearings and not even 5 miles later it was knocking again lol by all means if a 10 dollar valve cover could fix the problem then i would MUCH rather do that than buy a new motor. that eco is a effing bear to get out.
but got easier as i stacked multiple extensions on the ratchet

[Malibu369258]

should check out ecotecforum for specifics about the ecotec

that's where i got answers back when i had a L61

[BlueLego]

yaa i read up on it and i guess if any of the heat steaks are missing then it's no good. now i have to figure out wtf a heat steak looks like on this thing lol