460 - Oil on intake

Passenger side.

Asking for some reassurance but can this be anything but the valve covers?
You can see in the photo the staining on the intake near the head.
I don't see any oil or staining near the carb or spacer to indicate too much oil coming through the pcv.
The engine builder installed the valve covers to break it in and I can see now that they are really sunk down at each bolt so everything is pointing to that being the culprit.

Waiting on some baffles for my new valve covers and hoping that will take care of it but just wanting to see if there is anything else I should check.

And the PCV grommet itself is dry?
I can't think of anything forward of the manifold on that side that would cause oil to get blown back there.

What do you have for new covers, and why don't they come with baffles?

Shame the builder was hamfisted and bent your covers.

Pull it off, hammer it flat and glue the gasket to the cover.
Wipe down the head surface with carb or brake cleaner and put a touch of blue Loctite on the bolts.
Use a socket screwdriver handle or T bar to snug them down. You shouldn't need more than that.

Bummer!!!

The intake is PC'd, right?  Then it should clean up with isopropyl alcohol.  But I agree - valve covers.  Time for your "new" ones.  I like cast aluminum far better than tin.

But if you want to run it a bit until you get the new ones ready, do as Jim said and add some spreader bars.  I don't know if these fit, but they are what I used back in the day on a $%^& 350 and they worked.

Chrome plated Corvair parts! Very old trick for brand C V8 covers.

Gary Lewis wrote

But if you want to run it a bit until you get the new ones ready, do as Jim said and add some spreader bars.  I don't know if these fit, but they are what I used back in the day on a $%^& 350 and they worked.

Would valve cover washers for a diesel fit?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-NEW-OEM-Ford-E3TZ-6A532-A-Valve-Cover-Washer-1983-1987-6-9L-V8-Diesel/184120010780?fits=Year%3A1985%7CMake%3AFord&hash=item2ade68681c:g:pEAAAOSw99ReFlZo

They might.  Looks like they would.  And they'd be Ford, not Chebby.

Oh man, really thought I had responded over a week ago on this.

The intake actually isn't powdercoated...yet. It was installed before that addiction kicked in. I was able to clean it off surprisingly well though with some brake cleaner on a rag.

I appreciate the suggestions for those spreaders. I've heard people talk about them before but never had a need to look up a picture. I can see how they'd be a easy fix to the problem.

Jim - to quote my grandfather, you ain't a woofin. I removed the valve covers tonight and the areas around the holes are on a whole other plane than the rest of it. Those things were cranked down hard.

As for the baffles part I had picked up some M/T Holley cast valve covers on ebay not too long ago. The one baffle they came with was a cut up and folded beer can. I got lucky and found a guy with some old stock although making them wouldn't have been a big deal. They are about the bare minimum to get the job done. While waiting on those I had the covers powdercoated - I really wanted to do them myself but I didn't want to experiment with the fins (stripping pc for a redo is a pain without the right stuff).
The baffles arrived this afternoon so I installed them, chased all the holes in the head, and installed the vc's. The Real Gaskets are nice. Hoping the leaking issue will be solved.





Excuse the engine and firewall wiring. It's still in flux.

Looks great Scott!  
You already know I'm a fan of polished fin valve covers.

Yeah, those baffles are not too complex.
I can see having a slow time during oil changes.

I see a whole lot of reason behind the old timey 'T' valve cover nuts.
It would be difficult to mash the flange using those.
I don't understand what people are thinking what they reef down in a piece of tin backed by rubber or cork.

I hope those gaskets work as well for you as they seem to for me.
It's a real beautiful engine, so keeping all your effort looking that way is going to be a huge plus!

I see you've got the same zip tie plug wire management system I do!  

What are your thoughts with that?
I've seen what Gary's just done but I don't know what my long term solution is going to be.

Valve covers look great!  I love them!  And I'll bet that solves the problem.

I'm not a fan of tin valve covers for that very reason.  They invariably get bent and then are never the same.  I've used them on several of my Bullnose trucks, but I'm always sure to straighten them before using, and then to use a good sealant on the gasket as well.

Can't say much for the plug wire retainers.  At least you could go with black zip ties to match the wires.