[DrivingPassion]

Just needed to

• remove one last piece of mounting plastic out of the way
• use a 2" extension with swivel to get to the last bolt on the rear right (from driver's seat perspective)

[jzeiler4]

Look at the second video you posted, same fuel rail. He shows complete removal at the 15:08 mark. Hope yours don't leak.

[DrivingPassion]

Very good point. Thanks!

I got the whole rail out now based on that second video.
It will give me more room to get the VC in when I re-mount it.

[DrivingPassion]

VCG replaced and installed, put everything back.

Started the car, and there were a lot of stinking smoke rising from a O2 precat sensor.

ECU threw 12 codes, mostly complaining that there were multiple cylinders misfire and dashboard threw CHECK ENGINE with drivetrain warning.

I googled this symptom and looks like it is a common issue but there were no set solutions.

[DrivingPassion]

Re-checked the ignition cable connections, wiggled them.
Pulled a couple of solenoids out and re-seat them.

Started engine and its purring like before.

All is good now.

Erased all the OBD codes/

[DrivingPassion]

After about 2 weeks, I am seeing oil dripping onto the pre-cat O2 sensor line again and it's crawling down the wire onto the front end of the exhaust; obviously, I'm getting burning oil smell again.

What are your guesses?

I'll be lifting up the car on all 4 corners and see if I can trace the source of the oil leak from the bottom.

Any thoughts?

[Tomskeed]

Originally Posted by DrivingPassion

After about 2 weeks, I am seeing oil dripping onto the pre-cat O2 sensor line again and it's crawling down the wire onto the front end of the exhaust; obviously, I'm getting burning oil smell again.

What are your guesses?

I'll be lifting up the car on all 4 corners and see if I can trace the source of the oil leak from the bottom.

Any thoughts?

At the risk of being wildly unhelpful, that's really tough to say. That would be the obvious collection point as oil leaks and gravity takes effect. Having changed a few of these, it could be something as simple as the gasket not seating properly - pieces of the old gasket stuck in the channel; the gasket moving while reinserting the valve cover; an odd torqueing pattern or incorrect torque specs. OR it could be another spot entirely. Getting in there and taking another look should help narrow it down!

[DrivingPassion]

Or it may be that pool of oil sitting on the heat shield that spills out when the car is shifting its weight in motion.

Here's what I will be doing in the next few days:

1. Inspect the edges of the VCG to rule out oil leak from the new VCG
2. get the car off the ground and inspect from underneath to see if I can trace the source of the new oil leak

If those do not uncover anything, I will re-do the damn VCG again.

[DrivingPassion]

I may bite the bullet to get the heat shields out to clean them.
Any tips on how to remove those would be appreciated.

[DrivingPassion]

Originally Posted by Tomskeed

At the risk of being wildly unhelpful, that's really tough to say. ...

Thanks for helping. Appreciate it.