Have any of you replaced the right side cam cover gaskets on a 4.6 (Northstar V8) with the engine in the car? It is a 2006 Buick Lucerne and the right cover has developed a leak. Maybe a quart every 1500 miles, but still enough to blow back on the exhaust and burn, causing a good stink. My local mechanics flat rate book shows 3.5 hours for this job as opposed to 1.5 for the left side. Why the difference?

 

The 4.6L Northstar is a transverse mounted engine. Since the right side is closest to the firewall I could see it taking longer than the left side. Of course, a good technician can get a 3.5 hour job done a lot faster.

 

I thought maybe the hours included moving the engine somewhat upward to get to that side better. I finally found my service manual but it shows the engine out of the car to work on it.

 

If the engine has to be removed consider having head studs installed at the same time. It's one of those EXPENSIVE MAW jobs, but Northstar engines are notorious for blowing head gaskets and head studs can't be done with the engine in the car.

 

Hope that never happens. It has over 130 thou miles and runs like a top. Interior is perfect so if it does happen, I will have a new engine installed. It is a real hot rod and most comfy car I ever owned. They were built on the Caddy DTS platform but less expensive.

 

Yes indeed. I've day dreamed about using a N* engine in a future project. If your N* already has 130k miles you're probably in the clear. My understanding is that headgasket failure can be tied to poor maintenance of the cooling system. Good luck with those valve cover gaskets.