Leaky valve covers

[zach7]

I have a 2003 Lincoln ls v6. When I first got my ls i was having ignition issues (coils fouled with oil). Few years back I proceeded to replace all the gaskets associated with the valve covers and in doing so scraped off some gasket like material that was on the engine in the back where the valve covers sit. It was on top of some uneven surface where these little half mooned pieces are set into the top of the engine. I think that when I scraped what i believed at the time to be excess gasket material Its been allowing oil to seep through and drop onto the headers causing a significant amount of smoke. I've just got some new valve cover gaskets and plan on starting fresh. Do i need to replace that gasket like material I scraped off or will the new valve cover gaskets seal that? Any input is appreciated thanks n advance.

 

[joegr]

I don't have a V6, but I know that on the V8 there are a couple of spots that the service manual says to put some gasket sealant (in addition to the gaskets) when changing the valve cover gaskets. In the case of the V8, it is where the timing cover meets the cylinder heads (at the front).

Also, I believe that the V6s are subject to an oil leak from the IMRC valves on the intake. My understanding is that they also leak onto the exhaust and cause a lot of smoke at the back of the engine.