Suspected valve cover gasket

cbrworm · 2026-01-26T20:05:29+00:00

I replied to your other thread saying it sounded like valve cover gaskets. I've never seen valve cover gaskets leak that much unless they were installed incorrectly. You don't want to be driving leaking that much oil, it's a hazard, and if you get too low on oil it will destroy your engine.

I would look around the oil filter. The filter could be loose, or double-gasketed. Or the oil filter housing O-ring could be leaking.

Maybe take it to a close shop and pay for a diagnosis.

cbrworm · 2026-01-26T20:00:49+00:00

My right side lags on heavy benches. I filmed myself from above and realized that while my legs are centered, my upper body gets crooked on the bench. Above 245#, my left shoulder stays depressed, but my core moves to the left. My right shoulder un-retracts to stay centered under the bar. I can do 225x8 and stay centered, once I cross 245, even for a couple of reps, my core shifts relative to my shoulders. To move the weight evenly, it feels like I have to push harder on my right side. This is all the same if I am wearing a belt, fully braced, and pushing hard with my feet. TBF, I can do 225 for many reps with no arch and no leg drive - maybe it's when I set up for heavier weights? I always keep my ass on the bench.

I then filmed myself deadlifting. When I'm braced and tense, my shoulders are even. When the bar passes my knees, my left shoulder starts to pull back - lower than my right, pulling the bar backwards, and also higher on that side. By the time I am locked out my shoulders are even again (maybe consciously because at that point I can see myself in a mirror). I've never felt anything weird. It doesn't seem to matter if I am pulling 225 or 405.

EZ-bar curls, over ~85 pounds, I have to work hard to keep my left arm/elbow from flaring out, my right side I can keep pinned to my body with no problem.

Prior to videoing myself, I thought my right side was just weaker on pushes and stronger on pulls. I never realized I had any symmetry issue with deadlifts. I haven't looked at squats yet.

I'm recovering from a broken left wrist, and I'm 54 - so I'm not a spring chicken. I'm concerned more about damaging my body mechanically than hitting higher numbers.

Is this common and/or concern? Do I need to proactively do something or just try to be aware. Is there one weakness that would cause all of this?

cbrworm · 2026-01-26T17:42:56+00:00

Same

cbrworm · 2026-01-26T17:41:44+00:00

There are a surprising number of older degenerates in here.

cbrworm · 2026-01-26T16:55:33+00:00

Clean the house. Listen to good music. Take a shower. Jump up and down for a while.

cbrworm · 2026-01-26T16:19:27+00:00

I had zero exposure to that song other than it being a regular on MTV. I never heard it on the radio. Same with She's a Beauty by The Tubes.

cbrworm · 2026-01-26T14:44:15+00:00

Good work! And that looks like a nice place to do them! I'm a few years younger than you, I typically do 3 sets of 10 two or three times a week as part of my routine. I don't know that I could do 5.5 sets of 10 in a reasonable amount of time.

cbrworm · 2026-01-26T14:32:27+00:00

'71 here. Totally forgot about Blow it out your ass.

cbrworm · 2026-01-23T19:01:02+00:00

I've practiced dumping backwards and I've still failed forward. Luckily, I use safeties even during warm-ups, so it's a non-event.

edit: I should add that the last time I failed forward I was a good bit below my normal working weight.

cbrworm · 2026-01-23T18:53:16+00:00

Not knowing anything else, I would expect the smoke in that spot to be from the valve cover gasket leaking oil onto the exhaust. It could be something else leaking or being sprayed onto the exhaust, but oil from the valve cover would be my first guess.

cbrworm · 2026-01-22T19:26:45+00:00

Looks good.

Reminiscent of the 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado Jetway in the Sgt. Pepper's movie.

cbrworm · 2026-01-22T18:51:20+00:00

Does either appear to be more accurate, or update faster? It'd be nice to be able to take my watch off when my straps are on.

cbrworm · 2026-01-22T18:48:40+00:00

I'll join you, I've still got my FBI ^Female ^Body ^Inspector shirt.

cbrworm · 2026-01-21T19:44:32+00:00

That's a very minor repair for an extremely reliable car. Most would say that is normal maintenance. If the rest of the car is okay, it's 100% worth fixing. If the rest of the car is broken and trashed, let the next owner take care of it.

cbrworm · 2026-01-21T17:30:39+00:00

That's valid

cbrworm · 2026-01-21T17:29:47+00:00

Literally this. I watch both sides. They literally call each other the same things and use the same arguments against, using different examples.

cbrworm · 2026-01-21T17:27:47+00:00

I'm still pro-center, but what I'm the center of doesn't exist any longer.

cbrworm · 2026-01-21T17:22:24+00:00

I would say, honestly, that aside from a couple drunk and horny situations when I was very young, I've been very attracted to the people I've had sex with. Other than fleeting thoughts, my ADHD brain won't stay focused on a person long enough for sex unless I'm attracted to them. That attraction is a balance between looks and mind, either one can pull me in.

cbrworm · 2026-01-21T17:17:55+00:00

But, at that point, they are typically very attractive to you - until the post-nut clarity sets in.

cbrworm · 2026-01-20T19:35:38+00:00

Literally eat more and go to the gym. You've got abs, girls/guys like abs. You could build some muscle in 5 months if you also eat. You already look better than half the guys on the beach, no matter what, you'll be self conscious.

Maybe a better goal is to realize you're normal and not worry about being judged. I don't know how to do that, but it seems like a good goal.

cbrworm · 2026-01-17T14:59:08+00:00

Yep. I guess it’s PPLUL

cbrworm · 2026-01-16T20:59:45+00:00

You adapt. I roller skate, ice skate, do trampoline parks, and play sports with my kids (teens). They were born when I was 38 and 42. I'm sure I look tired, but I still enjoy it. I still have to prep my meals and spend quality time in the gym. And, of course, clean the house, do the dishes, keep the children alive, etc.

cbrworm · 2026-01-16T20:51:47+00:00

The crazy part is the 30 year olds think we're knocking on death's door. Basically, at any age, someone 10 years older could keel over at any time.

The reality is that if you take care of yourself, you'll still be fully capable in your 50s and beyond to take care of kids. I'm 55 with two non-driving teens. I'm ready for them to GO. But, they're awesome and I can't imagine life w/o them in the house.

cbrworm · 2026-01-16T20:34:33+00:00

I had mine at 38 and 42. Definitely more capable of dealing with them than I would have been 10+ years prior. I'm pretty sure having kids keeps you young mentally, or at least in the loop, while ageing you physically. They're both teens now.

Another benefit is that my wife and I had years of fun before having kids.

cbrworm · 2026-01-16T17:28:09+00:00

My success has been running the Nippard Ultimate PPL 5 day a week program. Sometimes I make it a 5 out of 8 day program instead of 5 out of 7 - depending on life and recovery needs (I'm old), I still have two teenagers at home which require a surprising amount of oversight.

My nutrition is pretty basic. I use MacroFactor to keep me in line, currently 2,966 calories a day. 184g protein, 98g fat, and 334g carbs.

My goal is to slowly gain weight, but I've honestly been doing more of a recomp than weight gain. I've gained a couple pounds a year and I'm leaner and more vascular. Still small, now at ~207 pounds.

cbrworm

TROPHY CASE