MajorCommonFluid Leaks

Holden Commodore: LFX 3.6L V6 Valley Pan (Intake Valley) Gasket Oil Leak

LFX 3.6L V6 Valley Pan (Intake Valley) Gasket Oil Leak is a common fluid leaks fault on the Holden Commodore on the 2013–2017 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $900 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 51 documented faults on the Holden Commodore.

Vehicle: Holden Commodore
Engine: 3.6L / 2.5L / 2.8L / 3.0L / 3.2L / 3.5L / 3.8L / 4.3L
Years: 2013–2017
Fuel: petrol
System: Fluid Leaks

This page covers the Holden Commodore as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Holden Commodore faults51 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Exhaust manifold or Intake manifold yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The LFX 3.6L V6 engine uses an upper valley cover plate sealed with a gasket that sits beneath the intake manifold and covers the cam drive valley. This gasket hardens and shrinks with heat cycling, causing oil to seep from the valley area onto the rear of the engine block, exhaust manifold, and eventually the chassis. Because the leak path is concealed beneath the intake manifold, it often goes undetected until significant oil loss has occurred or a burning oil smell develops from oil contacting hot exhaust components. Repair requires complete removal of the intake manifold assembly.

What you would notice

Burning oil smell from the engine bay, strongest after sustained driving
Oil residue or staining on the rear of the engine block and exhaust manifold
Gradual oil consumption without external puddles under the vehicle
Occasional light smoke from the engine bay on a hot engine
Low oil level warnings with no obvious drip point under the car

How to check it

Where to look. Upper engine valley between cylinder banks, beneath intake manifold

With the engine at operating temperature and switched off, inspect the rear of the engine bay between the cylinder banks for oil weeping or residue on the block and exhaust manifold. Look for oil baked onto the catalytic convertor heat shields. Shine a torch into the valley area each side of the intake manifold — fresh oil sheen indicates an active leak. Also check for a burning oil smell from the engine bay during or after driving.

Parts involved: Exhaust manifold, Intake manifold.

What it costs to put right

$900 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the intake manifold or valley cover gasket ever been replaced?”
“Do you notice any burning smell from the engine, particularly after a long drive?”
“How often do you need to top up the engine oil between services?”

Now check the Holden Commodore you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Holden Commodore buyer questions

Is lfx 3.6l v6 valley pan (intake valley) gasket oil leak serious on a Holden Commodore?

We rate it major and common on the Holden Commodore. The LFX 3.6L V6 engine uses an upper valley cover plate sealed with a gasket that sits beneath the intake manifold and covers the cam drive valley. This gasket hardens and shrinks with heat cycling, causing oil to seep from the valley area onto the rear of the engine block, exhaust manifold, and eventually the chassis. Because the leak path is concealed beneath the intake manifold, it often goes undetected until significant oil loss has occurred or a burning oil smell develops from oil contacting hot exhaust components. Repair requires complete removal of the intake manifold assembly.

How much does it cost to fix on a Holden Commodore?

$900 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Holden Commodore years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2013–2017 Holden Commodore. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.