Help - cracked engine head OMG I think I just ruined my wife's car!

Most good 1/4 inch drive torque wrenches are fairly expensive. I went the inexpensive method since I tend to misplace tools frequently. I purchased a few 1/4 drive torque wrenches from Harbor Frieght for about 15 bucks each. Checked a bunch of them and picked the ones that seemed to have the smoothest action. Took 2 of them, and had them set so they click at 48 in-lb and two set so they click at 60 in-lb. Not by the indicators, but by true torque measurement with a strain gauge set exactly 12 inches from the centerline of the socket. (Sometimes it's good to have friends in the QC department ). Locked em in place and wrapped in two layers of electrical tape from the head to the end of the handle.

 

So glad you did this before I did!!
What an awful sight, but your good thread here is helping to calm me down.

 

The bad news is your valve cover gasket is probably leaking if it has more then 150,000 miles on it needs to be changed. Good news is leave the pcv valve in it take the valve cover off then you can easily get the pcv valve off and install anew one then replace the gasket and re-install the valve cover.
If you pull the spark plug and see any oil residue at all on the side of a plug its leaking.
Very very common issue.

Go to the dealer and buy the gasket they stock it. Also you may find the 2 valve cover pcv hoses that go to the throttle body will have cracked ends on them too. And where they plug into the TB it will be very clogged there so blow that out with carb cleaner. Stuff a rag down the throat of the TB to catch it all.

I replaced the hoses too. Dealer stocked them too.

Maintenance.