valve gasket question..

[DisGateway]

My girlfriend owns a 1993 SHO 3.0.. well since I met her last year she has always had to let it "warm up" and she has had to do this for the past two years since she owned the car. And well.. to be honest... I never really cared till she started yelling at me about it last week..

I decided to take my lazy ass outside today and actually work on her car... I gotta admit.. Yamaha and Ford do you no favors when it comes to working on this thing... I started by checking the plugs only to find oil in all six of them.. The back three are nearly impossible to get to... for the quick fix.. I put high temp plugs.. and new plug wires in it.. I'm just wondering though.. how hard is it to change the Valve cover gaskets on these cars? The cheapest quote I have gotten is $800.. and the Ford Service Tech shop wants almost $1100!!!?? (She only paid $500 for the damn thing) WTF?? everyone tells me working on a SHO is a pain in there ass... and so far its going to be a pain in my freaking wallet! If its not extremely hard... and I'll take the task on by myself..

Other then that though.. the car is solid I gotta say... (doesn't run as good as my 3000GT though ) after it warms up.. the thing runs pretty good.. never misfires.. amazingly.. and never stalls.. even with the plugs and plug wires soaking in oil...

 

[alvaro.noriega]

The valve cover gaskets are not really all that hard, but if you're not familiar with the engine you just have to be careful and patient. There is a how to on here somewhere. i'll try to find it for you and post the link on this thread

 

[K-Dawg]

A valve cover gasket job is a good way to start getting to know the SHO engine. With the help of SHOForum and http://www.shophoenixproject.com/, you shouldn't have a problem.

The Fel-Pro gasket set is like $80 I think, so it's not that expensive, and will only take a several hours at most.

 

[alvaro.noriega]

I agree with K-dawg. more specifically if you go to http://www.shophoenixproject.com/upper60k/upper60k.htm
this should have everything you are looking for for the vlave cover gaskets. Of course on this is for a full 60k job which I suggest you do, but if not just follow the steps that apply to just the valve cover gaskets.

The first 20 or so steps should directly apply to you. Especially since you'll have too remove that sweet intake manifold before you can get to the valve covers

 

[SuperHO]

quick tip...tampons do a wonderful job getting the oil outta the plug wells. i'd recommend the heavy flow ones, as they're extra absorbant.

 

[silver93sho]

quick tip...tampons do a wonderful job getting the oil outta the plug wells. i'd recommend the heavy flow ones, as they're extra absorbant.

Thats a darn good idea!

 

[zach44102]

its bad when both of your lovers ( GF and your SHO) need tampons.

 

[itwonder]

It's actually easier to change them on a SHO than on a 3.0L Toyota V6. I think shops get intimidated by the huge intake on the SHO, but once that is removed, in about 20 minutes, it's just another V6. See http://www.shophoenixproject.com/maint.htm

 

[LOUDSHO92]

We have the valve cover seals here: SHO Source

If you are going to be there might as well do a valve adjustment: Shim Kit

 

[Eric VerValin]

Where in Indiana are ya? I always like it when we get another Hoosier in here.

 

[DisGateway]

Paoli

 

[twitchblade]

you will also need the intake gaskets along with the valve cover ones. tho all you will need are the ones that fit between the intake and he heads.


ya, it looks intimidating but once you get the intake off, it pretty strait forward.

also you might want to have a magnetic pickup tool handy as it's really easy to drop a bolt where you can't get to it.

 

[89SHO X2]

if you want to save money. if the gaskets are complete and not cracked up. i took some permatex ultra black and smeered it around the seal really completely(not too much though). make sure you remove the seals on the cover and clean everything good with laquer thinner or equivelent. run a bead around the bottom of the plug well seals really good. I didnt remove them just smeared the bottoms really good. thats where they leak into the wells. had no more problems with any leaks and saved about $100.00. i would rather replace new but why spend the money if you dont have to. and it does the same thing but costs about $6.00. just an idea for you is all. take care.