valve gasket questions and such.

[GBpacker_Sho]

hey yall :wave:

Today I decided to replace my valve cover gaskets, it is goin pretty good. I got the front valve cover off piece of cake, the rear however is being a *****, as I cant budge 5 of the big bolts and one of the smaller ones. Is there any advice on what to do? Also on the gasket I dont need to put sealent around the whole thing do I. Plug seals do they get any. Thanks eveybody.

 

[shoteen95]

i just did both of my VC gaskets, as for the rear make sure you've unbolted the fuel lines and got them out of the way, if you have an EGR, you should be able to move it off to the side a little bit, it has some play in it, but be careful...it can break off from the exhaust.

I used PB Blaster, as well as a small metal pipe for leverage when using my allen wrench. The only place i've seen any sort of RTV being used for the VC's is where the cam's meet up with the head and you get those two large half circles *humps*, but i just put small little dab's between the humps and the flat part where the gasket and head meet.

No more RTV should be used, just make sure the surfaces are clean...and for the love of god, get a small peice of mirror. After you've got the cover on, hold the mirror down there so you can see the gasket, and make sure it's visable all the way around the back of the cover.

I made the mistake of not checking the gasket at first, and when i put the whole thing back together and started the engine, and had about a half quart leak out the back. It's not hard at all to roll the gasket off the VC when trying to stick it back on, so be careful.

PS, i put a small bit of RTV on the plug well seals, i dont think it'll hurt anything.

 

[GBpacker_Sho]

Alright I got all the bolts out but one and now the head is striped. How can I remove that?? Thanks shoteen I will use some RTV where you said to thanks again.

 

[Redskull]

take an old 5mm allen key, cut off about 1/2 and inch. Put some JB weld in the stripped hole, and stick the part of the key in, let it dry at least overnight. Use a box end wrench to break it loose. Buy a new bolt and allen key :-(

Also, be VERY VERY careful when you put them back in, make sure it's lined up PERFECTLY, and use a damn torque wrench. You can snap the head of these bolts without even trying. I think the max torque spec is like 12 or something. I broke off one of the small ones, and then broke off a screw extractor inside that. One of the worst weeks of my life :-(

alan

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

nice tip on the allen jb weld trick.

I use a deep socket as a lever or gently tap the allen wrench with a small rubber mallot. The rapid shock will pop it loose without worry of striping it or snaping the neck.

Put the RTV on the right angled spots at the base of the humps, just a dab....bascially any z-axis right angle that comes up off the ridge is enough.

tighten the valve cover bolts in a left right pattern (one on the left, then one on the right back and forth). Final torque should be only as much as a you can gently exert with a small allen wrench. Not alot...check it in the book, but its like 11 ft lbs.

The rear cover is a PITA to get on and off, be patent.

 

[marvsho17]

I guess I'll be buying some jb weld. I decided to try and loosen the vc bolts a week ago so they'd be ready to come off when I do my upper 60k. Well, on the first try, on got stripped. I hate this damn rust.

 

[sdpatt]

For a stripped Allen hole in a valve cover bolt you can also grab the outside of the bolt head with Vise-Grips for better torque application. You can also hammer in a "beat-to-fit" Torx bit in the rounded hole.

The torque spec on those bolts is 8-11 lb-ft. That is basically one finger firmly presing on the end of a 6" socket wrench.

 

[GBpacker_Sho]

Thanks guys, I did end up getting it out. That fricker is dirty. Thanks again guys.