bubbaleenc
New member
Instead of beating new spark tube seals in, I froze mine for a half hour, wiped edge with WD40 and they sat right in. Much easier!
3.4 Valve Cover Gasket Replacement (part#s n pics)
- Thread starter Jon
- Start date
afg10000
New member
Thanks, Jon! Got everything done yesterday. Turns out I can handle it. Took quite awhile, but the truck didn't blow up and I gots no codes on my SG. Spark plugs seals I popped out from the top side of the VC. Stuck a small flat blade screwdriver almost horizontal in from the top, lightly hammered til you can feel it get above the seal and then start angling it downwards. Pops 'em right out. Then I used the old seals on top of the new ones to hammer them in. Used all Toyota stuff, about $200 from dealer and NGK/Denso plugs and wires. That plastic cover on the wire loom (drivers side) can eat poo. Thanks for the write up and help -
tyr0981
New member
well i wish i had looked beyond just the obvious leaky valve covers.... i replaced the valve cover gaskets and am still loosing oil from the back area of the motor (very slow leak, ~1 quart every 3k mile), i didn't even notice theses 'half moon' plugs / seals / thingy's..... i was dreading it being the rear main seal.....
so i suppose another dis-assembly is called for.
:mmph:
so i suppose another dis-assembly is called for.
:mmph:
jimmyjammer
New member
No start problem after valve cover gasket replacement?
I just replaced the valve cover gaskets on my '99 4Runner. I took pictures along the way to make sure everything went back together the way it was. But now it won't start. Battery is fully charged. Any advice?
I just replaced the valve cover gaskets on my '99 4Runner. I took pictures along the way to make sure everything went back together the way it was. But now it won't start. Battery is fully charged. Any advice?
thirstyturtle
New member
Does the starter crank at all or is nothing happening period?
gamefreakgc
Elite Member
You and me both! This thread might help ya, I think I've narrowed down my problem to the spark plugs.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/185528-stupid-mistake-now-wont-start.html
Also make sure you MAF connector is plugged in. Easy to miss, and won't start without it.
jimmyjammer
New member
Figured it out...
It would crank, it just wouldn't turn over. I charged the battery, I had spark, I double checked my work just about a thousand times....
Lo and Behold, my dad suggested that maybe the gas went bad? (I was outside working around the rain, so it took me 2 months to completely replace valve cover gaskets). Desperate, we undid a fuel line and drained half the gasoline out and replaced it with fresh gas and it started...I couldn't believe it....haha
It would crank, it just wouldn't turn over. I charged the battery, I had spark, I double checked my work just about a thousand times....
Lo and Behold, my dad suggested that maybe the gas went bad? (I was outside working around the rain, so it took me 2 months to completely replace valve cover gaskets). Desperate, we undid a fuel line and drained half the gasoline out and replaced it with fresh gas and it started...I couldn't believe it....haha
jimmyjammer
New member
fixed her up, finally
I got her to start (see previous post) thanks for your help - That is a good thread though, I'll keep it bookmarked!
I got her to start (see previous post) thanks for your help - That is a good thread though, I'll keep it bookmarked!
Old Navy trick!
Thx for this write up!. Did mine last night (5+ hrs later) this job sucked big time, mostly due to the brittle plastic loom on the drivers side.
Few things i learned/noticed...
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-IF i did it again..go ahead and spring for the new 1/2 moon plugs. Not that cleaning them is horrible, but for the cost of new ones it would be worth it to make the job quicker.
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-New cam plug was slightly different from the one i pulled out. New one (toyota) seemed to have a little more rubber around the seal then the one i pulled out. Granted, the old one was 13yrs old and dried, but i could still tell a difference in the edges. This is a good thing, though i still used the sealant on it anyway.
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-I didn't have to remove the throttle body, i was able to lay it on the intake manifold and it wasn't in the way.
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-Use as much light as possible, doing this in a garage with 2 60w ceiling incandescent bulbs isn't the best (add in that it was a night also).
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-Make sure to use dielectric grease on on the plug wires, will make the next servicing much easier.
-Brittle plastic sucks.
I went ahead and did a tune up at the same time. I learned quickly when i pulled the plugs why you should use the proper plugs. Previous owner used Denso IK16's (iridium). @ 30K miles gapping on 2 plugs i checked was .051 on passenger and .084 on drivers, spec is .043. Driverside was essentially down to the ceramic insulator.
Few things i learned/noticed...
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-IF i did it again..go ahead and spring for the new 1/2 moon plugs. Not that cleaning them is horrible, but for the cost of new ones it would be worth it to make the job quicker.
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-New cam plug was slightly different from the one i pulled out. New one (toyota) seemed to have a little more rubber around the seal then the one i pulled out. Granted, the old one was 13yrs old and dried, but i could still tell a difference in the edges. This is a good thing, though i still used the sealant on it anyway.
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-I didn't have to remove the throttle body, i was able to lay it on the intake manifold and it wasn't in the way.
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-Use as much light as possible, doing this in a garage with 2 60w ceiling incandescent bulbs isn't the best (add in that it was a night also).
-Brittle plastic loom sucks
-Make sure to use dielectric grease on on the plug wires, will make the next servicing much easier.
-Brittle plastic sucks.
I went ahead and did a tune up at the same time. I learned quickly when i pulled the plugs why you should use the proper plugs. Previous owner used Denso IK16's (iridium). @ 30K miles gapping on 2 plugs i checked was .051 on passenger and .084 on drivers, spec is .043. Driverside was essentially down to the ceramic insulator.
re-do
Did mine last weekend. I didn't do my homework and didn't do the 1/2 moon plugs. It leaks worse than before. :mad2:I'm doing it again starting in the morning. I bought the cam plugs but plan to clean and reuse the 1/2 moon thingys. I wish there was a good video on youtube explaining the proper way to do the job. The only ones I saw didn't even address anything other than the main gasket. I bet I can have this done in a couple hours now that I've done it before. Wish me luck.
Did mine last weekend. I didn't do my homework and didn't do the 1/2 moon plugs. It leaks worse than before. :mad2:I'm doing it again starting in the morning. I bought the cam plugs but plan to clean and reuse the 1/2 moon thingys. I wish there was a good video on youtube explaining the proper way to do the job. The only ones I saw didn't even address anything other than the main gasket. I bet I can have this done in a couple hours now that I've done it before. Wish me luck.
JRZEE2000TR4LTD
Senior Member
Use the Toyota FIPG sealant. Dab it in ALL the right places. The Toyota FSM shows all the place that needs the FIPG sealant. I say this because if it's leaking worse, I wouldn't think it would be coming from the half moons.
When you do the half moons, lift them up out of their recesses. Don't try to pry them out sideways like I almost did as you could crack/break the head or half moons.
JRZEE2000TR4LTD
Senior Member
I don't remember draining any coolant. The only place it comes out a little is from the IAC coolant lines.
JRZEE2000TR4LTD
Senior Member
Yes the wire loom does suck. A couple pieces of mine broke and landed in the open head and I spent 15 minutes looking for the pieces until I covered the oil galleys and got some compressed air and blew the pieces away.
Link12
New member
Well everything was going good. I had everything cleaned and ready to start the reassembly. Put all the spark plug tube seals in the valve cover and they went in without any issues. I was bending the tabs down with a screwdriver and I slipped and stuck the screwdriver right threw one of the new seals. Now the problem is buy a entire felpro valve cover set for $35 to get one seal or wait and order another toyota one to match the rest of my parts. I really don't want to wait to put it back together but...... Everything was going to smooth figures this would happen.
10 minutes from done when I made a total brain fart. I set the torque wrench too high for the intake bolts and heard a sickening pop as I was tightening one of the lower studs. I quit at that point. I'll take it apart tomorrow and see if it's repairable.
Got Lucky, The stud snapped and that was all. I didn't have another stud but found a bolt in my spare bolt bin to do the job..
All buttoned up and seem to be leak free so far. :banana:
This is getting ridiculous. This morning after 10 minutes driving I started to see smoke. Leak is worse than ever. The right valve cover is cracked at the aft/right corner mounting bolt flange. I'm pulling it off now to see if I can get it welded up. If not I put a want ad up in the classifieds for a replacement.
I'm tired of this leaky truck!!!
