Spark plug gasket removal

[itskohler]

Hey all! I'm doing the valve cover gaskets and the spark plug gaskets seem to be glued in. They're blue, not at all hard like the ones (they just flex and stretch, no resistance at all). I tried using a screwdriver to pry them off, but they're glued in. The old blue one ripped, leaving silicone like gasket material in the groove that it seats in. Has anyone dealt with this before? Am I just up shit creek?

 

[spartacus]

Hey all! I'm doing the valve cover gaskets and the spark plug gaskets seem to be glued in. They're blue, not at all hard like the ones (they just flex and stretch, no resistance at all). I tried using a screwdriver to pry them off, but they're glued in. The old blue one ripped, leaving silicone like gasket material in the groove that it seats in. Has anyone dealt with this before? Am I just up shit creek?

It takes a little bit to get them off . I used a heavy duty pic hook to get mine out. you have to bend the tabs up and get it from underneath then just go around the gasked until it pops . if the previous owner used glue it's going to make things harder you can spray goo gone or another petrolium based spray to loosen the glue.

 

[spartacus]

Just scroll down to the pics where he explains how to take the sparkplug tune gaskets off.

Replacing Valve Cover Gaskets - A True Write Up - **PICTURES**

 

[itskohler]

Just scroll down to the pics where he explains how to take the sparkplug tune gaskets off.

Replacing Valve Cover Gaskets - A True Write Up - **PICTURES**

I watched that, but mine are glued in with shitty gaskets that just rip. A friend is going to help me out later today, he's got all sorts of ideas to get rid if the glue, namely using chemicals to dissolve it. Oddly enough, it's only on the passenger side cover. Drivers side popped right off like its supposed to.

 

[gamefreakgc]

Did you try wedging a small screwdriver in between the gasket and the valve cover and seeing if you can pry it out? That's how I remove them, I deform the inner metal band in the gasket and then the little guy becomes unstuck. Might help break the glue bond.

 

[itskohler]

Did you try wedging a small screwdriver in between the gasket and the valve cover and seeing if you can pry it out? That's how I remove them, I deform the inner metal band in the gasket and then the little guy becomes unstuck. Might help break the glue bond.

I did. The ones that are in there aren't at all like the OEM ones you get from Toyota. The stockers have the hard plastic piece you can use to pry against the valve cover, these are just a floppy, flimsy silicone like gasket. All it does when I try to pry it out is rip, leaving the grooved portion of the gasket stuck in the valve cover.