Valve Cover Gasket job done !

[mtvp]

It has been long in the tooth getting around to it. I just got fed up with the burnt oil smell every time I parked it. I bought the parts off of Camelback.

I had a local shop with a good tech do it for a $190.00 labor. Not a bad price for not getting my hands dirty. I only say that because I'm not a tech guy. I would have been at it for days.
It's so nice to not smell the oil anymore.
As long as it was there I had the parts for new plugs and wires done as well.
I'm ready for a road trip from MI to NC

 

[shootmymime]

good glad to hear, yeah the price is not that bad if he installed those other parts while he was in there.

I did mine a couple months ago and it absolutely sucked, the driver side was the worst. not because of the intake but more rather all the wires that go over the VC, keeping them out of the way and trying to keep the gasket from falling out of its slot in the VC.

have a fun safe drive.

 

[gamefreakgc]

good glad to hear, yeah the price is not that bad if he installed those other parts while he was in there.

I did mine a couple months ago and it absolutely sucked, the driver side was the worst. not because of the intake but more rather all the wires that go over the VC, keeping them out of the way and trying to keep the gasket from falling out of its slot in the VC.

have a fun safe drive.

I know huh? I must have broke the engine wire harness cover in like 5 spots since the plastic was so old and brittle. Other than that it wasn't bad.

 

[repo]

Sometimes its simpler to pay someone. It took me a whole weekend because I kept having to go out and get stuff. Had to go buy a 32mm socket, then some larger vice grips, then find an IAC gasket, then some heat resistant cable wrap.

 

[ajonesnv]

LOL, I totally understand. That is a good price though...but Im the type that won't let many people near my truck, besides it gave me the opportunity to paint my valve covers red

 

[repo]

I know huh? I must have broke the engine wire harness cover in like 5 spots since the plastic was so old and brittle. Other than that it wasn't bad.

I broke the plastic harness plus about 5 clips. I even broke one of the plug wire clips on the timing belt cover.

 

[mwrohde]

Sometimes its simpler to pay someone. It took me a whole weekend because I kept having to go out and get stuff. Had to go buy a 32mm socket, then some larger vice grips, then find an IAC gasket, then some heat resistant cable wrap.

I'm fixing to do this. 32mm socket for what? And the vice grips?

IAC gasket didn't occur to me. Have to add that to the parts list.

 

[repo]

I'm fixing to do this. 32mm socket for what? And the vice grips?

IAC gasket didn't occur to me. Have to add that to the parts list.

I cleaned the IAC while I was doing the gasket. The IAC has a rubber gasket between the throttle body that was stretched out and couldnt be re-used.

32mm socket for pushing in the spark plug gaskets with a rubber mallet.

9" needle nose vice grip pliers for getting the rear half moons outs.

 

[adkins]

I just finished mine today and didnt need the 32mm socket. Light dab of black rtv around the coil pack gasket and it slips right in place. Found that nearly half my valve cover bolts were loose. But oh well. Got one more thing off the to do list.

 

[JBurt]

So I know the vc bolts consistently come loose. Has anybody put loctite on them? It's that a bad idea, even if you don't over tighten them?

 

[cdrewferd]

I would think a little blue loctite would be fine. Probably what I'll do when I get around to doing my valve cover gaskets.

 

[gamefreakgc]

I cleaned the IAC while I was doing the gasket. The IAC has a rubber gasket between the throttle body that was stretched out and couldnt be re-used.

32mm socket for pushing in the spark plug gaskets with a rubber mallet.

9" needle nose vice grip pliers for getting the rear half moons outs.

I just used the mallet, I didn't bother with the 32mm socket. It might make it easier but I didn't have one and would never use one so didn't buy one.

Also, I think locktite would be overkill. The bolts are only torqued to 4 lbs/ft, if they leak just snug them down half a rotation and it'll stop. They should not be coming loose, unless they were too loose to begin with.

 

[repo]

I wouldnt use loctite it would affect the torque. The covers seem to be pretty delicate. NGK says not to even use anti seize on the plugs because it encourages over torquing.

 

[ajonesnv]

So I know the vc bolts consistently come loose. Has anybody put loctite on them? It's that a bad idea, even if you don't over tighten them?

Do not use lock tight!

That is all...

 

[JRZEE2000TR4LTD]

I will never understand the anti Loctite rhetoric. Definitely don't use red Loctite. But blue is fine. It stops the bolt from backing out but still allows disassembly by design. It does not affect torque spec. It simply holds the bolt in place until you take it out. I have taken 1000's of bolts out with various forms of Loctite on them (red, blue, green) and not had a problem. Some bolts (like the Harmonic balancer bolt on our 3rd gens come from the factory with Loctite already on it. I reused my bolt and used blue Loctite with 217 Ftlbs. My VC cover bolts are Loctite on and I've removed one side and had NO PROBLEM.

USE Loctite

That is all...

 

[legokcen]

Anyone that knows fasteners and the different kinds of Locktite uses locktite. There is something for almost every application.

 

[JRZEE2000TR4LTD]

Just for clarification,. I believe the VC "seal" (made of rubber) and the bolt "seals" (also inlaid with rubber) shrink over time and allow the bolts to become loose. They may start to back out at that time or the shrinking seal may create a leak also as gaps may occur. I think both these things may happen together. Not much you can do except retorque the bolts carefully, which is what many people successfully do.

 

[gamefreakgc]

Just for clarification,. I believe the VC "seal" (made of rubber) and the bolt "seals" (also inlaid with rubber) shrink over time and allow the bolts to become loose. They may start to back out at that time or the shrinking seal may create a leak also as gaps may occur. I think both these things may happen together. Not much you can do except retorque the bolts carefully, which is what many people successfully do.

Yeah, and the constant heat cycles makes the rubber gasket turn brittle over time so it does not seal very well anymore. More often than not it's not a problem with torque but the gaskets going bad. Combine it all together and you get a leak.

 

[repo]

I will never understand the anti Loctite rhetoric. Definitely don't use red Loctite. But blue is fine. It stops the bolt from backing out but still allows disassembly by design. It does not affect torque spec. It simply holds the bolt in place until you take it out. I have taken 1000's of bolts out with various forms of Loctite on them (red, blue, green) and not had a problem. Some bolts (like the Harmonic balancer bolt on our 3rd gens come from the factory with Loctite already on it. I reused my bolt and used blue Loctite with 217 Ftlbs. My VC cover bolts are Loctite on and I've removed one side and had NO PROBLEM.

USE Loctite

That is all...

It does say "thread lubricant" on the package and feels different when I use it IMO. I'm sure it's fine if you are careful and torque them a little at a time in sequence. I probably waste time and money but I like to follow the FSM at a near autistic level and its pretty specific about which bolts to lube or apply loctite. Like the FSM says the harmonic balancer bolt is non reusable. Is it because they simply want new factory compound on the threads or because the bolt has been stressed somehow? I dunno.