Valve Cover Gasket job

Got the cam plugs in 2 days but it looks like USPS lost valve cover gasket #2 so I'm stuck

It shipped from Houston on December 13 and the last update was on December 16, nothing since then. The seller is doing their thing "tracking" it but not reshipping it. Yay me.

Yay - you get to delay the job and have a quiet Christmas instead ! :)
 
The countdown begins

EDIT: VCG #2 arrived today

Bought a gallon of PurplePower at WalMart for $5 and will use it to degrease the valve covers etc when everything is off the car. Might mess around and detail the engine bay with it too if time allows.

TBH
I'm a bit gun shy to just blast the engine bay with degreaser and water - I know [MENTION=48999]Tyler[/MENTION]JamesInc does it, but this is my DD so I can't be down with a ruined ignitor or other BS. Any thoughts on that?

Also, my alternator is coated in oil and dust too. Not sure whether to remove it or clean it in place. I think I might upgrade to a higher amp alt in the future, but I want everything cleaner now...

The VCG job is scheduled to happen this coming weekend, weather looks promising (low 70s) and no rain till Monday/Tuesday - hope that doesn't change.
 
Last edited:
If you haven't used Purple Power before, be sure to wear gloves even if you dilute it. That stuff is strong, I learned the hard way.
 
my .02

Just found out VCG #2 should arrive today

Bought a gallon of PurplePower at WalMart for $5 and will use it to degrease the valve covers etc when everything is off the car. Might mess around and detail the engine bay with it too if time allows.

TBH
I'm a bit gun shy to just blast the engine bay with degreaser and water - I know [MENTION=48999]Tyler[/MENTION]JamesInc does it, but this is my DD so I can't be down with a ruined ignitor or other BS. Any thoughts on that?

Also, my alternator is coated in oil and dust too. Not sure whether to remove it or clean it in place. I think I might upgrade to a higher amp alt in the future, but I want everything cleaner now...

The VCG job is scheduled to happen this coming weekend, weather looks promising (low 70s) and no rain till Monday/Tuesday - hope that doesn't change.

In a former life I was in the industrial chemical business and did a lot of business with industrial engine rebuilders. They would use naptha through a air eductor spray gun. I found one at Harbor Freight, and although you can no longer get small quantities of naphta, you can get mineral spirits for about $11 / gal at WalMart or Home Depot. I used it the week before I undertook a timing belt, water pump, and valve cover gasket job. It worked pretty well on the grease and oil and I followed it up with a wire brush on the valve covers to get the remaining baked on soil off. I wasn't willing to pressure wash it because there are too many weatherpak plugs under that hood and I ain't that good at electrical troubleshooting. As an aside, it worked really well to have all the timing covers off while replacing the vcgs....
 
In a former life I was in the industrial chemical business and did a lot of business with industrial engine rebuilders. They would use naptha through a air eductor spray gun. I found one at Harbor Freight, and although you can no longer get small quantities of naphta, you can get mineral spirits for about $11 / gal at WalMart or Home Depot. I used it the week before I undertook a timing belt, water pump, and valve cover gasket job. It worked pretty well on the grease and oil and I followed it up with a wire brush on the valve covers to get the remaining baked on soil off. I wasn't willing to pressure wash it because there are too many weatherpak plugs under that hood and I ain't that good at electrical troubleshooting. As an aside, it worked really well to have all the timing covers off while replacing the vcgs....

Appreciate the insight, thank you!

I diluted the PurplePower 4:1 and and gonna hit the items surrounding the valve covers tonight and rinse on my way home (make sure the car still drives)

I will clean all the parts that come off the truck as I go and am planning on giving myself the full 2-day weekend to do this job
 
The last piece of this pie for me was proactively address the factory wire harness cover that will self destruct upon disassembly

While I was not able to secure a proper piece of high-temp split loom in the right diameter I was able to get some heat proof engine-bay wire harness tape that I will use proactively as I disassemble

My plan is simple
drop kiddo at grandma's for the weekend
drive to the "shop" (buddy's house)
degrease/rinse surrounding areas
drive truck around some to dry
remove ARB bumper to provide better access (and install winch on Sunday)
remove hood
drain some coolant (to pull upper hose and timing cover)
throw a few racks of ribs in the smoker (4-hour smoke)
start disassembly per "established procedures"​

Gonna take lots of pics as we go so it all goes back together the same with no leftover parts :D
 
Following the thread http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...e-cover-gasket-replacement-part-s-n-pics.html and my FSM I charged hard into this job late morning Saturday.
Took some pics and notes to refer back to and pulled the top end off the truck.

Before I started disassembly. It looks cleaner than it was
2d6dc43f1ca9b89bd73718a3f0df0020.jpg


The valve covers were caked in dirt and dust, probably from the ancient gaskets and spark plug tube seals. All the rubber was hard and brittle, especially the factory wire harness cover.

Look at that valve cover on the right, totes embarassing
9f59e3339beabc7ec64facc3118b7dc2.jpg


As advised, I proactively destroyed it before pulling the valve covers. I then proceeded to do a mini detail of everything around and above the valve covers to keep contaminants out of the heads - this took up way more time than I imagined it would, but when in rome, clean like a roman.

I sprayed the valve covers with full strength PurplePower and let them sit overnight. The plan was to pressure wash them along with the bottom engine cover (factory skid plate) but when I pulled my pressure washer out of storage, it wouldn't turn over. I cleaned upper and lower intakes, throttle body and valve covers by hand. I used PP diluted 1:1 for the intakes. I cleaned the throttle body with plain water, and all the plastics I removed with standard degreaser and soapy water leaving everything to dry overnight.

Got an early start Sunday morning and focused on the engine. Cleaned all around the open cylinders but kept them covered with hand towels to keep unwanted debris out. I stuffed paper towels into the intake runners, but knocked one out while working around them so I opted to close of the runners with a strip of 2" wide blue painters tape.

The painters tape was perfect in all respects
e79bec9bd0757ccf7195d39bbc067114.jpg


I wrapped the exposed wiring with heat proof engine bay wire harness tape and made standoffs out of some spare mounting brackets that came with my trans cooler. I attached the standoff brackets to the same holes the factory wire harness was bolted to, one on each head. I was lucky enough to keep the rear wire harness cover intact.

Tape and harness wrapping
67f8d83f17d0b815e5ea395ca1065d32.jpg


Standoffs and harnesses secured (I test fit them under the lower plenum and bent the standoffs so the wiring was not touching the plenum)
acdf475b2dff02d48ae61792d9b4cb4a.jpg


The order of assembly is important because you want to land the valve covers on tacky FIPG, so I prepped the valve covers first. Knocking out the old spark plug tube seals goes well with a 1/2" chisel. First use the chisel to get under the tabs on the inside of the VC that hold the seals and pry up. Tap the chisel with a hammer to get under the tab if need be. Then insert the chisel from the inside of the valve covert, under the seal opposite of the tab you just pried up and twist, the seal will rise slightly. Move the chisel around until you work enough of the seal up to pull it out.

Installing the seals is easy and I lubed them with grease and drove them in with a socket. I put a piece of 2" bar stock I had on hand under the seal so I was driving it down against something solid, no reason to stress an aluminum valve cover. Once the seals are in, knock the tabs back down and install the VCG. One thing I found is that the corners around the arches on either end don't want to sit down nicely. I lubed the inside of the channel at the corners and along the entire semi-circle with grease, then forced the corners down fires, then fit the rest of the gasket in place. Ready to install.

d85de104aadeafa7f7033862aeef2f19.jpg


Now I focused on the cam plugs and semi circles, no real tricks here, just a tight fit between the firewall and back of the heads. My passenger side rear cam plug was leaking, the driver side was not.
I measured the old passenger side rear cam plug vs the new one, old one was 50mm and fell out, basically, when I removed the bearing cap. The new seal measured 50.3mm

I pulled the rear brackets that hold the cam plugs in, to clean the back of the heads then put them back. I then installed the cam plugs and torqued the rear caps. I lubed the tops of the spark plug tubes and hustled the valve covers into place while the FIPG was still tacky; having a friend hold the wire harness is handy. Using the spark plug tubes as guides is the best way to get the covers aligned and once they are, just press down. Installed the cleaned up bolts (soaked overnight) with new washers and torqued down in a star pattern from middle bolts to outer bolts. I torqued them in 4 stages - time consuming but worth it if they don't leak.

Installed my wire harness standoffs and lower plenum then upper plenum torquing each in 3 stages. Reattached all vacuum lines and reconnected all sensors and electrical connectors disconnected and installed spark plug cables that I also had cleaned and degreased. Everything went back together easily, in the opposite order of disassembly and most all bolts torque to the same spec, so it went quickly.

Spark plug tube seals out and in
acdf475b2dff02d48ae61792d9b4cb4a.jpg


Torque specs courtesy of [MENTION=76419]Doc2012[/MENTION]
Camshaft bearing cap 12 ft lbs (144 inch pounds)
Valve cover bolts (Toyota calls them cylinder head covers) 53 INCH pounds
Intake manifold, plenum, throttle body 13 ft lbs (156 inch lbs)​
All other 10mm bolts for brackets and what not I did the same as the valve cover bolts, 53 inch lbs
To keep everything simple, and work with just one, smaller torque wrench, I did everything in INCH pounds

I then cleaned up the bottom engine cover and bolted it on and started the truck. Fired right up. I did not end up draining any coolant so there was no filling and burping. All in all, it's easy work, just time consuming if you want to clean all the parts along the way. Now I just have to clean the rest of the engine bay.

Before (top) and After (bottom)
9b491be9e01f504785bbf97518a7a334.jpg


I replaced the PCV grommet because it was hard and brittle, but it's worth noting that that grommet is boxed in by the plates inside the valve cover, so if you want to change the PCV/grommet on the car and your old grommet disintegrates it won't fall into the cylinder head
 
Last edited:
Following the thread http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...e-cover-gasket-replacement-part-s-n-pics.html and my FSM I charged hard into this job late morning Saturday. Took some pics and notes to refer back to and pulled the top end off the truck.

Mike, are you saying the video [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I made for this job was of no use to you? You're really hurting my feelings here Bro.

Don't worry Mike. My feelings aren't really hurt. I'm just busting your balls.
 
Mike, are you saying the video [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I made for this job was of no use to you? You're really hurting my feelings here Bro.

Don't worry Mike. My feelings aren't really hurt. I'm just busting your balls.

Awww, sorry Timmeh

I actually didn't watch your 3.4 L V6 5VZ-FE Toyota 4runner, Tacoma, Tundra Valve Cover Gasket Tutorial video before doing the job but I just did now :bowl: Left you a comment too :D

The hardest part about the driver side cover for me were the fuel hoses in the inside rear corner, I actually disconnected the smaller return line to give me more clearance and favor not tugging on the wire harness as much. 20 year old wires get brittle af.

Like Sean's, my engine was remarkably clean too, including the plenum intake runners and the cylinder heads. There was more dirt on the outside of my engine that the inside Lol
 
Awww, sorry Timmeh

I actually didn't watch your 3.4 L V6 5VZ-FE Toyota 4runner, Tacoma, Tundra Valve Cover Gasket Tutorial video before doing the job but I just did now :bowl: Left you a comment too :D

The hardest part about the driver side cover for me were the fuel hoses in the inside rear corner, I actually disconnected the smaller return line to give me more clearance and favor not tugging on the wire harness as much. 20 year old wires get brittle af.

Like Sean's, my engine was remarkably clean too, including the plenum intake runners and the cylinder heads. There was more dirt on the outside of my engine that the inside Lol

We actually disconnected fuel lines on the driver side as well. It was pretty much necessary if I'm remembering correctly. I don't think we showed it in the video but I mentioned it in a pinned comment.

When I was researching this job, the write-ups and videos I could find showed using rags or paper towels to block the intake manifold ports. I think I was the first person to document using painters tape to cover those holes. When I saw that you used it as well, I figured you saw our video but I guess it's just a case of great minds thinking alike.

It was probably a nice relief to see it was sludge free under the valve covers. I know I was pretty stoked when I saw that mine looked good.

Chat with you later.
 
We actually disconnected fuel lines on the driver side as well. It was pretty much necessary if I'm remembering correctly. I don't think we showed it in the video but I mentioned it in a pinned comment.

When I was researching this job, the write-ups and videos I could find showed using rags or paper towels to block the intake manifold ports. I think I was the first person to document using painters tape to cover those holes. When I saw that you used it as well, I figured you saw our video but I guess it's just a case of great minds thinking alike.

Those hoses man, tight fit!
I also disconnected my battery neg cable because the top of the battery usually becomes a tool-and-parts tray when I'm working in there LOL and no need to cause a short

You can see in my pics I started with paper towels in the block runners, but after dislodging one while cleaning around it I knew I had to something different. I shoved a small shop vac hose in each lower runner just to make sure nothing went astray in there before taping and before sealing it all up.
 
Last edited:
That's weird, I don't recall disconnecting any fuel lines, but maybe my brain is failing.

Unfortunately I can't see Tapatalk pics at work, so I'll have to wait (I did glance quickly yesterday at home, looks good!).

Mike, what did you do to the aluminum plenum to clean it up?
 
Following the thread http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...e-cover-gasket-replacement-part-s-n-pics.html and my FSM I charged hard into this job late morning Saturday.
Took some pics and notes to refer back to and pulled the top end off the truck.

Before I started disassembly. It looks cleaner than it was
2d6dc43f1ca9b89bd73718a3f0df0020.jpg


The valve covers were caked in dirt and dust, probably from the ancient gaskets and spark plug tube seals. All the rubber was hard and brittle, especially the factory wire harness cover.

Look at that valve cover on the right, totes embarassing
9f59e3339beabc7ec64facc3118b7dc2.jpg


As advised, I proactively destroyed it before pulling the valve covers. I then proceeded to do a mini detail of everything around and above the valve covers to keep contaminants out of the heads - this took up way more time than I imagined it would, but when in rome, clean like a roman.

I sprayed the valve covers with full strength PurplePower and let them sit overnight. The plan was to pressure wash them along with the bottom engine cover (factory skid plate) but when I pulled my pressure washer out of storage, it wouldn't turn over. I cleaned upper and lower intakes, throttle body and valve covers by hand. I used PP diluted 1:1 for the intakes. I cleaned the throttle body with plain water, and all the plastics I removed with standard degreaser and soapy water leaving everything to dry overnight.

Got an early start Sunday morning and focused on the engine. Cleaned all around the open cylinders but kept them covered with hand towels to keep unwanted debris out. I stuffed paper towels into the intake runners, but knocked one out while working around them so I opted to close of the runners with a strip of 2" wide blue painters tape.

The painters tape was perfect in all respects
e79bec9bd0757ccf7195d39bbc067114.jpg


I wrapped the exposed wiring with heat proof engine bay wire harness tape and made standoffs out of some spare mounting brackets that came with my trans cooler. I attached the standoff brackets to the same holes the factory wire harness was bolted to, one on each head. I was lucky enough to keep the rear wire harness cover intact.

Tape and harness wrapping
67f8d83f17d0b815e5ea395ca1065d32.jpg


Standoffs and harnesses secured (I test fit them under the lower plenum and bent the standoffs so the wiring was not touching the plenum)
acdf475b2dff02d48ae61792d9b4cb4a.jpg


The order of assembly is important because you want to land the valve covers on tacky FIPG, so I prepped the valve covers first. Knocking out the old spark plug tube seals goes well with a 1/2" chisel. First use the chisel to get under the tabs on the inside of the VC that hold the seals and pry up. Tap the chisel with a hammer to get under the tab if need be. Then insert the chisel from the inside of the valve covert, under the seal opposite of the tab you just pried up and twist, the seal will rise slightly. Move the chisel around until you work enough of the seal up to pull it out.

Installing the seals is easy and I lubed them with grease and drove them in with a socket. I put a piece of 2" bar stock I had on hand under the seal so I was driving it down against something solid, no reason to stress an aluminum valve cover. Once the seals are in, knock the tabs back down and install the VCG. One thing I found is that the corners around the arches on either end don't want to sit down nicely. I lubed the inside of the channel at the corners and along the entire semi-circle with grease, then forced the corners down fires, then fit the rest of the gasket in place. Ready to install.

d85de104aadeafa7f7033862aeef2f19.jpg


Now I focused on the cam plugs and semi circles, no real tricks here, just a tight fit between the firewall and back of the heads. My passenger side rear cam plug was leaking, the driver side was not.
I measured the old passenger side rear cam plug vs the new one, old one was 50mm and fell out, basically, when I removed the bearing cap. The new seal measured 50.3mm

I pulled the rear brackets that hold the cam plugs in, to clean the back of the heads then put them back. I then installed the cam plugs and torqued the rear caps. I lubed the tops of the spark plug tubes and hustled the valve covers into place while the FIPG was still tacky; having a friend hold the wire harness is handy. Using the spark plug tubes as guides is the best way to get the covers aligned and once they are, just press down. Installed the cleaned up bolts (soaked overnight) with new washers and torqued down in a star pattern from middle bolts to outer bolts. I torqued them in 4 stages - time consuming but worth it if they don't leak.

Installed my wire harness standoffs and lower plenum then upper plenum torquing each in 3 stages. Reattached all vacuum lines and reconnected all sensors and electrical connectors disconnected and installed spark plug cables that I also had cleaned and degreased. Everything went back together easily, in the opposite order of disassembly and most all bolts torque to the same spec, so it went quickly.

Spark plug tube seals out and in
acdf475b2dff02d48ae61792d9b4cb4a.jpg


Torque specs courtesy of [MENTION=76419]Doc2012[/MENTION]
Camshaft bearing cap 12 ft lbs (144 inch pounds)
Valve cover bolts (Toyota calls them cylinder head covers) 53 INCH pounds
Intake manifold, plenum, throttle body 13 ft lbs (156 inch lbs)​
All other 10mm bolts for brackets and what not I did the same as the valve cover bolts, 53 inch lbs
To keep everything simple, and work with just one, smaller torque wrench, I did everything in INCH pounds

I then cleaned up the bottom engine cover and bolted it on and started the truck. Fired right up. I did not end up draining any coolant so there was no filling and burping. All in all, it's easy work, just time consuming if you want to clean all the parts along the way. Now I just have to clean the rest of the engine bay.

Before (top) and After (bottom)
9b491be9e01f504785bbf97518a7a334.jpg


I replaced the PCV gasket because it was hard and brittle, but it's worth noting that that grommet is boxed in by the plates inside the valve cover, so if you want to change the PCV/grommet on the car and your old grommet disintegrates it won't fall into the cylinder head

Did you apply FIPG along the entire mating surface to the gasket/cover side?
 
Did you apply FIPG along the entire mating surface to the gasket/cover side?

Nope, just where the FSM, and common sense, dictate: inside corners of the cam bearing caps (cam plugs) and the half-moon to cylinder head edges,
a thin bead perpendicular to gasket surface.

full
 
Last edited:
Following the thread http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...e-cover-gasket-replacement-part-s-n-pics.html and my FSM I charged hard into this job late morning Saturday.
Took some pics and notes to refer back to and pulled the top end off the truck.

Before I started disassembly. It looks cleaner than it was
I replaced the PCV gasket because it was hard and brittle, but it's worth noting that that grommet is boxed in by the plates inside the valve cover, so if you want to change the PCV/grommet on the car and your old grommet disintegrates it won't fall into the cylinder head

Nicely done. I'm up next, although it may be a while before I have a free weekend to tackle this. I'm a bit intimidated by the brittle harness shroud! I may deal with a leaky trans speed sensor and proactive radiator replacement first.
 
P0325 and P0330

Nope, just where the FSM, and common sense, dictate: inside corners of the cam bearing caps (cam plugs) and the half-moon to cylinder head edges,
a thin bead perpendicular to gasket surface.

full

I started up my engine yesterday, having finally putting everything back together after spending the last several weeks slowly replacing my timing belt and valve cover gaskets, as well as the plugs, wires, tube seals, etc., etc.

I was really excited when it fired up and sounded great. Today I fired it up and got a CEL, VSC and TRAC combo. I have had the P0446 issue, so I threw on my OBD and checked to see if that was the case, but unfortunately I am getting P0325/0330.

I read [MENTION=116467]Rock_Rat[/MENTION]'s post and a few others. Is it possible I did something and the codes are because of anything other than the knock sensors failing or is this just a shitty coincidence?

I am annoyed because I contemplated taking a few more pieces off and replacing the sensors while I was in there, but I didn't want to drop another few hundred bucks replacing sensors that were not failing.
 
P0325 and P0330

Nope, just where the FSM, and common sense, dictate: inside corners of the cam bearing caps (cam plugs) and the half-moon to cylinder head edges,
a thin bead perpendicular to gasket surface.

full

I started up my engine yesterday, having finally putting everything back together after spending the last several weeks slowly replacing my timing belt and valve cover gaskets, as well as the plugs, wires, tube seals, etc., etc.

I was really excited when it fired up and sounded great. Today I fired it up and got a CEL, VSC and TRAC combo. I have had the P0446 issue, so I threw on my OBD and checked to see if that was the case, but unfortunately I am getting P0325/0330.

I read [MENTION=116467]Rock_Rat[/MENTION]'s post and a few others. Is it possible I did something and the codes are because of anything other than the knock sensors failing or is this just a shitty coincidence?

I am annoyed because I contemplated taking a few more pieces off and replacing the sensors while I was in there, but I didn't want to drop another few hundred bucks replacing sensors that were not failing.
 

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