Valve Cover Gasket Nightmare

[Clone of the Mean]

Just a word of caution, this isn't meant to deter anyone from taking this monu"mental" task on, but....... make sure you know what you are in for. I'm 45, my hands were cramping, I was dropping wrenches, crawling under the runner to get them. My back hurts, my feet hurt, and to top it off it was 100 degrees. This stuff used to fun for Chrissakes.....

I have no idea how much this job costs at a repair shop, but at this point I'm willing to pay double to get it put back together. The valve cover gaskets are a snap, the plenum removal is a snap, even putting the VC's back on isn't hard. It's all the little things you've got to do just to get to the job that needs to be done!!! And do yourself a favor and change the spark plugs while you're in there!!!! There is a ton of stuff that just gets in the way. I've never seen more sh*t inside an engine compartment before.

Mark or identify EVERYTHING you remove. If you remove a bolt to move a bracket, EGR, or whatever put the bolt back into its hole. Yes, I lost 3 so far.

So, I'm done ranting and raving. I'm not saying don't do this job, just research the hell out of it. If I can get my camera running I'll take pics and explain how and why I did things the way I did. Back to the battle.....

 

[ChoochCharlie]

I agree. My 3.0 was the toughest head gasket job i have ever done. Luckily I have made past mistakes with losing bolts and not labeling, so was on that tip.
I took about 100 photos before i turned a wrench, of every detail, and then took another 100 while I took it apart. I referred to those photos many times to figure out where everything went back. Even had the laptop out in the garage to see the photos. Priceless.

 

[Clone of the Mean]

Well, after assessing the damage from yesterday I determined it isn't nearly as bad as I thought. The PCV and smog pump hoses are going to be removed and replaced. They're all different sizes so no doubt where they go. The nuts and bolts have been recovered except for one VC bolt. ACE doesn't open for another hour. I'll be done in a few hours. I have the benefit of sunlight, no worklights for my head to makes shadows of. Only sposta be 105 today......

 

[Clone of the Mean]

Whew..... Well, I got 'er done. Daylight makes things so much better. Had a hard time remembering where things went from yesterday. The EGR was a pain. Keep all the nuts loose til it's threaded onto/into the big pipe nuts. It makes everything sooooo much easier. I replaced a bunch of vacuum hoses. It's running a bit sluggish so I'm thinking something was left off or is pinched shut. Gonna look around later, but not today. I'm done.

 

[mikedks]

me, forgot or too lazy to label the bolts on my upper end rebuild. Guess what, I lost the starter bolts! am sheepishly going to the dealer tomorrow. label the stupid bolts, no doubt.

 

[run4yota]

i know what you mean about being a bi**h to work in 100 plus temps, i live up in gilbert and working on my manual conversion the past week sucks, 30 min working, 30min in the house cooling off,... all day long ugh. but cheers to getting it done!

you need starter bolts? where you live, i have several extra sets if you live near phx you can have em

 

[Clone of the Mean]

I finished the job, almost freaked cos I let it idle for 20 minutes and found a pretty significant puddle of oil. Turned out to be residual oil, good thing cos I was gonna set it on fire in the driveway.

Now the check engine light is on, and it hesitates when the gas is applied. It seems to idle okay just stutters a bit. When I drive it it seems to labor, like I'm hauling a trailer. I got it to 85 on the freeway but it was a struggle. I'm gonna try to take a peek and see if the hose from the PCV valve is kinked. I couldn't find my torque wrench and had to use the three finger method, but I don't think it's a vacuum problem. I ran out of carb cleaner so I couldn't check for a leak.

Any ideas? I'm stumped....

 

[run4yota]

for sure a vacuum leak or a few hoses got swapped. if it was electrical you would get a CEL. something with that big of a performance loss sounds like a pretty decent leak somewhere

 

[mikedks]

i know what you mean about being a bi**h to work in 100 plus temps, i live up in gilbert and working on my manual conversion the past week sucks, 30 min working, 30min in the house cooling off,... all day long ugh. but cheers to getting it done!

you need starter bolts? where you live, i have several extra sets if you live near phx you can have em

Sending PM, thx

 

[Clone of the Mean]

Would cruise control function with a pretty significant Vac leak? I got to thinking if the PCV valve was not working there is still the oil breather on the other VC that goes into the airbox.....

 

[aj884runner]

Changed my valve cover gaskets last year on my 88. Took almost three hours! Somehow I managed to get every bolt and nut in the right spot, but stupid me forgot to get a PCV valve before I started. Changed the valve later. I hate changing them with the upper intake on.