Valve cover gasket replacement

[michaelreed]

I did a write up on 120. Figured it may help some of you guys.

And so it begins.

I'm going to update this as I go to make it easier on me.

Parts needed:

L&R valve cover gasket 11213-AD010 & 11214-AD010
Toyota fipg 00295-00103

I also chose to do my spark plugs, pcv valve, clean the throttle body and clean the maf sensor.

Pcv valve 12204-31030
Denso iridium plugs ikh20-5344
Throttle body cleaner
Mass air flow sensor cleaner

Tools needed:

Ratchet
10mm socket
12mm socket
Philips screwdriver
8mm hex socket
Torque wrench
Extentions

First thing to do is remove engine cover. There are two 10mm nuts on top.

Next disconnect the negative battery cable from the terminal.

Next we have to remove the air intake duct. First, detach the ground wire from the hose. The tab just wiggles out of a rubber lip on the hose.

With a Philips or 10mm socket, loosen the hose clamps on the air intake duct. It takes a little finesse to get the duct off the air filter housing and fresh air inlet (fender side).

Unplug the connector attached to the mass air flow sensor. Unscrew two Philips screws and pull out the maf sensor. As mentioned this is good time to clean the sensor.

Next we need to disconnect the pcv fresh air inlet hose. Squeeze the clamp and pull the hose off. May take some convincing to get the hose off. It's located on the front of the air filter housing to the right of the mag sensor.

Loosen the hose clamp that connects the air filter housing to the throttle body with a 10mm socket/Philips.

Remove the two bolts that secure the air filter housing. There is one on the top right and one on the bottom left.

Disconnect the wiring harness clip from the air filter housing

And unplug this line from the back of it

You can then remove the air filter housing. Just lift up and pull it away from the throttle body.

Next we need to remove the upper intake manifold. There's quite a few hoses and connectors to remove so remember what you pulled off or label it.

Remove this fuel vapor feed hose and the vsv connector next to it. This on the drivers side of the manifold.

This vsv connector is on the opposite side. Remove it.

I couldn't get the coolant lines off the throttle body so I just removed it and set it aside. There are four bolts securing it to the intake manifold.

 

[michaelreed]

There are two clips on the back side of the manifold that are a royal pain to get off. There is a tab on each that you have to pull down on to release them. This is what the clips secure to. I couldn't get a photo while they were connected.

Next remove the three manifold brackets. Toyota refers to these as air surge tanks stays fyi.

Lastly, remove the 2 nuts and 4 bolts that secure the manifold in place. This is where you need the 8mm hex. Remove the intake manifold.

You'll want to cover the lower intake manifold so nothing falls in.

You now have a clear view of the valve covers. Disconnect and remove your coil packs. Ill assume you know how to do this.

Now we need to remove the wiring harness from the valve covers.
You can CAREFULLY pry them up with a screwdriver or use and awl to release the retaining tabs inside.

Remove the 12 bolts holding the valve cover down and remove the valve cover.

Peel off the old gasket. Use a gasket scraper to remove the rtv from where the heads meet the timing cover.

Moving on to the valve cover. Clean it with brake cleaner and make sure there is no debris on the gasket surface.

Seat the gasket in the groove like so.

Now just put dabs of fipg where the timing chain cover meets the head. Torque the nuts and center bolts to 80in.lbs and the outer bolts to 84in.lbs.

Installation is reverse of removal. Just stay organized and you'll be gtg.

 

[boondoggle]

Nice write up!

I have the V8 and it's bone dry, so don't need this info. But still, nice work.

 

[michaelreed]

Nice write up!

I have the V8 and it's bone dry, so don't need this info. But still, nice work.

Thanks! Hopefully somebody will find it useful at some point.

 

[ebg18t]

Great post and pics. I am sure future users will find this helpful.

 

[banzaj]

Thank you for the write-up! Do you have a photo of where to exactly you put Toyota fipg 00295-00103? I know it's only a tiny spot somewhere on the outer side of each gasket - as per the manual, however, a photo would help or just pointing out this spot on some of your photos on this page. Thanks!

 

[MICA4R]

how did these plugs work out for you?

is it ok to use iridium in our engines?

i was told i needed standard (non-irridium)

thanks for the write up and great pics!

 

[dta1984]

I hate reviving dead threads, but this one deserves it.

OP the step by step pics and explanations were money, thanks alot!

Did this; this weekend, and overall not a hard job. You weren't kidding about the two clips on the back of the intake manifold. Worst part of the whole job lol.

 

[themuffinman619]

I hate reviving dead threads, but this one deserves it.

OP the step by step pics and explanations were money, thanks alot!

Did this; this weekend, and overall not a hard job. You weren't kidding about the two clips on the back of the intake manifold. Worst part of the whole job lol.

What was your mileage before they started leaking? Did you notice how clean or dirty your intake manifold was?

 

[dta1984]

What was your mileage before they started leaking? Did you notice how clean or dirty your intake manifold was?

I'm at 187000. There had been a slight leak the past 10000 miles or so. It was only the passenger side that was leaking. I did both just because I was already in there.

My throttle body had a lot of carbon on the back side. I cleaned this with tb cleaner. The intake manifold and also the ports that go down to the head had carbon deposits as well. I cleaned some of the manifold. Runs great now! I probaby should look at a cleaner to run through the motor to help clean the carbon.

 

[Supersonic]

Just did valve covers yesterday, so I might have a couple of tips. Actually I found the 2 clips as mentioned easy, the top one has a tab that pulls down, the bottom one has a tab that pulls up, and then they can be slide off fairly easily. I did this first so I knew I could proceed as planned. First, do the right side, very simple as in DIY example, except I did remove the wire connector for the front injector for more room.

Edit; 3/8 Drive Long Reach Hex Bit set from Harbor Freight worked good, the reason is the 2 further back hex screws only have a narrow gap to get to them.

Next, the wire harness is the biggest issue, the hold at the rear of, just left of 'what the clips secure to in second post' (looks like example posted is broke off), but it is just below where the VSV connector is, there is a tab you can get underneath and open it up, easy, but the wire harness is stiff so it'll still be a wrestle to get it to cooperate. There is one on the right side also, just go from under it with a needle nose pliers and it'll pop up and out.

Throttle body, I left wires connected because the tab wasn't releasing and I didn't want to break it off. Also left the coolant lines connected. New gasket here too, as well as for the upper intake manifold.

During and after finishing the job, I think don't do the left valve cover if it isn't leaking, but as you may, here is where the wire harness can also get in the way. There's a branch of harness that goes down towards the alternator and 2 wire branch from there, I didn't find out where the 2 wires disconnected, but the is a clip part way down that can be released like the others, though I just pried this one out, to give more slack as one can work the left valve cover underneath this wire to get it in and out. For a moment I thought I might have to remove the oil filter, but I was able to slide the valve cover over it and out. I used an inspection mirror to see the valve cover gasket was in place after carefully installing.

More torque specs and good diagrams;

https://www.autozone.com/repairguid...mponents/Intake-Manifold/_/P-0996b43f802c5571

Intake manifold brace to 30 ft. lbs. (40 Nm).

Upper intake manifold (surge tank) nuts and bolts: 21 ft. lbs. (28 Nm)

Throttle body: 15 ft. lbs. (21 Nm)

Engine appearance cover: 66 inch lbs. (7.5 Nm)

Also changed with spark plugs, being the plugs are easier to get at, to which I use a second spark plug socket with the rubber tube insert pulled out to the end so after the plugs are loose enough to turn by hand, I slip this over them and turn them out, then on installing plugs I also start the threads with this, the thought being the rubber insert will slip before damage could be done cross-threading the plug.

Here I went with Autolite Iridium XP5325. My reasoning is quality gap is surely narrowing; price point, Advanced Auto had 20% off online/store pick-up coupon; 0.6mm center electrode, some research revealed 4mm can wear faster, while performance of larger 5 or 6mm center electrode is not much different; platinum sidewire, seems others except NGK didn't have platinum sidewire. No check engine light yet, but time will tell if my savings pays off.

 

[vastano]

Just did valve covers yesterday, so I might have a couple of tips. Actually I found the 2 clips as mentioned easy, the top one has a tab that pulls down, the bottom one has a tab that pulls up, and then they can be slide off fairly easily. I did this first so I knew I could proceed as planned. First, do the right side, very simple as in DIY example, except I did remove the wire connector for the front injector for more room.

Edit; 3/8 Drive Long Reach Hex Bit set from Harbor Freight worked good, the reason is the 2 further back hex screws only have a narrow gap to get to them.

Next, the wire harness is the biggest issue, the hold at the rear of, just left of 'what the clips secure to in second post' (looks like example posted is broke off), but it is just below where the VSV connector is, there is a tab you can get underneath and open it up, easy, but the wire harness is stiff so it'll still be a wrestle to get it to cooperate. There is one on the right side also, just go from under it with a needle nose pliers and it'll pop up and out.

Throttle body, I left wires connected because the tab wasn't releasing and I didn't want to break it off. Also left the coolant lines connected. New gasket here too, as well as for the upper intake manifold.

During and after finishing the job, I think don't do the left valve cover if it isn't leaking, but as you may, here is where the wire harness can also get in the way. There's a branch of harness that goes down towards the alternator and 2 wire branch from there, I didn't find out where the 2 wires disconnected, but the is a clip part way down that can be released like the others, though I just pried this one out, to give more slack as one can work the left valve cover underneath this wire to get it in and out. For a moment I thought I might have to remove the oil filter, but I was able to slide the valve cover over it and out. I used an inspection mirror to see the valve cover gasket was in place after carefully installing.

More torque specs and good diagrams;

https://www.autozone.com/repairguid...mponents/Intake-Manifold/_/P-0996b43f802c5571


Also changed with spark plugs, being the plugs are easier to get at, to which I use a second spark plug socket with the rubber tube insert pulled out to the end so after the plugs are loose enough to turn by hand, I slip this over them and turn them out, then on installing plugs I also start the threads with this, the thought being the rubber insert will slip before damage could be done cross-threading the plug.

Here I went with Autolite Iridium XP5325. My reasoning is quality gap is surely narrowing; price point, Advanced Auto had 20% off online/store pick-up coupon; 0.6mm center electrode, some research revealed 4mm can wear faster, while performance of larger 5 or 6mm center electrode is not much different; platinum sidewire, seems others except NGK didn't have platinum sidewire. No check engine light yet, but time will tell if my savings pays off.

I know its been a while since the last reply, but i'm trying to figure out where the FIPG goes exactly. Could someone circle it on the above pics?

Thanks!

EDIT:
Answering my own question, the answer is in the PDF:

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/1825522-post15.html

 

[thewaydown]

Don't know if this will get any responses, but I thought i'd ask.

When cleaning the inside of the valve covers with non-chlorinated brake cleaner and a non-metal bristle brush, some of the gasket material (FIPG maybe?) from that riveted plate on the inside of the cover started coming off, not huge chunks, they were only about 1/32" in diameter and from 1/8" to 3/8" long.

I didn't try to put any fipg to fill any gaps caused by the material that fell off. I just reinstalled the covers, now I'm second guessing if I should pull them off again and seal that plate properly. Just don't know if fipg is the right material.

Should I be worried that this material is going to further disintegrate and fall into the valves? what about oil getting up and behind that riveted plate?

I've got a thread with a picture that I used of yours for reference:

Valve cover gasket job. Is this going to cause problems?

 

[bigzeto]

This writeup looks awesome, but unfortunately, photobucket blurred out and watermarked the photos. Does anybody happen to have the original images? Thanks!

 

[Scott E.]

Don't know if this will get any responses, but I thought i'd ask.

When cleaning the inside of the valve covers with non-chlorinated brake cleaner and a non-metal bristle brush, some of the gasket material (FIPG maybe?) from that riveted plate on the inside of the cover started coming off, not huge chunks, they were only about 1/32" in diameter and from 1/8" to 3/8" long.

I didn't try to put any fipg to fill any gaps caused by the material that fell off. I just reinstalled the covers, now I'm second guessing if I should pull them off again and seal that plate properly. Just don't know if fipg is the right material.

Should I be worried that this material is going to further disintegrate and fall into the valves? what about oil getting up and behind that riveted plate?

I've got a thread with a picture that I used of yours for reference:

Valve cover gasket job. Is this going to cause problems?

To me, it looked like the interior plate was just a baffle to keep liquid oil from getting to the PCV valve. The gasket on mine was similar, but I didn't see the need to reseal it. YMMV.

Scott

 

[yert33]

Thanks!

Thanks, michaelreed! very helpful and well documented. You, too, Supersonic for those torque values.

You both helped me do this job.

 

[Swimupstream]

Oxymoron, or I'm just a moron.... Why does the Toyota gasket cost less than most of the store gaskets? I'm so used to it being the other way around.

Is there something the after markets are doing to make the job easier or eliminating an added sealer bead or something?

Toyota is $25 here, inexpensive auto store is$25 with most $35-$50.

With this kind of a job, I have no problem with the extra pennies. It's minimal in this situation, I just want the best outcome.

Thoughts?