Valve Cover leak gone wrong... of course PHOTO INCLUDED

[BFEATHER2008]

One of the many reasons I don't trust shops.

One tighten up in 13 years on something spec'd at 7 ft-lbs. or less is NO reason to replace anything.

ok if the gasket is leaking its means its getting old and tightening them up will make it worse in most cases youve been lucky. ive seen people tighten them and then the gasket just crumbles because its so brittle and hard it just falls apart. but you can do what you want. thats good that youve been that lucky.

 

[BFEATHER2008]

7 foot pounds is to much. The FSM states 53 inch pounds.

im sure my toyota repair manual that is writen by toyota doesnt lie. just saying thats what the manual says. according to toyota.

 

[opie74]

im sure my toyota repair manual that is writen by toyota doesnt lie. just saying thats what the manual says. according to toyota.

FSM stands for Factory Service Manual. Its clearly printed in the one someone took the time to scan every page and host, 53 inch pounds.

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/fsm/repair.html

Not calling you a liar, but either the manual you are looking at is wrong, or the one I am looking at is wrong.

I believe the valve covers are cast aluminum.... If my hunch is correct, 84 inch pounds is to much. Cast aluminum is very brittle.

 

[TheDurk]

FSM stands for Factory Service Manual. Its clearly printed in the one someone took the time to scan every page and host, 53 inch pounds.

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/fsm/repair.html

Not calling you a liar, but either the manual you are looking at is wrong, or the one I am looking at is wrong.

I believe the valve covers are cast aluminum.... If my hunch is correct, 84 inch pounds is to much. Cast aluminum is very brittle.

Yep, my paper '99 Toyota FSM says the same thing:

8. INSTALL CYLINDER HEAD COVERS
(a) Apply seal packing to the cylinder heads as shown in the
illustration.
Seal packing: Part No. 08826-00080 or equivalent
(b) Install the gasket to the cylinder head cover.
(c) Install the cylinder head cover with the 8 bolts. Uniformly
tighten the bolts in several passes. Install the 2 cylinder
head covers.
Torque: 6 N·m (60 kgf·cm, 53 in.·lbf)

So how do you do several passes with an air wrench?? You have to have a delicate trigger finger.

 

[spectre6000]

yea you do realize 1/4" air ratchet has barely any torque right? i know mine is only rated for 10 ft lbs goin forward and 50 going in reverse.

10 > 4.25 by more than a factor of two. Those little torque sticks are only as good as the torque sticks using them.

For the record, when I originally said 7 foot pounds, I was recalling the figure off the top of my head. Were I actually doing work on my car I would look it up to be sure. Were I working on someone else's car, I would triple check that figure. The point was that it's a tiny amount of twisting that's called for.

EDIT: Original errant statement corrected in original post. Apologies.

 

[BFEATHER2008]

FSM stands for Factory Service Manual. Its clearly printed in the one someone took the time to scan every page and host, 53 inch pounds.

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/fsm/repair.html

Not calling you a liar, but either the manual you are looking at is wrong, or the one I am looking at is wrong.

I believe the valve covers are cast aluminum.... If my hunch is correct, 84 inch pounds is to much. Cast aluminum is very brittle.

sorry for the confusion my manual does say 53 inch pounds. was looking at thw wrong page i guess. lol. and yes they are cast.

Yep, my paper '99 Toyota FSM says the same thing:



So how do you do several passes with an air wrench?? You have to have a delicate trigger finger.

i have a very good trigger since being i shoot guns alot and paintball and play xbox love lol. my incle is a very conpetitive shooter and i shoot with him alot and it really takes alot from a finger to shoot properly. and like i said i have 3 different air wrenchs and they all range on the torque differences.

 

[4x4runner2002]

99 - 04 Toyota Tacoma 4Runner Tundra 3.4 L Used Valve Cover

always see a bunch of postings on cl from these guys worth a call.

 

[98_4runnerSR5]

Same exact thing happened to me when I went to do my passenger's side valve cover. Had a hairline crack in the rear of it and ended up cracking it all the way through. Bad day but luckily my local Yota parts guy had used one sitting on a shelf and sold it to me for $60 so not too bad...

 

[Diagram14]

The bolt itself didn't break, but rather the Valve cover cracked

Yikes, I thought that was just a blade of grass covered in grease at first glance. Yeah backing that out wont fix it.

 

[curtperry]

I think we need a source for billet valve covers imp:

 

[awpsome]

99 - 04 Toyota Tacoma 4Runner Tundra 3.4 L Used Valve Cover

always see a bunch of postings on cl from these guys worth a call.

Have you used these guys before?
If its all legit YOU ARE A SAVIOR!
thanks!!!

also update on the cover.. ive ran the truck in the garage and its not leaking or spewing out or anything so no harm there. although this is a ****ty mishap gives me more reason to do my valve cover gaskets..
also to point out to all those that are saying i need to pay more attention and all that dont worry i do..
dont judge on impulse..

as i said in original post.. it took nothing but a small quarter turn that cracked it.
nothing crazy like overtightening or any of that, i was going through all the bolts giving it a small turn just to bring them to have a little bit of tension as i said before as well they were so loose it was less then hand tightened..

HOPEFULLY those CA site guys work out and i wouldnt mind paying the 65 for one side. sounds pretty reasonable to me.

Thank again for the link!
let me know if anyone else used these guys before just to get some credibility, not like i can take a drive down there HAHA

 

[awpsome]

also want to point out that i noticed that the 96-98 and the 99-02 have different valve covers.. even for the same motor..

for future reference to anyone else who may encounter this issue. please double check before ordering!

 

[4x4runner2002]

I have not used them I just always see lots of their adds on cl and this post made me think of them. Looks like the right price though. Good luck

 

[TheDurk]

also want to point out that i noticed that the 96-98 and the 99-02 have different valve covers.. even for the same motor..

for future reference to anyone else who may encounter this issue. please double check before ordering!

Really? I get 11201-62040 (Right) and 11202-62050 (Left) for all 3G 4Runners with 3.4L V6 96-02.

Taco's only use those numbers 2000+. Not sure if they had that motor prior.

 

[awpsome]

Oh I meant for that CA company link posted before.
They label the valve covers by those years. Only thing I see different are the fins and one is flat.
Not sure. Take a look.

 

[TheDurk]

Oh I meant for that CA company link posted before.
They label the valve covers by those years. Only thing I see different are the fins and one is flat.
Not sure. Take a look.

Dunno. Maybe the later version also superseded the one on the earlier trucks. I can only find those numbers.

 

[awpsome]

You may be right. I'm only going with what the website from CA said. But anywho...

UPDATE : I have been blessed and just before ordering from that CA site I did one final search through Craigslist.
Had a guy with a craptastic posting saying
"98 Toyota engine parts"
Pretty much it, I told myself why the hell not.
Called the guy and guess what it was a 98 4runner 5vz!
Told him I needed valve covers, heard a little background noise of **** moving around and he said "yup got em"
I was stunned I was like you sure? Hahhaha valve covers? He had both sides.
Met him up. Ended up settling on $50 for the driver side!!
He wanted 100 for both I said I only needed the driver.

Before i headed over took a picture of my 97 cover, which looks like it is the fin version on the driver side but flat on the passenger side..
btw all that crap all over the engine is mud.. neglected mud.. HAHA

Now to rally up some energy to get this job done today or tomorrow. Haha
Currently bought all the gaskets and changing those fucckking spark tube plug seals crap is a *****.

So far my list of parts:
Spare driver side valve cover

Valve cover gaskets
Spark plug tube gaskets

Valve cover bolt grommets

6 NGK spark plugs *mind as well since I'm in there.

TO KEEP TRACK OF MY TOTAL; AS OF 8/30/2012
Craigslist Spare Valve Cover: $50
NAPA Valve Cover Gaskets included w/ Spark Plug Tube Seals: $39.99
NAPA Valve Cover Grommets: $16.99
3 Cans of Brake Cleaner: $5.97
(ON SALE AT $1.99 A CAN!! YESSSSSS!!!)
6 NGK BKR5EKB-11 *NGK3967* Spark Plugs: $27.54
(sold locally at only $4.59, was cheaper than amazon!)
______________
Subtotal as of 8/30/2012: $140.49


Anything I'm missing?
Anyone got input on if I should change anything else while I'm in there?
Also Toyota manual says something about RTV? In the corners somewhere. Needed?

 

[chubbychicken]

Valve cover

Hi all. I replaced my valve cover gasket and torqued everything up properly. I am now noticing a gasoline smell coming off the truck. Would this have anything to do with the work I did?

 

[dirteater4]

I do and I recommend that people do. The main reason is to ensure EQUAL tightness on all lugs so that the brake rotors are exactly in place. (Drums are less critical.) I give partial credit to torquing my lugs for the fact I have never had any brake pulsation in 13 years of ownership (on stock brakes!). How many can say that?

It's not just about keeping the wheels on; non-uniform lug torque affects the whole wheel/brake system. And yeah, I used an inch-pound wrench on my valve covers, too.

I just means you don't travel the Rockies...lol !

 

[stir_fry_boy]

Hi all. I replaced my valve cover gasket and torqued everything up properly. I am now noticing a gasoline smell coming off the truck. Would this have anything to do with the work I did?

Did you remove the fuel rail or remove the injectors? You shouldn't need to.

Poke a hole in the fuel line going into the fuel rail?