Upon closer inspection, it appears that they only replaced the gaskets on the driver side. Passenger side seals look more like 350k than 5k, which is odd because I was charged for both sides...
Valve cover gasket tips (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter okryan
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Planning to do this job today, can you get cover bolts, pvc and tube seals at a local parts store or is oem best?
Pcv valve and gasket were both available at my local AutoZone. Not a part that you need to worry about OEM or not, and they are cheap. Your old gasket may fall apart when you try to remove it, be VERY certain none of it is left in the hollow area in the top of the cover when you are done.
Would his stuff be alright to use on the valve cover gasket?
It's worth a couple dollars for the tiny tube of Ultra Black to be sure you don't have to do the job twice.
I am stuck on how to get these spark plug tube seals out.
Dremel with a cut off wheel doesn't cut the whole outer metal rim, and it won't pry out with the little amount the dremel cut off wheel can cut.
Update: cut 2 slots at an angle, use a flat head to pry up that middle section, then it comes out with a little work.
Dremel with a cut off wheel doesn't cut the whole outer metal rim, and it won't pry out with the little amount the dremel cut off wheel can cut.
Update: cut 2 slots at an angle, use a flat head to pry up that middle section, then it comes out with a little work.
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Driver side rear lower bolt snapped on me. Tried vise grips, channel lock pliers, slot in the head and flat head screw driver, heat, liquid wrench, then I got the bright idea to try double nutting. I was positive that would work. No, pretty sure it's just stretching the threads on the bolt.
I can try to weld the nut to the left over bit of broken bolt but I'm the best welder and it's in a pretty bad/tight spot to weld.
Any ideas?!?
I can try to weld the nut to the left over bit of broken bolt but I'm the best welder and it's in a pretty bad/tight spot to weld.
Any ideas?!?
Put your double nut set-up back on to tap on. After heating to near red hot, squirt some penetrating oil of choice on threads at base while hot (it draws in), also from underneath. Let it cool down, while tapping on it now and then, and repeat a few more times. Then repeat again, this time cool down fast with wet/ice rag, and tap on top. Now start trying to turn in (tighten) at first, once it moves in a little, start turning out.
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I'm not leaking yet, but dreading the day I have to do this project, as I'm confident I'll have some frozen bolt(s) on my transplanted mid-Atlantic rig. Wrestling with busted bolts is no fun.
Maybe using some anti-seize on these when replacing will help if needing to remove next time. Wondering if a dab of high temp rtv on the underside to seal the hole would make any difference.
Maybe using some anti-seize on these when replacing will help if needing to remove next time. Wondering if a dab of high temp rtv on the underside to seal the hole would make any difference.
It may be worth re-torqueing the bolts now, using some penetrating oil from/on underside if any issues.
x2 on checking the torque on the bolts.
Every one of my bolts to my valve cover (with the exception of the stuck on) I could remove with a socket and my fingers, no wrench needed. I put some low strength loctite on them when reassembling to try to prevent corrosion.
2001LC, no go on putting the nuts back on, they stripped the threads of the stud. I welded on a nut, but where the shaft of the stud had been reduced it broke.
It left a little bit of stud left and I just welded another nut on there and it got a lot hotter (red) and welded a lot better. I then quenched it with liquid wrench. Waiting on it to cool off before trying to remove.
Every one of my bolts to my valve cover (with the exception of the stuck on) I could remove with a socket and my fingers, no wrench needed. I put some low strength loctite on them when reassembling to try to prevent corrosion.
2001LC, no go on putting the nuts back on, they stripped the threads of the stud. I welded on a nut, but where the shaft of the stud had been reduced it broke.
It left a little bit of stud left and I just welded another nut on there and it got a lot hotter (red) and welded a lot better. I then quenched it with liquid wrench. Waiting on it to cool off before trying to remove.
^Good plan!
I like to do a rapid cool down as well. The idea is to get the metals to move separately. Cooling just the bolt helps with this, then let cool down so both metals are cool. Keep pouring on the penetrating oil. If it moves a little stop add more P oil, then turn opposite direction add more P oil. The idea here is to work oil into thread.
Good luck.
I'm headed out to do a hitch bolt I've been working (heat/soak) since yesterday. The metal is sooooo dry!
Sadly, the 3 times I tried to weld it, the shaft of the stud broke. With the stud now being nearly flush, I was able to just barely get a right angle drill in there (had to move some wiring and a collar on the steering shaft). Filed it parallel to the head, center punched it, started with the smallest drill bit I had and worked my way up. Once it got close enough to the outer edges I used a m6x1 tap and remove the rest of the bolt.
The hole was now a little too loosy goosey for a M6 bolt, so I picked up a helicoil kit. Drilled it out, tapped it, put helicoil in, checked every bit of the valve train for any shavings or debris, and then put the valve cover on.
Just completed this job on the passenger side...
A few tips...you *do* need to replace the valve cover gasket AND the spark plug tube seals AND the bolt washers. The spark plug tube seals were *very* brittle, the rubber bolt washers had turned from "rubber to plastic" and the valve cover gasket was very stiff. I'm the original owner of a lightly used, 165k mile, always garaged, lady driven 1999 LX470, so if these gaskets and such were brittle, everyone else's is.
I also recommend using Lexus OEM spark plug tube seals, the Victor Reinz OE units from rockauto.com were slightly too large to fit in the holes and they became marred during install, so I went to the dealer and bought 4 Lexus OEM seals. They fit perfectly and were $9 each. In regards to the 4 small tabs that hold them in place, the tabs are sheet metal and bend easily, just lightly tap a screwdriver under each one to start it moving away from the seal and then use pliers to bend them past 90 degrees upward. You can reinstall the seals with a socket that fits over the stiff outer ring of the seal, but make sure it's smaller than the sheet metal opening! After installing the seal, *gently* tap the sheet metal tabs back in place.
Don't forget to use Ultra Black sealant in the sharp corners of the forward area where the valve cover gasket makes a turn from the head and goes up over the cam gears, just a little dab. It's a must to keep it leak free. But, that is the *only*area where sealant is needed.
The job was very straightforward, just remove the air box, vacuum and emission hoses, coil packs, connectors, etc and it's quite easy. Two more helpful tips...1) there is a wire that runs over the front of the valve cover and is secured just below it by a bracket with a 10mm bolt. Remove that bolt to free the bracket and you will be able to move the wire out of the way. 2) there is the main wire loom at the very back of the engine and it is just over the back of the top of the valve cover. Remove the 10mm bolt attaching it to the engine and that will give you enough wiggle room to move it out of the way when you remove the valve cover.
I inspected the drivers side, and will tackle that next, it appears to be a similar job, but just has a few more items to remove to free up space to remove the valve cover.
A few tips...you *do* need to replace the valve cover gasket AND the spark plug tube seals AND the bolt washers. The spark plug tube seals were *very* brittle, the rubber bolt washers had turned from "rubber to plastic" and the valve cover gasket was very stiff. I'm the original owner of a lightly used, 165k mile, always garaged, lady driven 1999 LX470, so if these gaskets and such were brittle, everyone else's is.
I also recommend using Lexus OEM spark plug tube seals, the Victor Reinz OE units from rockauto.com were slightly too large to fit in the holes and they became marred during install, so I went to the dealer and bought 4 Lexus OEM seals. They fit perfectly and were $9 each. In regards to the 4 small tabs that hold them in place, the tabs are sheet metal and bend easily, just lightly tap a screwdriver under each one to start it moving away from the seal and then use pliers to bend them past 90 degrees upward. You can reinstall the seals with a socket that fits over the stiff outer ring of the seal, but make sure it's smaller than the sheet metal opening! After installing the seal, *gently* tap the sheet metal tabs back in place.
Don't forget to use Ultra Black sealant in the sharp corners of the forward area where the valve cover gasket makes a turn from the head and goes up over the cam gears, just a little dab. It's a must to keep it leak free. But, that is the *only*area where sealant is needed.
The job was very straightforward, just remove the air box, vacuum and emission hoses, coil packs, connectors, etc and it's quite easy. Two more helpful tips...1) there is a wire that runs over the front of the valve cover and is secured just below it by a bracket with a 10mm bolt. Remove that bolt to free the bracket and you will be able to move the wire out of the way. 2) there is the main wire loom at the very back of the engine and it is just over the back of the top of the valve cover. Remove the 10mm bolt attaching it to the engine and that will give you enough wiggle room to move it out of the way when you remove the valve cover.
I inspected the drivers side, and will tackle that next, it appears to be a similar job, but just has a few more items to remove to free up space to remove the valve cover.
An fyi on orientation of the tube seals if you are using the Fel-Pro kit: 2003 Avalon Spark Plug Tube Gaskets
Does anyone have the oem part # for the bolt washers? I already have the new gaskets and spark plug tubes...
