About the torque value for the valve cover bolts mentioned a few posts earlier: FWIW the valve cover comes to a hard stop when tightening down the bolts once the ridge on the underside of each valve cover flange bottoms out on the head, if you try to tighten the bolts any further they will snap. The photos in post #1 shows the nib or semi-circular ridge of the flanges and the mark on the head where the flanges sit. The space between the head and the valve cover is filled up by the rubber gasket.
Valve Cover Gasket Project
- Thread starter CruisingMogollon
- Start date
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TJ96TLC
SILVER Star
Completed over Thanksgiving..took me and my dad about 2 hours start to finsih. Here are a few tips from my experience and a couple pics
Remove the air filter box and sit there, I'm 6'2" 240lbs and fit fine.
Have long extensions, 6" and 12" plus. There are a couple of bolts that need a swivel joint You need something like this
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=674831&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
The valve cover comes off without removing any heater hoses.
There is another coolant hose on the backside of the throttle body thats brittle and could be replaced
The spark plug tube gromets are tough to get in. I used the old ones to pound in the new ones. Something else would have been better. They are a tight fit. make sure they slide down on the tube after the cover goes back on. I had to use a flat head screw driver to ensure they slid down.
Remove the air filter box and sit there, I'm 6'2" 240lbs and fit fine.
Have long extensions, 6" and 12" plus. There are a couple of bolts that need a swivel joint You need something like this
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=674831&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
The valve cover comes off without removing any heater hoses.
There is another coolant hose on the backside of the throttle body thats brittle and could be replaced
The spark plug tube gromets are tough to get in. I used the old ones to pound in the new ones. Something else would have been better. They are a tight fit. make sure they slide down on the tube after the cover goes back on. I had to use a flat head screw driver to ensure they slid down.
You sure you put them in right? The shape of the seal is such that it will slip over the tube easily. If it's backwards, it will catch an edge probably.
TJ96TLC
SILVER Star
Yea...it is cone shaped to help. It was cool outside and those things are like hard plastic in cool weather. I thought the same thing initially. They have enough flex to allow the valve cover to seat without sliding down on the tube.
Well, we started this project today with the day ending having removed the throttle body to allow enough room to get the cover off and with me scrubbing a very dirty valve cover in a bucket of boiling water and Simple Green.
We also found an "extra" grommet for the PCV from when someone had changed it previously and had pushed it through to the inside of the valve cover.
At this point, I think an overnight soak will do it good, and start cleaning the throttle body. Man, is that thing dirty! We will be pulling the intake manifold also, to get to the EGR components below it too. Now to eat and read up on that!
We also found an "extra" grommet for the PCV from when someone had changed it previously and had pushed it through to the inside of the valve cover.
At this point, I think an overnight soak will do it good, and start cleaning the throttle body. Man, is that thing dirty! We will be pulling the intake manifold also, to get to the EGR components below it too. Now to eat and read up on that!
Where is the drain cock on the engine? I found the butterfly cock on the radiator and made a minor mess on the garage floor after pulling it. According to the FSM, I also need to drain the coolant from the engine block, but I cannot locate the plug. Any photos out there for a relative noob? I'm changing out the valve cover gasket and this is the first time that I have ever really torn into an engine.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/610176-rth-block-drain-bolt.html
That's a decent thread. Shows you what you need I think.
That's a decent thread. Shows you what you need I think.
#1 tip:
Removing the airbox so you can have a place to sit makes all the difference in the world.
Genius!
How do you remove the PCV valve? Does it just get pulled straight out? The gasket was brittle and the top lip just broke away. I'm replacing it, so can I just grab ahold of it with some vice grips and pull?
NLXTACY
Wits' End
Yes, just try not to get the grommet chunks into the valve cover. Once it's out and you remove the grommet, verify you have all of it or else grab a flashlight and some skinny needle nose and start digging.
I already pulled the valve cover off, did I do it in the wrong order? The PCV valve cannot be pushed out ft the interior of the VC as it is encased. I can grab the tip of the valve and it will turn, but I cannot get it to pull out. Any ideas? I have it soaking in boiling water and dawn right now.
The gasket for the PCV will break up in pieces. It is best if you have the VC off so you can tip, shake, and hopefully find and grab the bits with needlenose pliers.
A block of wood, vise grips and a prybar were needed to get mine broke loose. You're replacing the PCV anyway, so don't worry about scuffing it.
A block of wood, vise grips and a prybar were needed to get mine broke loose. You're replacing the PCV anyway, so don't worry about scuffing it.
NLXTACY
Wits' End
Mine pulled out with channel locks and a small piece of wood for leverage. I used tin snips to cut up the grommet to remove. Not a big deal.
Last edited:
Thank you for the help! I let it soak in dawn and ~ 190* water for about 20 minutes. The valve slid right out and then I had to use needle nose pliers to get the grommet out. This also helped with getting the spark plug seals out as well.
CruisingMogollon, Good info and pics; Question: Did you use any gasket sealant (Permatex) when you replaced that gasket...did mine about 3 wks ago and getting serious leak above oil filter...redoing the vc gasket. thanks for the post.
I am wrapping up my VC project today and at last minute decided to go ahead and pull out the semi-circular plugs, lay a bead if FIPG and reinsert, but ran into a small problem...how in the heck do you get those semi-circular plugs out? Can I just grab the top win vise grips and pull straight up until the old FIPG seal tears or separates?
Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
I know not the answer to your question, but why remove them if they ain't leaking!? 
I know not the answer to your question, but why remove them if they ain't leaking!?
I've read a few threads where they started leaking shortly after replacing the VC gasket and I would really like to avoid doing this all over again if at all possible.
Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
Yeah, just wrap a rag or rubber on the jaws of some vice grips or channel locks, wiggle like a loose tooth to break the seal, and it will pop out. Sealant along circular, then THIN film at the seams where the plug and head come together. It's the seam/crack that will leak easily. An abrupt (too much) blob of sealant is tough for the gasket to conform to, so be conservative. Gentle on the bolts when reinstalling the cover. You'll note that each bolt has a "stop" protrusion so you can't overmash the gasket. But when that little stop hits the head, you're done - don't strip them as the valve cover isn't going down any more once the little stops hit - you're instantly beginning to strip the head bolt holes. So, once they touch, a quarter turn and you're done.
DougM
DougM
RiverCityDave
SILVER Star
You may change your mind about this if you change the PHH or fuel filter.
x2.
[/QUOTE]Man that fuel filter thing is over rated. I changed mine in a parking lot at dusk. It isnt really that bad.
