yngmrostrvile
GOLD Star
Grease the lip of the tube seal. Then throw it on and work a pick or small flathead around the tube as you press cover down into place.
Valve cover gasket tips (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter okryan
- Start date
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Thanks! This got me to the finish line. I was tiptoeing around the plug seals, and after reading your comment I grabbed a plastic trim tool, used some more force, and got the seals to sit around the cylinders. Passenger side easy, driver side a bit trickier due to more awkward location especially the back 2 cylinders. Really appreciate it!
This was the hardest part for me as well. It may be hard to explain but my technique was to kind of install in a circular motion. So I would push part of the plug seals around the tubes and then sort of work it around but it was definitely a pain especially as we are against the clock with the FIPG drying. A second set of hands could help to try and work the seals around the tubes as you handle the valve cover. A small amount of silicone lube might help.
Using the factory sparkplug tube seals, and I put a thin coat of Dow 111 on the inside of them. They easily slid on.
Just finished this and will go for a test drive later today. Biggest bummer is two of the retaining clips on some electronic connectors broke off. Will have to replace the connectors or secure them.
Biggest tip for me is just to get all the wiring, vacuum and fuel lines as much out of the way as possible. Hold those out of the way carefully with zipties, etc. Also helpful to have lots of different 1/4" and 3/8" extensions and a 10mm wobble socket. I replaced the sparkplugs as well. Magnetic socket there, a 3/8 universal adapter are very helpful.
Just finished this and will go for a test drive later today. Biggest bummer is two of the retaining clips on some electronic connectors broke off. Will have to replace the connectors or secure them.
Biggest tip for me is just to get all the wiring, vacuum and fuel lines as much out of the way as possible. Hold those out of the way carefully with zipties, etc. Also helpful to have lots of different 1/4" and 3/8" extensions and a 10mm wobble socket. I replaced the sparkplugs as well. Magnetic socket there, a 3/8 universal adapter are very helpful.
Did this last Friday, used the Fel-Pro and would definitely recommend, again you don't have to do OEM. The tube seals are just hard to get on period (put them in the freezer for 24hrs beforehand) and I used a pick to get them over the tubes. I did grab 9 new bolts from the dealer with the washers in case I broke any or got any stuck. IDK what the deals but this job went damn near perfect, I didnt break a single bolt--everything came out super smooth, and with how many miles are on my car I dont understand how clean my cams and head cover are--especially after I looked at some of the pictures in this thread.
Aside from the area around the one tube seal the head cover is fairly clean too. Only thing I can think that could make that clean over the miles that are on this truck is I've been using BG EPR in the crankcase at each oil change the last several oil changes, pouring in a can and then revving to 2,300 rpms or so for 8-10 mins. Ive added BG MOA with the new oil.
And if you look, that's not oil on the tube seals they're just brown. They were so hard and brittle they were just cracking and breaking as I tried to pull them out. And if you look at the tabs you can tell they have never been bent before, so these may be the original tube seals @ 525,000 miles or maybe they replaced the whole head cover but that'd be strange. I did this job because I found oil in the spark plug tube in the middle cylinders. So I also replaced spark plugs, one coil, and rebooted the other coils. I think you can see in the second photo one of the coils is definitely older/heat faded than the others.
Aside from the area around the one tube seal the head cover is fairly clean too. Only thing I can think that could make that clean over the miles that are on this truck is I've been using BG EPR in the crankcase at each oil change the last several oil changes, pouring in a can and then revving to 2,300 rpms or so for 8-10 mins. Ive added BG MOA with the new oil.
The “cam seals” in this context are the half moons by the valve cover, correct? Not the camshaft seal behind the cam wheel.
So they are supposed to be replaced or just resealed?
What function do they serve?
Yeah I was referring to the half moons. Once I got everything opened up they seemed really solid / dry and secure so I didn't mess with them. I was worried if I tried to remove them it would be a tough area to get in and clean up, I think they had some gunk holding them in place.
Started working on PS side today. Will try to complete tomorrow. I am planning to remove half moons and reseal it.
I need to get black silicone for oil tomorrow from Autozone. The one I had kind of dried up and I don’t want to take a chance.
I need to get black silicone for oil tomorrow from Autozone. The one I had kind of dried up and I don’t want to take a chance.
