Finally Replaced the Valve Cover Gasket [Merged 7-9]

[blkGSTspider]

oh im just in the rage of 60-80k
thx

 

[weith1111]

Yep. It sure is:

http://www.dsmparts.com/customer/product.php?productid=159

I would just get the gasket set and do everything at once (cover, spark plug wells, etc).

 

[boostedinaz]

I had a nasty leak from there as well and it was from the sealing shrinking in size over time. I looked around and noticed that the EVO's have the same exact seal, however, they are aluminum. I got one from the dealer for 1.50 and put some gasket sealer on it and not a drop has leaked since. Plus it looks kinda cool.

 

[weith1111]

I had a nasty leak from there as well and it was from the sealing shrinking in size over time. I looked around and noticed that the EVO's have the same exact seal, however, they are aluminum. I got one from the dealer for 1.50 and put some gasket sealer on it and not a drop has leaked since. Plus it looks kinda cool.

Bastard, that sounds sweet! Do you have a pic? Sounds like a "free ($1.50) upgrade" to me.

 

[blkGSTspider]

I had a nasty leak from there as well and it was from the sealing shrinking in size over time. I looked around and noticed that the EVO's have the same exact seal, however, they are aluminum. I got one from the dealer for 1.50 and put some gasket sealer on it and not a drop has leaked since. Plus it looks kinda cool.

you mean for the half moon gasket?? you mean there is alluminum one??
so.. you just ask gasket for evo at the dealer to get the alluminum one?

 

[boostedinaz]

Bastard, that sounds sweet! Do you have a pic? Sounds like a "free ($1.50) upgrade" to me.

Ill get pics when I get home.

you mean for the half moon gasket?? you mean there is alluminum one??
so.. you just ask gasket for evo at the dealer to get the alluminum one?

Yup an aluminum half moon gasket. I just called and asked for the half moon gasket for a valve cover on an 03 EVO VIII and that's what I got.

 

[boostedinaz]

Here is a pic. I forgot to take one when I got it so this is the only pic I have.

 

[blkGSTspider]

f*** vavle cover got cracked...
i torque too much on the bolts that are under the spark plug cover...
hayne' manual said torque the valve cover bolt to 30
i think they are just bolts that are out side...
damn need a valve cover now..
sucks..

 

[weith1111]

boostedinaz that is teh sex. if i could make the homer simpson drooling beer and boobs sound i would.

 

[steve]

f*** vavle cover got cracked...
i torque too much on the bolts that are under the spark plug cover...
hayne' manual said torque the valve cover bolt to 30

Maybe 30 inch-pounds but not 30 foot-pounds anywhere on the valve cover.
The actual torque spec is 2-3 foot-pounds. That's less than most people can tighten with one finger on a 1/4" ratchet.

Steve

 

[rated x]

I am going to do my valve cover gasket and was wondering how to change the cam seals.Do I have to unbolt the whole cam itself to change the seal or just the cam gears?

 

[kenamond]

You don't have to change the cam seals if you are just changing the VC gaskets. Perhaps you know this already but wanted to change the cam seals while you're at it, so this is just in case you didn't know.

Do you have a Haynes or Chilton manual for your car yet?

 

[rated x]

Actually I'm leaking oil from my v.c. gasket and the cam seals.Also will be doing the timing belt, pulleys and water pump.

 

[olmytsi]

Cams have to be unbolted from the cam gears.

 

[rated x]

Do I need any special tools for the cam gear seal installation?

 

[JaxTalonTSi]

Not really, but a small scribe will help. Carefully pry out the old seal, take care not to damage the area of the head where the seal goes, otherwise the new one won't seal well. It helps to have a big socket when putting in the new seal. I wish I could tell you what size I use when I do it, I think it's slightly bigger than a 1" 1/2 drive socket. Carefully drive the new seal in with a soft mallet and the socket, but be sure to put in a bit of oil on the edges of the seal in order to keep the seal from chafeing against the head and destroying the seal.

 

[yellowkyd278]

It feels like my cars given me more problems in the past two weeks than the past 2 years..

Anyway, this ones simple compared to the rest of the issues its been giving me.

I just installed a new valve w/ new gaskets, RTV and all that jazz (old one was cracked in the valley). In fear of cracking the cover again, I used a nutscrewdriver as suggested (as suggested by defiant) to tighten the bolts. After driving the car for about 10 minutes and coming back to check I noticed oil is leaking out all around the block. I pulled out the spark plug wires to check the spark plug gaskets but fortunately, they seem to be leak free.

My question is whether I can just tighten the outer bolts a bit more even though oil has already leaked out or do I have to take of the valve cover, clean off the excess oil and then rescrew the entire cover back on. I'd prefer not to do that if I dind't have to since I seem to have gotten the inner valley bolts tightened to the right amount - I'd hate to have to risk cracking it again if I didn't have to.

Thanks!

 

[desolateboosted]

Usually when I tighten down the bolts to the recommended specs (finger tight) my gasket leaks like hell. What I do is screw each one down until it gets firm. Hard to explain firm but it will feel nice and tight but not too tight. Then when every bolt is snug I look at the gasket and tighten down while looking at the gasket compress. You'll see with every quarter of a turn it will compress and lower down a little more. When you have it down just right it'll look very tight and sometimes you'll see some oil creep out the edges if you're reusing. I've reused valve cover gaskets over many times with this method and I havn't had to replace one yet.

 

[yellowkyd278]

Awesome, I'll use that method when I re-tighten them.

Do I have to take the valve cover off, clean up the leak and the gasket, and then reinstall the entire thing or can I just go right ahead and tighten the outer bolts somemore while keeping an eye on the gasket?

 

[kraka]

I was so worried when I did my VC Gasket install...I had someone later show me his valve cover, and after feeling how tight his bolts were, I then proceeded to tighten my bolts to the exact specs his seemed to be at...Damn, nut driver, shoulda used one of those...

All I can tell ya, is it will be obvious if you go too tight...You will hear it, ha...

Also, after I did my install, I had some oil leaking, but it turned out just to be the Oil Cap leaking finally, even tho where the oil settled made it seem like it was leaking from the gasket

 

[yellowkyd278]

So can I just tighten the gasket more without removing the valve cover and cleaning the leak?

 

[Dream On]

I don't think you'd need to remove the cover, just tighten the bolts down. I had a leak from my new oil return line gasket on the oil pan and just tightened the bolts down and now it doesn't leak.

 

[toojung2die]

So can I just tighten the gasket more without removing the valve cover and cleaning the leak?

It's worth a try.
I don't know why anyone wouldn't torque the valve cover bolts to spec. I've had my cover off a many times and I always torque it (30 in/lbs). Use an in/lbs torque wrench and you'll have no fear of cracking the valve cover. Tighten the outside bolts first and then tighten the ones around the spark plugs. Go back and retighten the outside bolts. You'll find they need to be tightened some more because the other bolts have compressed the seal. Always torque the ones around the spark plugs last. You'll find you will have to retorque several times because the seal gradually compresses as you tighten and the first bolts you hit are loose again. Eventually all the bolts will be torqued to spec and the valve cover seal will be evenly compressed with no leaks.

 

[kenamond]

It's worth a try.
I don't know why anyone wouldn't torque the valve cover bolts to spec. I've had my cover off a many times and I always torque it (30 in/lbs). Use an in/lbs torque wrench and you'll have no fear of cracking the valve cover. Tighten the outside bolts first and then tighten the ones around the spark plugs. Go back and retighten the outside bolts. You'll find they need to be tightened some more because the other bolts have compressed the seal. Always torque the ones around the spark plugs last. You'll find you will have to retorque several times because the seal gradually compresses as you tighten and the first bolts you hit are loose again. Eventually all the bolts will be torqued to spec and the valve cover seal will be evenly compressed with no leaks.

Completely agree with ^^^^. I'd bet a dollar that you didn't go back around and retorque the bolts. That gasket gets much more compressed after you've brought everything up to proper torque than when you first go around torquing them.

 

[kraka]

Good luck finding a small enough in/lb torque wrench...I went to every auto parts/hardware store in the area, and couldnt find one that would go low enough