Thread: Valve covers
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Old 11-22-2018, 06:38 PM
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onehundred80
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Default Re: Valve covers
Originally Posted by pizzaguy
Then this is a WONDERFUL time to change plugs. When you have the breathers, coil packs and valve covers off, the plugs are way easier to get to.

I"m no mechanic, but I can tell you this: I do not beleive you can get the leak fixed in such a way that it won't come back for a LONG time, unless you do it yourself. And you hinted at the reason in your post: Things take time.

I'd heard of others having a hard time getting the fix to "stick", so I did it Max's way.
  • Remove coil packs and plug cables.
  • Disconnect fuel line to the fuel rail (so you can, later, lift the driver's side cover off)
  • Remove every single bolt that holds the breathers/valve covers on and throw them all away.
  • Take the breather/valve covers off as one unit.
  • Separate the breathers from the valve covers carefully, clean all four parts completely.
    • Clean the mating surfaces between breathers and valve covers wiht a toothbrush dipped in gasoline (can't find anything better) as it will melt the old RTV away.
    • Re-wash all four pieces, let them all dry over night or over a weekend in front of an air conditioner or dehumidifier.
  • Apply new RTV between breathers and valve covers, using new bolts, fasten the two halves finger tight. Wait 15 minutes.
    • Now, tighten to 7 ft-lbs.
    • Leave the assemblies out overnight in front of a fan, etc. to get air to circulate and set the RTV. (Not sure this is nessesary but I did it anyway, if you leave them out near a fan, SOME air is going to move around even in the tunnels in the breathers, make sure the paths thru the breathers are clean and open before you put them together.)
  • Put the assemblies on the car using a new bolt set and new vavle cover gaskets.
DONE! It's been two years as of January and my engine is not showing a DROP of oil leaking.
No shop is going to to what I describe above unless they have room to keep your car protected inside while the covers are off. Ya gotta do it yourself.

Sit back and pretend you were qualified to do what you just did. Cause now, you are.
Some say the RTV should be the ‘Sensor Safe’ type. There is no reason to use new bolts to hold down the valve cover as these screws have not been torqued so high that their integrity is questionable.
Apply the RTV as per the instructions on the tube.
If using new aluminum screws tighten to 4 ft.lb, do not reuse the used aluminum screws. If using steel screws there is no point in exceeding the 4 ft.lb value.



 
Last edited by onehundred80; 11-22-2018 at 06:52 PM.
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