jimmyray447

hey guys.... i'm replacing my valve cover gasket today. i was wondering if someone had a link to a write up on how to? or could you possibly give me some pointers on how and what to do?

i'm trying to figure out how and which hoses and lines i can move that run close to or over the cover??

trying to learn as i go, so far only replaced spark plugs, and my muffler and tail pipe. so any help you can give me would be great. thanks.

dzzavid

This is a pretty easy project so you should be fine. I did this a while back on my jeep. if i remember correctly there are 14 bolts, just un-bolt those, pull out the breather (goes to your airbox) and you should be able to finagle it out of there.

I think i may have had to loosen was the throttle linkage but i think it was only one or two bolts.

Take your time with a gasket scraper or a razor blade and get all of the old gasket off of the block and the valve cover, and you might as well clean off the inside of the valve cover with some brake cleaner.

hope this helps.

CodeXJ

Yeah the valve cover gasket is simple. Unhook the two hoses from the valve cover, unclip the throttle cable retainer, then simply unbolt and remove. Unbolt, and tighten when reinstalling, in a star-pattern so you don't warp the valve cover.

After removing the cover, clean the contact patch as best as possible on both the head and the valve cover itself. Place a new gasket on the head, place the valve cover on top of that, and finger tighten the bolts. Then go around in a star-pattern and torque them down to spec. Reinstall the hoses and throttle cable retainer, and done.

CAEMI

First thing you do is PHOTOGRAPH it from several angles so you have a perfect reference how to put it all back. If you find something as you go you are unsure of, take another picture. Use a camera...phone pics are awful.

Then you LABEL everything you are not sure of.

Then you make sure you know the TORQUE values for everything you remove. There are a million leaking rocker covers out there because somebody twisted the little bitty bolt off. I've got a 258 ci out of a Wrongler on a stand in my barn with that problem. The DPO just gave up and gooped RTV on it. Rocker covers don't need a bunch of pressure, just a good gasket. I don't use sealer either.

This is not a hard job, it is fun. Just be patient and take pictures and label...then you won't be paranoid you are screwing up, which is the worst feeling you can get working on your car. On the other hand, the best feeling is no leaks when you're done. And if you disconnect an electrical fitting, write down exactly how it is supposed to go together. No Haynes manual is as good as reliable notes and photos.

Also, clean everything BEFORE you open it up, then clean the mating surfaces gently but thoroughly. Scotchbrite pad works well, I'm told, or a little brass brush you get for a buck at the parts counter.

jimmyray447

ok... so i can pull out the hose that goes to the air box. the throttle cables do those need to come off somehow??
the hoses on the left side above the coil pack for spark plugs... can i just dis connect those and move them out of the way?

thanks again guys.

dzzavid

no problem.

CodeXJ was right its safer just to disconnect the hose instead of pulling it out for the air breather. and the throttle linkage is just clipped on.

I didnt have to remove my heater core hoses i just moved them out of the way without disconnecting them anywhere. There should be enough slack to do that.

jimmyray447

is it ok to disconnect the heater hoses to make it a little bit easier for me??? and do the two hoses running into the cover on the top just pull up and off?

thanks

2Evil4U

Be careful with the throttle, cruisecontrol and kickdown connections. The ones on my '01 were horribly brittle and broke when I did the valvecover gasket.

jimmyray447

oh good point.... thanks i'm trying not to really touch those ones except for pulling them off of the little thing they snap on.... on top of the cover.

dzzavid

i wouldn't because you will leak some coolant, then you would have to worry about air in the cooling system. That is just me though, im sure there are other people here that would say it is fine, i might just be paranoid about that.

kriebz

I just put mine back on today. I have a 2001, too. The gasket is silicone molded onto a sheet of steel, and seems relatively durable (I re-used mine).

I broke the CCV right-angle plastic thing. Used super glue until I can pull one at the junk yard. This line and the fresh air line (the one in the front) have lousy hoses that get really hard and brittle. The one in the back should come apart where the rubber piece that reduces down to the small plastic line meets the right angle plastic piece in the grommet on the cover. Man, I just made that sound all complicated.

The throttle and kickdown come off the throttle body, then un-clip them from the bracket and pull them through it, then move them out of the way.

Also, carful with the heat shield material on the manifold, it likes to get in the way and rip and leave foil and fiberglass in bad places.

jimmyray447

thanks guys.... i got all the bolts off and put them in cardboard so i know which spot they go back onto.... got the hoses off the top of the cover and throttle cables out of the way..... now my problem is how the hell do i get the cover off???

its lose and moves up about a half inch but i think its hitting bolts that hold the fuel rail on and possibly the engine ground nut. i think i can get to the engine ground to loosen that but i have no idea how the hell it comes off?? almost like something is stopping it?

any ideas?? thanks again.

CodeXJ

Sure you didn't miss a bolt at the back?

dzzavid

i had to lift mine out at an angle(passenger side lifted first then i was able to get the driver side out.)

jimmyray447

yeah i missed the nut that holds the engine ground that goes to the firewall ...... got it out finally!!! now working on scraping all the crap off from the gasket and oil.... nothing seems to be working much for that.