After a scare from markaltobelli about reman. engines with plastic tensioners, today I got down to lifting the RHS cam cover to check, and learn at first hand what so many of you have encountered doing this job.

I can see why the (flimsy) little tang on the coil connectors breaks as, even with my small hands, I couldn't get to depress the retaining ring on both sides with the coil in position.
The connector gets in the way of a socket on the bolt underneath it, but I managed to get a tiny 7mm open-ended on there. Once the coil is loose it's easy to get to both sides of the locking ring.
I'm going to try putting a radius on the tang on one of the coil packs to see if it will make it easier to disconnect. I imagine that it won't take much to stop the connector sliding off.

One of the brass ferrules came out of the cam cover along with the coil cover bolt, and one of the coil cover holes was cracked and missing its spacer.
I'm disappointed with the engineering of some of these parts, although to be fair I think the problems with the coil cover were due to overtightening - they were tighter than the cam cover bolts - probably at the last dealer service since they were the only ones in there since the engine was replaced and recommended new spark plugs at 30K.

Inside, I found everything spotless and dry: metal secondary tensioners had been installed on this July 2004 replacement, so just need to button back up with new gasket & seals.

On a separate note, sometimes it pays to check out the dealer on spares. I was quoted the same price for tensioners as SNG and British Parts were asking, and no added shipping charges.
Christopher's responded to my enquiry very quickly, and was initially a really good price, but the shipping ($50) would have been a deal breaker.
They're also available Fleabay for around $65, but again shipping is mad: $37 for one.. I just don't get this as Amazon US shipped me a 4lb CB radio for around $13 last year??

Anyway, all good and no risk of breaking a cam.

Mike

 

Replace all 14 bolt seals. (28 in total if doing both sides) That is the key to sealing those valve cover gaskets.

 

Thanks, A2B.
I had intended to re-use these as the cam cover gasket passes both sides of the bolt hole, but I guess they can be crushed down to where the even a new cover gasket won't reseal at the correct bolt torque after things are disturbed.

As they can't properly be replaced without removing the cover again I've added them to the list on your recommendation.

Best wishes,
Mike