Please chime in if you have time, I want to purchase the valve cover gaskets and replace old. What is the procedure what tools, use RTV or no gasket sealer?
Feel free to add additional warning to the above procedure. What should I check/inspect when the covers are off (Type of Tensioners of course), cam wear, etc. Can I use a F caliper to check dimensions of cams and what ever else. Vehicle is performing flawless, valve cover gaskets, small leak.

Best Regards,

ER.

 

Camshaft cover gaskets are a fairly straight forward wrenching job. I purchased my camshaft cover gaskets from Jagbits, a forum sponsor. Be careful with removing the coil covers. I usually spray the fasteners with some lubricant. The bolts go into inserts imbedded in the plastic cam covers and can strip out.
Be sure to take note of the fastener locations, some are special. In the rear they are different to clear the cam position sensors, others are studded to mount the plastic engine covers.
I use very small dabs of non-hardening permatex to hold the gaskets into the covers. There is an area where the timing cover and cylinder head have a joint that requires silicon sealant.
Last but not least torque the fasteners to the value and in the pattern noted in the repair manual.

 

Thank you for the straight forward explanation. I'll find the torque specs for the covers and try to post them for others to reference regarding this valve cover gasket replacement job.

ER.

 

Just to add to avern1's post -
as you will see, the cam covers are not "just" bolted down - the bolts incorporate a special spacing washer and a rubber sort-of "O" ring. From memory, torque is about 8nm so not much more than hand tight. This is just enough to compress the rubber ring BUT - if you try to tighten it further, it won't - all it will do is deform the metal spacer and/or strip the thread in the cylinder head.

Yes - the coil covers are held down with bolts which go into brass inserts. If they don't easily un-screw, you may have to pull them out but they can be "re-bedded" with the judicious use of a bit of epoxy glue.

 

Thank you, I'll take note of that about the bolts/tightening force.

ER

 

Consider changing the 'O' rings for the vvt actuators 'while you're in there' as they do seem to be prone to leaking oil (and air) when they age.

I was advised to change the rubber washers under the cam cover bolts also as they are effectively what presses the cover to the head.

The lower flange on the spacers is meant to go through the cover gasket and bear directly on the cylinder head. The gasket has some small 'teeth' moulded on the inside of each bolt hole that go behind the spacer flange and help to hold both in the correct position for reassembly. A bit difficult to describe, but you will see what I mean once you have the parts in hand.

If you can lay hands on a 1/4" drive socket set it will make life easier as there's not a lot of room to manoeuvre for the lower bolts - particularly on your driver's side.


Good luck and +1 on the 'go gently' warnings

 

Very good, thanks for your input.

Cheer's

ER

 

My understanding is that the rear upper fastener on each side is a different alloy as so not to interfere with the cam position sensing. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

Michaelh, get this:

I just discovered this morning that the throttle body had "no clap" for the air tube/gasket connection. The gasket was laying bottomed out on the throttle body while the air tube was laying cockeyed on top of the throttle body with a big air gap showing between the air tube and top of the throttle body. I re-positioned the gasket correctly and connected the air tube with ah new clamp and test drove. "What a difference that made in adding extra horse power and acceleration.

Your thoughts?

ER.

 

I'm surprised you didn't have RP issues/codes, unless somehow there wasn't an air leak.

Not sure what you mean by 'new clamp' - were the bolts missing/loose?

Mike

 

Mike, the the two bolts were tight and secure. The entire air breather tube gasket connected to the throttle body sunk deep to the bodies base and the the plastic breather tube that connects to the throttle body was showing a visible air gap that was not sealed tight to the throttle body. Before I sealed the air breather tube air flow gasket I had two codes: Catalyst and Component DTC Code. Now that all is connected tight I'll retest after driving the vehicle for a while and let the ECM adjust accordingly. Cars engine/pickup/acceleration now has big improvement, that air gap may have been causing the above codes. Today I removed the wipers, plenum and corrected the drivers side wiper fluid hose routing with new nozzle mounted on the plenum for the driver side wiper wash. Previous owner broke the nozzle off and jury rigged the wiper fluid tubing on top of the bonnet padding causing it to be compacted when the bonnet was shut, not any longer, took me about an hour an ah half with a wiper puller. Sounded like a fire cracker going off when the wiper finally let go of it's stud with the puller (they were really stuck on) on they'er posts, cleaned posts, nuts, nut threads and wiper sockets and wiper studs with wire brush and brass gun brushes and oiled everything so making future wiper removal a real breeze. When you remove the plenum the little round plastic screw retainers can fall into the engine never to be found again, back off the screws just enough to grab the plastic retainers so when removing the plenum they stay intact and don't fall into the engine compartment, go real slow with that and all will be good. VVT seals have small oil leak, just replace the seals? How do you clean a VVT? Or do you just replace it?

 

It was the air breather tube gasket surrounding the the throttle body that sunk to the base of the throttle body. I screwed a big clamp around the whole deal, end of problem, that air tube gasket will never move again and air seal is tight forever.

 

If you're not getting any related codes I'd leave the VVT solenoids be.

If the seals are leaking then it's probably good PM to replace them, but just spotted the OEM (AJ82856) must contain precious metal or something as the price will make your eyes water (around $40 each ). There are pattern parts around for much less but some have reported that they have a relatively short lifespan.

 

Mike, this is one of those pattern parts, (grommet for VVT)

VVT gasket | Partsgeek.com


ER