Valve Cover Change How-To
Back in August I read a post on PTE from Greg Croft at Modern Performance Racing Products in Houston, Texas requesting a GT owner who was interested in installing one of their Powder Coated Aluminum Valve Covers and posting pictures. Fortunately, I was the first respondent and set up to do this How-To to show how easy it is to install a new Valve Cover and to showcase their fine powder coated products. I have just finished the install a few minutes ago and wanted to chronicle it while everything was fresh in my mind. I took a bunch of digital pictures along the way and will put them in as I write. These images are small but they link to a larger image in case you desire to see something in more detail. Now that I have installed the Valve Cover and looked it, I have two immediate observations, firstly, the valve cover looks great and is an easy install and secondly, the stupid aluminum intake manifold blocks too much of my beautiful new cover and needs to be powder coated to match! (hint- hint) So, without further ado...
Tools Required: 13mm combination wrench, 10mm socket with extension and ratchet, 5/16" deep 1/4' drive socket with extension and ratchet, single edge razor or x-acto knife, Ultra-Black Silicone RTV, clean rags or wipes, heavy cord or wire to hold up manifold,
Parts needed: Newly powdercoated Valve Cover, can of BrakeKleen, valve cover gasket, upper to lower intake manifold gasket (part # 04884192AA)
The valve cover comes packed in bubble wrap and a plastic bag. It includes a note to inspect for any cleaning media, I sprayed the inside of mine with BrakeKleen to make sure that nothing was trapped under the baffle. I also used a little compressed air to make sure (a can of air duster would work fine too.
Start by looking at your engine and noting where all the wires, hoses and cables go and figure out exactly what you have to remove. I always take a picture before I start just in case I get a bout of CRS before I finish ;)
Disconnect vacuum hoses from PCV Valve, back of Intake Manifold, Throttle Body and Air Hoses. Disconnect electrical wires from Throttle Body, Sensor on rear intake manifold bracket, Sensors on Air Hose.
Pull off the wire holder from Valve Cover Studs
Remove Intercooler to Throttle Body hose (hose clamp, screwdriver or 5/16" socket)
Remove two rear support to intake manifold bolts with 13mm combination wrench. Be careful on pass side not to damage the sensor.
Remove bolts that secure the upper intake manifold to the lower intake manifold with 10mm socket and extension.
Pull up Intake Manifold and hang with wire or cord to hood bracket (or have helper hold it up and out of the way.
Remove four bolts that secure coil pack to intake manifold with 10mm socket. Pull up and remove spark plug wires. Pull off coil pack and wires and move to drivers side and rest on air cleaner. (Coil pack is numbered so that you put the wires back on the correct plugs. Number one is on passenger side)
Remove 9 bolts that secure Valve Cover to Head using the 5/16" deep socket and wrench, keep track of which bolts have studs.
Gently pull up on valve cover to remove. The valve cover gasket is glued to the head in the corners, I found it easier to pull the cover up a bit, then pull the gasket out of the valve cover and remove the cover leaving the gasket on the head for now. Chrysler used a dab of Black RTV on the corners and rear cam hole covers to assure a leak free installation. I used a straight razor to carefully cut the RTV at the head to release the valve cover gasket. If I knew it was glued down, I would have bought a new one before starting the job. Since it is a Saturday, chances of finding one is slim so I proceed carefully without cutting the old gasket so that I can re-use it.
Now I used a clean rag/wipe to clean off the top of the head where the cover sits. Now I can see how clean the engine is after 17,000 miles of driving. Glad I use Mobil One in there!
I cleaned off the old RTV from the gasket and placed the gasket into the new Valve Cover. Remember to remove the spark plug seals from the old cover and put them into the new one.
Then I put a dab of Ultra-Black RTV Gasket Maker on the corners and cam cover plugs on the driver's side and placed the new cover in place.
Now you want to put all 9 valve cover bolts in place by hand, remember to put the ones with studs back in the right place (pass side front and rear and drivers side end front and middle). After all the studs are in place, tighten with 10mm socket. The bolts have a big rubber seal and shoulder so that you don't over tighten and crush the rubber gasket.
Install the PCV Valve & the hose on right side of cover. Install coil pack on new cover and secure with 4 bolts, replace plug wires.
Replace intake manifold gasket if needed and place manifold on front mount. Install rear support bolts, hand tight, tighten front intake manifold bolts and then tighten the rear support bolts and install wire on sensor.
Re-Install all the wires and hoses you had taken of to remove the
cover, remember to tighten the clamp in the Intercooler hose.. Take the oil fill cap off
the old cover and put it on the new cover.
I would like to thank Modern Performance Racing
Products for setting me up with this project and especially Greg Croft who came up the
idea.
Content and Images property of John Abella, ©2003