valve covers
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
once everything is off them and all the bolts are out they will just left up. If they have never been removed they are still sealed with the factory RTV and you need to pry up a corner carefully with the flat blade of a screwdriver or narrow putty knife.
if they have been removed before they most likey have gaskets on them now and they are just sticking so pry them up the same way and they will come off.
After you get them loose, they are a little bit of a pain to get out of there with the alternator on one side and the AC bracket on the other side but if your are careful you can work them up and towards the firewall to allow enough room to get them out of there. Just be careful of the baffles on the underside hitting against the rockers as you manuever them .
My '78 L82 covers are actually a PITA to remove and reinstall because of all the crap on the later motors compared to my '65 which are easy since there is nothing in the way at all!
if they have been removed before they most likey have gaskets on them now and they are just sticking so pry them up the same way and they will come off.
After you get them loose, they are a little bit of a pain to get out of there with the alternator on one side and the AC bracket on the other side but if your are careful you can work them up and towards the firewall to allow enough room to get them out of there. Just be careful of the baffles on the underside hitting against the rockers as you manuever them .
My '78 L82 covers are actually a PITA to remove and reinstall because of all the crap on the later motors compared to my '65 which are easy since there is nothing in the way at all!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Tulare CA
valve covers
well i got the covers off then cleaned them good,put on a gaseket but then when i was tighting the bolts for the valve cover I accidently tightened one of the bolts too tight and it snaped, what should i do, did i really **** up?
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 10,628
Likes: 132
From: Duvall, WA
Go to the hardware store and get a kit that removes broken bolts. Basically you drill a small hole in the bolt and thread in a reverse thread tap kind of dealy bob. If that doesn't work, you can always drill it out and re-tap it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
is it broken off flush with the head? if so than the above is correct.. Maybe you got lucky and there is enough of the bolt still sticking up after you remove the cover again to grab it and turn it with vice grips?
once you get the broken bolt out and get a new one, you do NOT need to tighten those vavle cover bolts very tight. you may want to consider getting an in/lb torgue wrench so you know when they are at proper spec tightness but there is no need to go overboad on tightening those bots - in fact overtightening can compress the gaskets too much and cause leaks not to mention broken bolts.
Oh, if you do have to drill out the old bolt, use tin file, paper, or whatever - I like tin foil because you can mold it easiely to fit the space and it stays how you shape it - to cover the valves and that complete area. You don't want to get metal shavings from the drilling into the heads and the valves!
once you get the broken bolt out and get a new one, you do NOT need to tighten those vavle cover bolts very tight. you may want to consider getting an in/lb torgue wrench so you know when they are at proper spec tightness but there is no need to go overboad on tightening those bots - in fact overtightening can compress the gaskets too much and cause leaks not to mention broken bolts.
Oh, if you do have to drill out the old bolt, use tin file, paper, or whatever - I like tin foil because you can mold it easiely to fit the space and it stays how you shape it - to cover the valves and that complete area. You don't want to get metal shavings from the drilling into the heads and the valves!
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