valve covers
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
valve covers
Hi I have a great 88 corvette 35,000 miles awesome shape in and out. I am trying to clean up the engine a little. It looks great except for the valve covers. I bought valve cover paint for c-4 88, so I have that . There is no way I can spray the valves covers while they are on the car. I have to remove them. I am not mechanic. It does not look that hard to remove them. If I do take them off what should I look out for. I know I will have to put in new caskets once I remove the old ones. Also, what tool is used to take them off. It looks like a allen wrench but the ones I have don;t fit. Is this something I can do or should I go to a place were they restore cars and have them do it. It seems like a small job but I don;t want to cause any problems as the car runs great now. 
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,475
Likes: 270
From: Kingman AZ
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Drive over to the local NAPA or other brand store and they will sell you the correct bit for your socket wrench so you can get the bolts off.
Been a few years since I did this but if I recall the passenger side comes off fairly easy. You have to use a flat blade screwdriver to pry the wiring harness out of the way along the intake side of the cover.
Also if I recall correctly, you have to loosen the alternator bolt and maybe even remove/loosen the cover for the windshield motor cover. Then you have to wiggle things around a bit and do a little prying to get the driver's side off.
From the same auto parts dealer you should purchase a good quality (Felpro) gasket set and a small gasket scraper.
Don't take it to a shop. They will rape you. You can do this and you will have a lot of pride in doing it yourself.
I had mine sandblasted and then painted them with valve cover paint from Corvette Central.
Here is a pic from the 87 I used to own. Not perfect but not as ugly as they once were!
Been a few years since I did this but if I recall the passenger side comes off fairly easy. You have to use a flat blade screwdriver to pry the wiring harness out of the way along the intake side of the cover.
Also if I recall correctly, you have to loosen the alternator bolt and maybe even remove/loosen the cover for the windshield motor cover. Then you have to wiggle things around a bit and do a little prying to get the driver's side off.
From the same auto parts dealer you should purchase a good quality (Felpro) gasket set and a small gasket scraper.
Don't take it to a shop. They will rape you. You can do this and you will have a lot of pride in doing it yourself.
I had mine sandblasted and then painted them with valve cover paint from Corvette Central.
Here is a pic from the 87 I used to own. Not perfect but not as ugly as they once were!
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,328
Likes: 15
From: Jacksonville FL
You may have to loosen or remove the alt. bracket so the left side will clear the wiper motor on the firewall. The process isnt hard but you have to move or remove alot of stuff. Just go slow and if you have loose parts bag and tag em. Take pics to use as a reference. This advice is good for anything you do.
My valve cover bolts loosened up and the covers leaked worse than before. Make sure you use a little gasket maker on the bolt threads to help prevent this. I have some new covers coming in this week and I plan to do this as well as replace the bolts themselves.
Most members here suggest using the rubber gaskets, usually from Felpro. After making sure the surfaces are clean, attach the gaskets to the covers using gasket maker or weatherstrip adhesive. That way they will stay with the covers and will be reusable if you have to take them off again.
My valve cover bolts loosened up and the covers leaked worse than before. Make sure you use a little gasket maker on the bolt threads to help prevent this. I have some new covers coming in this week and I plan to do this as well as replace the bolts themselves.
Most members here suggest using the rubber gaskets, usually from Felpro. After making sure the surfaces are clean, attach the gaskets to the covers using gasket maker or weatherstrip adhesive. That way they will stay with the covers and will be reusable if you have to take them off again.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,430
Likes: 3,279
From: Hartford WI
Most members here suggest using the rubber gaskets, usually from Felpro. After making sure the surfaces are clean, attach the gaskets to the covers using gasket maker or weatherstrip adhesive. That way they will stay with the covers and will be reusable if you have to take them off again.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,328
Likes: 15
From: Jacksonville FL
I was referencing using something to attach the gasket to the cover. Its alot easier if they stay with the cover when installing them. I would say if your covers leaked from day one, you may have a warped cover or the gasket shifted while installing it. If it started after day one, recheck the torque on the bolts or get new ones. I just got my new covers in today and I have rubber Felpro's to go on and I will get some new bolts and use gasket maker to keep em torqued. I am hoping the new cast covers will take care of any leakage.
Gasket maker will generally take care of any small leaks and I dont think it will hurt the rubber gaskets. All surfaces have to be ultra clean for it to stick. I use a high temp Permatex and alot of folks here swear by their "Right Stuff" product. Valve covers are just enough PITA to make sure you only do it once.
Gasket maker will generally take care of any small leaks and I dont think it will hurt the rubber gaskets. All surfaces have to be ultra clean for it to stick. I use a high temp Permatex and alot of folks here swear by their "Right Stuff" product. Valve covers are just enough PITA to make sure you only do it once.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,430
Likes: 3,279
From: Hartford WI
It has been better since I got new Vette covers and I don't think they are warped. I will have to check bolt depth since I have AFR heads and stock bolts that have been shaved down to make them work.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,328
Likes: 15
From: Jacksonville FL
Sounds like youve done alot of work to the top end recently. The leak may be coming from somewhere else so clean it up and check carefully. I dont know anything about the AFR's but anything cast has the possibility of having micro cracks or sand holes from the casting process. Its pretty rare but it happens. Hope you find what it is.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 18,725
Likes: 709
From: Bergen County, NJ
You may have to loosen or remove the alt. bracket so the left side will clear the wiper motor on the firewall. The process isnt hard but you have to move or remove alot of stuff. Just go slow and if you have loose parts bag and tag em. Take pics to use as a reference. This advice is good for anything you do.
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