valve cover gaskets
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 269
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valve cover gaskets
went to start changing gaskets. drivers side leaks more and looked easier, ha! lug on alternator/ air pump bracket stopped it. if i grind some clearance will it come off? something in the back is also stopping it. other side i`ll do when it gets warmer, i see the a/c has to be moved. will have to raise car, this leaning over kills the back of my legs. thirty years ago i would think nothin of doing this, man does the golden age suck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
You will have to remove the bolts from the alternator and swing it out of the way. Then remove the air pump. This will allow you to get the driver's side cover off.
From memory, the passenger's side will come off with a little playing without having to move the air conditioning out of the way.
From memory, the passenger's side will come off with a little playing without having to move the air conditioning out of the way.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
You will have to remove the bolts from the alternator and swing it out of the way. Then remove the air pump. This will allow you to get the driver's side cover off.
From memory, the passenger's side will come off with a little playing without having to move the air conditioning out of the way.
From memory, the passenger's side will come off with a little playing without having to move the air conditioning out of the way.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
The EGR "tube" should be on the passenger's side. You may have to remove that...PITA to get back on because of the crimp ring.
My 85 didn't have the tube and the 95 doesn't either. Added in 86 I believe.
My 85 didn't have the tube and the 95 doesn't either. Added in 86 I believe.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
On the driver side you can also remove the wiper motor cover to gain clearance. You would just have to remove 3 screws and disconnect the wiring.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
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From: Poughkeepsie New York
As you can see the driver side can be removed without touching anything up front.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2012
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Attachment 47773737
As you can see the driver side can be removed without touching anything up front.
As you can see the driver side can be removed without touching anything up front.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
You can just push anything out of the way you need to and it will come off fairly easy. I haven't taken the passenger side off yet but it looks a treat, especially since mine has the crimp ring.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 269
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and the injector wiring, nice piece of engineering to put it in the way, why didn`t they run them under the plenum?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
The accessories moved around, depending on the year. Here's info that works on my '86.
The trick on the driver's side is to cut off the end of the bolt that goes through the bottom of the A.I.R. pump (or you can just back it off enough that it no longer sticks out):
There is a bracket on the rear of the head that holds the spark plug wires. The valve cover will hit it when you try to move it toward the rear. I bent that bracket rearward, but you will still have a problem moving the valve cover to the rear because there is a metal baffle under the PCV valve. That baffle will hit the rocker arms and limit how far you can move the valve cover.
On the passenger side, the trick is to unbolt the EGR tube at the intake manifold and then bend it out of the way. The part under the heat shield is corrugated and is quite flexible. You don't need to remove the Oetiker clamp at the bottom.
The trick on the driver's side is to cut off the end of the bolt that goes through the bottom of the A.I.R. pump (or you can just back it off enough that it no longer sticks out):
There is a bracket on the rear of the head that holds the spark plug wires. The valve cover will hit it when you try to move it toward the rear. I bent that bracket rearward, but you will still have a problem moving the valve cover to the rear because there is a metal baffle under the PCV valve. That baffle will hit the rocker arms and limit how far you can move the valve cover.
On the passenger side, the trick is to unbolt the EGR tube at the intake manifold and then bend it out of the way. The part under the heat shield is corrugated and is quite flexible. You don't need to remove the Oetiker clamp at the bottom.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
seriously, it's all about manufacturing and production - comes under the heading of integrated product development, and the manufacturing process and the sequence of events. in the big picture, the engine is, somewhat, a sub-assembly to the complete car. when the completed engine is mated to the chassis/body assembly, it would be damn near impossible to route those injector harnesses' under the plenum on an assembly line. as far as a "nice piece of engineering," I love it when people pick apart 30 year old designs! 
Last edited by Joe C; Mar 9, 2014 at 08:42 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
It was a lot of prep work smoothing out the crappy valve cover castings and I'd probably just buy new ones next time. Here's a good tip. Put masking tape on the ends of your valve covers to protect the finish when you re-install them. It's tight and mine got scratched up a little. I was able to spray the paint in the cap and use a brush to touch it up. Lesson learned and hopefully this helps someone out in the future.
I went with the felpro permadry gaskets and I haven't fired it up yet, so we'll see if I get any leaks.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
Mine leaked at one of the studs. The oil came up the stud and then ran down the spark plug wires and dripped onto the exhaust manifold. I put new PermaDry gaskets (the old ones were also PermaDry) on and it still leaked. I finally solved the problem by putting RTV around the stud on the head and the valve cover.
Somehow the oil was sneaking around the gasket and getting to the stud. It was only the one stud that leaked -- front one on the driver's side. All the others were OK.
Somehow the oil was sneaking around the gasket and getting to the stud. It was only the one stud that leaked -- front one on the driver's side. All the others were OK.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
Mine leaked at one of the studs. The oil came up the stud and then ran down the spark plug wires and dripped onto the exhaust manifold. I put new PermaDry gaskets (the old ones were also PermaDry) on and it still leaked. I finally solved the problem by putting RTV around the stud on the head and the valve cover. Somehow the oil was sneaking around the gasket and getting to the stud. It was only the one stud that leaked -- front one on the driver's side. All the others were OK.