Replacing a Valve Cover
If you are an owner of a vehicle, then you know that you must perform routine maintenance checks on your vehicles. You may be aware of the normal things you should check, like brakes, tires, and your fluids, but you also need to check your valve covers. Over some time, your valve covers can get old and dry out and crack. When the valve covers crack and break, you will encounter some serious problems like oil leakage into the engine, and pressure problems. You can replace the valve to cover yourself with the proper tools and parts that you need; it just might take a little work if the valve cover is hard to get to.
First, you are going to need to take a socket wrench or a screwdriver and take all of the bolts off that are holding the valve cover down over the valve. Sometimes the valve can get rusted or have some corrosion on it, and this will make it difficult to remove, but using some WD40 are any other rust remover should help. After unscrewing the bolts and applying the spray, the cover to the valve should come right off. If the valve cover is stuck on, try using a flat head screwdriver to pry it off, or anything else with a flat surface that will get in between the valve and the cover. Don't try to force it off; this could end up damaging the valve.
After the cap is off, you are going to take some sandpaper and go over the opening to the valve to make sure that you have all of the sealants from the previous cap off of it. Then place something over the valve so nothing can fall into the engine of your vehicle. Next, you are going to apply a new sealer to the valve, about a 1/4 inch thick all of the way around. Take your new valve cover and place it on the valve. Make sure you get any access sealant off of the valve by cleaning it off with a cloth or paper towel, or anything that gets sticky. Put the bolts back on, and make sure that they are tightened properly. Be careful not to strip the bolts.
After a few minutes, turn on your vehicle to make sure that there aren't any leaks coming out of the newly repaired gasket. You want to be sure that there is no oil going into your engine or anywhere else under the hood. Changing your valve cover yourself is easy to do and will save you the money that you would have spent at a repair shop or by going to a mechanic. Just make sure that you use proper safety precautions and dispose of your old car parts properly.
First, you are going to need to take a socket wrench or a screwdriver and take all of the bolts off that are holding the valve cover down over the valve. Sometimes the valve can get rusted or have some corrosion on it, and this will make it difficult to remove, but using some WD40 are any other rust remover should help. After unscrewing the bolts and applying the spray, the cover to the valve should come right off. If the valve cover is stuck on, try using a flat head screwdriver to pry it off, or anything else with a flat surface that will get in between the valve and the cover. Don't try to force it off; this could end up damaging the valve.
After the cap is off, you are going to take some sandpaper and go over the opening to the valve to make sure that you have all of the sealants from the previous cap off of it. Then place something over the valve so nothing can fall into the engine of your vehicle. Next, you are going to apply a new sealer to the valve, about a 1/4 inch thick all of the way around. Take your new valve cover and place it on the valve. Make sure you get any access sealant off of the valve by cleaning it off with a cloth or paper towel, or anything that gets sticky. Put the bolts back on, and make sure that they are tightened properly. Be careful not to strip the bolts.
After a few minutes, turn on your vehicle to make sure that there aren't any leaks coming out of the newly repaired gasket. You want to be sure that there is no oil going into your engine or anywhere else under the hood. Changing your valve cover yourself is easy to do and will save you the money that you would have spent at a repair shop or by going to a mechanic. Just make sure that you use proper safety precautions and dispose of your old car parts properly.