Removing Valve Cover

[89BadBoy]

Okay dumb question but how do you remove the valve cover? i took the three nuts off the top the breather brace and everything, slowly pried around it with a small screwdriver but still it wouldnt come off... is there something else i have to take off or just pull harder? i didnt wanna ruin anything so i thought it would be good to ask first.

Thanks
Michael

[A20A1]

If all 5 bolts are off... then you are ready to pop off the valve cover.

buy a valve cover gasket for sure


edit>...uh make that 7 bolts/nuts.

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

If it's been on there for awile, they usually kinda get baked on there. You may want to try and gently tap the valve cover from all sides with a rubber mallet (if you don't have a rubber mallet, you could use a hammer, but be VERY careful and be gentle. You don't want to damage the valve cover). Using a screwdriver to pry it usually isn't a great idea because you can damage the mating surface causing it to no longer seal.

:)

[A20A1]

ahh don't pry or you could scratch the head... just bang the valve cover with a rubber mallet at the top corners or try and pry it from the cam gear cover end.

[A20A1]

argggg! you beat me too it. :D



edit> Hey

- remove air cleaner.
- remove valve cover to air cleaner brace
- install brace securely on valve cover and carefuly pull up on it to pop the cover loose. just make sure you check the studs to make sure they are not bending while you try and get the cover off.

[YK86]

It's usually those three rubber grommets under the nuts making it hard to pull off. I usually use pliers to pull those off first.

[1988starter]

Here some picts www.geocities.com/geezpict/eng1/eng1project.html

[markmdz89hatch]

when I went to the j/y to get one for my DX, I removed all the bolts, disconnected the breather tube and air cleaner bracket, then just broke out the claw hammer, stood right up on the front end, with my feet more-or-less just above the headlights; put the claw under the breather tube elbow, and pulled. (after a good tap on the corners with the rubber mallet). It let go, I landed in the windshield/hood of the ford escort right behind me. got back up, cleared my head, picked up the cover, and off i went.

[Jerren]

ahh man stop bein' a pussy and just rip that damn thing off of there!!! lol

[1988starter]

I just pulled mine off with my hands

[anchovies]

Just take off the oil filler cap and put your fingers in there and pulllllllll

[Coroncho80]

Originally posted by 1988starter
I just pulled mine off with my hands


Mhmmmmmmm.......What a strong man!!!!!! Hola papi! :D

[A20A1]

Originally posted by anchovies
Just take off the oil filler cap and put your fingers in there and pulllllllll

ahh the best idea yet ;)

this should go in the how to...

[anchovies]

Originally posted by A20A1


ahh the best idea yet ;)

this should go in the how to...
Sorry patent pending :D
You guys gotta pay me royalties if u use this method okeii

[anchovies]

okie i guess i'll be the bitch today...
What has removing valve cover gotta do with PERFORMANCE???

[A20A1]

I'm sure he's adjusting valves or something... that normally ends up getting it's own thread.
so um the tea in china is about $30 a box.

[anchovies]

okie so what has adjusting valves gotta do with performance?? huh?..oh wait...it does..kinda..well it's all relative
$30!!! you gotta be kidding me. I can get a box right here with some kinda ginseng or whatever added for $2.09.

[markmdz89hatch]

...or maybe he's going for that moderate 3-4 hp gain by painting it!:flip:

[Jerren]

wait a sec. so if tea in china is $30 a box, that must mean buying a horse would cost like a GaZillion Dollars!!!!!

[toastyghost]

hey starter what kind of paint did you use on the cover? is it that high-temp enamel like you see in auto parts places?

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by toastyghost
hey starter what kind of paint did you use on the cover? is it that high-temp enamel like you see in auto parts places?

Use dupli-color high temp. It's much easier to use the 500 degree paint since it's a gloss. Here's a pic of the cover I did for bobafett. He wanted the 2000 degree blue and it was a flat paint. It took several coats of clear to get the finish right. If anyone send's me one to paint I do them for $30+$5 shipping, I strip them to bare metal btw.

[doug]

Jim,
I certainly hope you used a high temp/solvent resistent clear on that cover.

[1988starter]

Yea I use the same but jim is right my cover has lots of thin clear coat layers it is the key. All high temp.

[Coroncho80]

Jim, how did you get the silver H and the lines without paint? I'm painting mines tomorrow and I dont wanna fuck up. :)

[socal3rdgen]

try putting masking tape over the parts you want to be raw metal. i think jim sanded the original paint off and put masking tape or the like of on the silver parts.

[anchovies]

Spray the whole thing then sand off with very find sand paper. I think it's 360 grit.

[Project-LXi]

When you sand it down, be VERY VERY careful not to hit other parts of the valve cover! its harder than it might look, take it from me, I messed up mine the first time around. :banghead:

Second time around I ended up using a razorblade to shave off the paint from the parts I wanted silver, then ground it down with fine grit sanding block to give it a nice looking metallic finish, Id post a pic but I dont have a scanner or a digicam.

[dXsquared]

definetly use a block to sand on... i polished my H and shit to a chrome b4 i painted the cover so all i used was a bit of paint thinner every coat and it turned out nice... i can polish any aluminium to a chorme shine very easily... i have an aluminum steer wheel for my car and it came like plain aluminum and now it is polished!!!

Travis

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by doug
Jim,
I certainly hope you used a high temp/solvent resistent clear on that cover.

Yes I sure did. And I only handle it throughout the painting process after I've washed my hands to keep oil from my fingers from ever touching it and I wash the cover several times during the process. Before the undercoat and the first color coat I wipe it down with a special PP&G cleaner to absolutely get ride of any oil or anthing else. And I do not apply each layer of paint until the previous layer has had time to cure and disapate solvent's, which can be spead up in a low temp oven. Their's no way that paint is ever comming off.:D