i can get a valve cover gasket for like 12 bucks at autozone, i checked. i don't have a torque wrech to be able to do the work though. what i need to know is, HOW do you remove the valve cover and replace the gasket? other than that, i'm golden. well, unless you count needing to replace the fuel pump. that's another story, and its in the general section.
put in the extra money to get a genuine honda gasket. It'll maybe be a dollar more. I got my gasket from honda for 12 also. All you need is a 10mm wrench to open the three nuts on the top of the VC. You will also need to buy grommets which are rubber pieces that sit under the nuts. 3 of them costed me $4. Once you remove the VC take off the old gasket and put in the new one. You also need silicone sealant that goes between the gasket and the head so that it won't leak. Put it all back together and you're done. Make sure you don't over tighten the bolts because they'll strip.
Also when you have the 3 bolts off it may be a little stuck on there, and easy trick to get it off is to just take the oil cap out, stick in your finger and pull it up!
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sweet, thanks guys. what sealant do you recommend? is there a specific type to look for? thanks again.
you don't need any sealant. some people just don't know how to replace it without making it leak.
after you remove the VC, wipe any oil that is in the VC groove.
Wipe the edge of the cylinder head very good. if there is any oil when you put the new gasket, it will not seal tight.
It worked for me everytime. i never had to put any sealants on VC gasket.
Alex.
I will second Alex' advice about sealant although I never worried about a little motor oil on the gasket. In fact I usually put oil on gaskets eg. oil filter. Those grommet nuts are not very tight (7 lb-ft) so if you do not torque them go easy, remember tighter does not necessarily provide a better seal.
Bill
well guys, the factory put hondabond on the gasket where the cam humps are, right in the corner down there... Now I know why, i had one leak incessantly from there, so from now on, hondabond it is
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I actually have never used that gasket sealant stuff without any oil leaks like the others...
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you dont have to use it but it is reccomended
429whp 362wtq A20 TURBO. A20T>*
i didnt use sealant......the box the gasket came in actualy said..do not use sealant.
-Travis-
I didn't use permatex on the sealing surface but I did lightly bead some on the groove on the valve cover where the gasket fits, just so it would stay put while I put the cover in place. I really did it out of frustration more than anything b/c the gasket wouldn't stay in that groove in the cover.
Originally Posted by kroy
I never use sealant for the rubber valve cover gaskets, it just makes a mess and makes it much harder to replace the next time. Rubber gaskets don't need sealant, and coating the gasket in fresh engine oil helps immensly in keeping the gasket in the groove when re-installing the cover, and it also helps the gasket to seat right and form a good seal while tightening. The main thing to do to prevent leaks is to make sure to thoroughly clean the gasket mating surfaces before re-assembly and making sure the gasket is sitting in its groove correctly before tightening. And for the valve cover gasket, a torque wrench is really unneccesary. Just use a 10mm socket and tighten it down snugly but not too hard by hand.
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Are the grommets neccessary to replace when replacing the valve cover?Originally posted by qh187
You will also need to buy grommets which are rubber pieces that sit under the nuts. 3 of them costed me $4.
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thats odd for the same price I can get both the valve cover gasket, 3 rubber washers, and 3 metal washers... all new and packaged together.
- llia
It's very important you replace those rubber grommets if they are old and hard. If you don't, they will not push down on the valve cover properly which will cause more leaks because the valve cover gasket won't be seated tighly against the head. People tend to keep the old grommets and then overtighten the nuts eventually stripping them or breaking the stud.
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I got the valve cover gasket and grommets from the Honda dealership for ~$15. It's simple to change!
Alex
I would suggest that you use Honda gasket. To remove it take off 3 nuts on top as previously stated. I think when I did mine I also took off the top timing belt cover. Its on the right side of the valve cover if you are looking at it and there are 2 bolts that hold it in. Not sure if you have to remove but I did.
Last edited by Mac; 09-03-2003 at 06:41 PM.
I'm on my third in as many years. Dealer version was no better than Autozone. Never used sealant, but had a seriously stuck cover the first time.
mines works good last long time so far, I don't use sealant and I make sure that both the valve cover and the head where the gasket sits are totally clean and free of oil. I had to remove a ton of sealant off the head from whoever had the car before me but I've been leak free since. I do use a torque wrench, but that shouldn't really matter as long as you don't over tighten it
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