Valve Cover Removal

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Trainsplanesandautos
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Valve Cover Removal

Post by Trainsplanesandautos »

I am adjusting the Valves on my 365gt and have removed the right valve cover but the left cover will not move. I have tried tapping on it with a rubber hammer and pulled on the knobs as hard as I can. Any tricks to get it off. Also when re-installing it is it recommended that a little silicone be used to help seal, particularly at the chain cover and distributor. The covers were weeping a little oil prior to removal.
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tyang
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by tyang »

When valve covers are stuck, I get a thin paint scraper to gently tap between the valve cover and the head. Alternating between the ends will usually walk the cover off the head.

The corners are usually the worst for leaks and along the square cut o-ring. Make sure you have a piece of shim stock holding the square cut o-ring in place as you reinstall the valve cover gasket. When everything is in place, pull the thin sheet metal out. We use regular RTV for easy removal when taking things apart. There's a grey silicone that seals better, but a lot harder to remove when taking things apart.

Good luck.

TOm
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8339
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by 8339 »

Just a suggestion I almost always use Toyota FIPG, Formed in place gasket. As a sealant used as a light coating on both surfaces it seals extremly well and does not "squish" from the gaskets like RTV silicone. FIPG is black and Subaru makes a similar product that's grey.

Quick story, I helped a gentleman purchase a Testarossa, it needed a major service which had not been done in ten years. He felt my price was too high so he went back to the guy who sold it and had his shop perform the service. Two months later here it comes on a rollback, engine would barely run and made horrific noises before it came to me. Once on the lift I found the cam belt dis-lodged from the cam pulley, oh yeah blue silicone RTV all over the place. Some of the RTV broke off in the engine clogged an oil passage and bound the camshaft. There was actually a Ferrari bulletin telling technicians not to use RTV just beacsue of this kind of situation. Moral of the story, first always just apply sealants lightly, in this country if a little is good than more is better. Second, personally I avoid using RTV. Having said that there is many different kinds of RTV sealants, it's clear as mud as to use which one. Again only a suggestion, try the Toyota FIPG, part number 00295-00103, available at any Toyota Dealer. It can be a little messy if applied too heavy, but it does work.


Richard Garre
Radcliffe Motorcar Co.
Colin Angell
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by Colin Angell »

I assume you have made sure that all the distributor nuts are loose, and the chain cover acorn nuts are off. As Tom suggests it might sometimes be necessary to try to get a fine blade in the joint, but probably only if too much RTV has been used. It is worth checking how flat the mating surface of the cover is, once you get it off. If they are warped it isn't difficult to flatten them on a steel plate (or glass) with some fine abrasive. Once flat there should be no need for any sealant, except perhaps at each end. I use a tiny run of loctite 518, which has the advantage of not being hazardous to oil ways, but I only use it from the O rings to the corners of the covers. Being old school (or just old!) I do massage a little grease into the gaskets, which seems to do the job for me and it is very important not to overtighten the acorn nuts when you reassemble everything. The torque should only be about 5lbs ft, so if you haven't got a torque wrench that goes down that low you have to learn to be gentle. I have made a Tee wrench with a short tommy bar, only about 40mm long, which I can tighten just by twisting between finger and thumb.
Good Luck
Colin
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tyang
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by tyang »

I have to agree to use any sealant sparingly, but I don't think the front of the valve cover where it meets the chain covers will seal without sealant. Most of these engines have been rebuilt, and the cam chain housing gasket is thicker than the original, so it pushes the whole timing chain case further away from the block. All the o-rings that seal between these areas now have extra clearances.

When removing the valve covers, I loosen all the distributor nuts and obviously remove the bolts. Making sure the distributor angle drive is loose insures the o-ring back there doesn't get deformed when sliding the cam cover back on.

Tom
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John Vardanian
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by John Vardanian »

Another old trick I learned is a pair of threaded "T" handles that replace the valve cover balls. You can increase your pulling force at least ten fold with these.

john
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Steve Meltzer
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by Steve Meltzer »

Richard, I'm a little confused here (as I often am). Do you use only the Toyota product, no gasket, or do you apply the Toyota stuff to the gasket? Is the stuff like the Permatex product, "The Right Stuff"? thanx s “unencumbered by the thought process”
steve meltzer,
"I've spent all of my money on wine, a beautiful woman, and stunning cars. Then, squandered the rest."
Trainsplanesandautos
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by Trainsplanesandautos »

Thank you for your recommendations, I did get the left cover loose only to discover the power steering pump bracket needs to be removed. I plan to get the pump removed and cover off tomorrow. I did see a previous post about the valve adjusters, and would it be recommended that I remove and inspect all of them prior to attempting adjustment. Also what is the typical failure I need to look for on the adjusters and rollers. Thanks
8339
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by 8339 »

Steve, I still use a gasket but use the Toyota FIPG as a sealant added to the gasket.
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tyang
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by tyang »

Yup, the P/S pump will certainly slow down the process of valve cover removal!

Here's an article I wrote on adjuster wear:
http://www.tomyang.net/cars/ferrari1059.htm
Image
Basically, the new ones have a black finish, but when they wear in, the tips should be smooth an shiny, not chipped and pitted.
Image
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Lowell
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by Lowell »

Trainsplanesandautos wrote:Thank you for your recommendations, I did get the left cover loose only to discover the power steering pump bracket needs to be removed. I plan to get the pump removed and cover off tomorrow. I did see a previous post about the valve adjusters, and would it be recommended that I remove and inspect all of them prior to attempting adjustment. Also what is the typical failure I need to look for on the adjusters and rollers. Thanks
My 330GT has power steering. When I removed the left cam cover I had to remove the pulley for the power steering V-belt drive.
It took me quite some time to re-manufacture a socket into a pronged tool to remove the pulley nut.
Lowell Brown
1966 Gold 330 2+2 Series II
Jimmyr
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by Jimmyr »

Tom, haven't chimed in for awhile, but I hate to use any chisels near any soft alloy parts, especially the cam covers. I made a tool that I use often on these engines, and it works well and NO damage. Purchased a cheap dent puller from Autozone, ground the head down on an M8X1,25 bolt. Drilled the puller nut hole to accept the modified bolt, and tightened it up. A ten minute job. Remove the plastic knobs from the cover, insert the puller tool and tap it up gently. Jim
John Vardanian
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by John Vardanian »

I love that idea, Jimmy. I might copy that. Mine is a threaded "T" that goes in place of the balls and you grip it the way you'd grip an old fashioned wine screw. Yours is much mightier.

john
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tyang
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by tyang »

Jimmyr wrote:Tom, haven't chimed in for awhile, but I hate to use any chisels near any soft alloy parts, especially the cam covers. I made a tool that I use often on these engines, and it works well and NO damage. Purchased a cheap dent puller from Autozone, ground the head down on an M8X1,25 bolt. Drilled the puller nut hole to accept the modified bolt, and tightened it up. A ten minute job. Remove the plastic knobs from the cover, insert the puller tool and tap it up gently. Jim
Great idea, but how do you get a four cam cover off? :)

Tom
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Jimmyr
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Re: Valve Cover Removal

Post by Jimmyr »

Tom, the 4 cam covers do not stick in place as bad as the singles, just a tap from a rubber mallet will do. No knives needed. Jim
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