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Valve cover gasket replacement

Burgundyman

Burgundyman

New member
I am trying to replace the valve cover gasket on my 1998 GTP...The problem is with the bracket the holds the belt tensioner, coil and wires in place...I need some insight in removing this bracket so that I can remove the valve cover. Any insight would help.
 


13mm deep socket should do it.

There are 2 studs below the coilpacks. The tensioner is on one that comes off easily enough, there's a nut in there take it off, it'll slide out. and then there are a few more nuts and a ground there. MAKE SURE TO PUT THE GROUND BACK !!!! or your car won't start ! Pretty straight foreward :)
 
There is a nut inside the tensioner?...It looked like a torx head...So there is only one nut holding the tensioner?...It was hard to see...One more thing...Do I need to back off the Supporting yolk brackets (two of them in the front of the rad) to get the valve cover off?
 
Unless things have changed there shouldn't be any torx heads. I don't remember the size 12, 13 or 14mm socket should slide right over what looks like a torx head.
 


Burgundyman said:
That was going to be my second question...How difficult is it to do replace the rear.
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There is a lot more to the rear one. I'm not sure the year, but on one of the GP's you don't have to remove or pull the alternator bracket out of the way. You'll have to look to see if your alternator bracket sits close and over top of the valve cover.
Other than the alternator bracket, there is just a lot more stuff to work around and it's location makes it more difficult too. Tilting the engine forward helps a lot when working on the firewall side of things.
 
couple of tips

As soon as you've cleaned and dried the valve cover, put a little dot of rtv in the gasket groove in about 6 spread out spots. The press the new gasket in. This will help hold the gasket in place when you flip the valve cover over to install.

On the rear one. If you have to loosen the alternator bracket to get enough clearance to remove the rear cover, be very careful as you do not want to break the black plastic coolant elbow. It's best to have one on hand because many have been broken. Autozone in the Help section and around $5.

When you torque the vc bolts down be care as the torque spec is very small. See the How To section for the specs
 
Thanks....The alternator does not need to be removed...So I just have to back off the bracket a bit...right?...What is rtv? I might need to get some at AUTOZONE...hOW DO YOU TILIT THE ENGINE FORWARD BY THE FIREWALL?
 
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Burgundyman said:
Thanks....The alternator does not need to be removed...So I just have to back off the bracket a bit...right?...What is rtv? I might need to get some at AUTOZONE.
Click to expand...

I removed my alternator anyway to give more room so I don't know if it has to be removed but YES the alternator bracket only needs to be loosened and pulled up just enough that the vc will clear. It's helpful to have someone pull the bracket back while you remove the vc,

Red RTV - silicone sealant/adhesive made by Permatex. Yes it's at autozone as well.
 
engine tilting with out a tilter tool.

remove the dogbones
push the car forward until the engine tilts and put on the ebrake to keep it in place.

I have a tilter tool, but I believe this is how you would do it w/o a tilter.
 
Ah!...thanks for the tip...your advice has been very helpful.

now I just need to set aside about 6-8 hours to get it all done and back together...I am going to change the spark plug wires at the same time.
 
or if you cant get it drain the coolant a bit form the radiaor so the coolant level is lower...and just pull that bracket...

just remember to top it off when everything is back together...
 


Burgundyman said:
Draining the rad takes the pressure off the dog bones?...I am lost on this one...
Click to expand...


he's referring to the alternator bracket and that cooling elbow. The alternator bracket is also a cooling passage way. If you don't break the elbow you won't see any coolant.
 
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