Thread: Valve Cover Gasket Distress!

So I've been planning on doing this job for a few months now and had a checklist to make sure I had all my parts. When they all came in, I started getting my hands dirty.

I made my first error five minutes in. >.< Take a look:




Instead of taking off the bolt closest to the S/C first, I went for the one closest to the radiator and ended up making the engine drop backwards towards the firewall, pulling the screws with it. Now they're both halfway out, but facing at such an odd angle that they won't unscrew without stripping. If I jack up the motor, could that fix this problem and move them back to the correct position?

Problem #2:




Where should I be aiming to disconnect the wiring harness? Should I be trying to disconnect it all and let it hang by the radiator? Or is there a way I can disconnect it from the front and hang it all by the firewall?


I had my stepbrother helping me on this project originally and he's a huge grease monkey, but he started copping out and making crappy excuses- i've got three weeks to finish this project before it starts snowing so it's either do it myself or suffer the pending winter and lose my job from lack of transportation.

Any other tips and advice geared toward a newbie would be fantastic. I'm learning firsthand that this car is NOT good for beginners trying to tear into their motors. :P

Thanks!

you can rock the engine forward by hand just pulling it toward the front And use a ratchetstrap or something to prop it forward

as far as the wirring harness just let it hang

I'm missing something here. You are only doing valve covers correct? Hook the driverside dogbone mount back up, remove the passengerside. Not sure why you removed the throttle body or the radiator hose, neither have to move for this project.

Once you remove the belts and unbolt the coil pack bracket from the head to slide it toward the battery, then you'll be able to get the valve cover off.

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

I'm missing something here. You are only doing valve covers correct? Hook the driverside dogbone mount back up, remove the passengerside. Not sure why you removed the throttle body or the radiator hose, neither have to move for this project.

Once you remove the belts and unbolt the coil pack bracket from the head to slide it toward the battery, then you'll be able to get the valve cover off.

Haha sorry, I forgot to include that I'm taking off the supercharger so I can polish it out and rebuild the snout. That's why this is becoming such a hassle, as I need to take off all the wiring and the fuel rail so I can unbolt the sucker. I believe the intake o-rings have broken, as there is plenty of coolant in a bottom crevice of the TB and the S/C. Not sure if that's supposed to happen, but heck, I ordered extra intake o-rings anyway, might as well be better safe than sorry.

I already tried the approach of rebolting the other dogbone, but the engine moved too much for me to even be able to reattach it. I tried rocking it, but it won't budge. I might just need some extra hands to yank on it and prop it so I can remove the passenger-side.

I just want to clear the wiring and fuel rail first so I can gain entry to the valve covers with no problem. I'm going to be taking my time cleaning the supercharger out, so as long as the top-end is clear of all obstacles, I'll be happy.

i simple just disconected a few wires that were in the way for the supercharger, but not the whole harness. after that i would just move it out of the way.


man it seems like your going about this the hard way...

piece of cake

You could use a flat piece wood on a jack to spread the load under the tranny pan, and jack it up an inch or 2 to rock the engine forward again....

I wouldn't worry about being literal, and removing the whole harness and every vacuum hose.. I'd take some pics of everything beforehand for reference and take off just what's in the way..

Buy a box of wheaties and grab the charger by the snout. Pull forward and reconnect the dogbone. Or have a buddy push the car forward a little and it'll have the same effect.

Disconnect the injector wires and leave the harness where it is. It'll move enough to pick the charger up and out fo the way w/o an issue. There's no need to try and remove the harness from the engine bay.

Got the dogbones off. Just needed to get a prybar in there and do some yanking until it decided to pop back in place.

Okay, so just take off the fuel injectors and leave the rest intact? Check. But what about all the valves that are connected to the harness and plugging into the blower? That can't really be avoided, unless I want to tear all the wiring off as I walk away with it. Haha.

Am I going to need a fuel line puller tool for the rail?

you can pull all the injectors out while still in the rail, then once all out, simple lay over to the side.

is been a while since i messed with mine so i cant give step by steps but its really not all that hard.

take the rails off, unbolt the supercharger, if you can wigle it out, if not remove the rest of the wires in the way. its really not all that much work.

Alrighty, that works. You're right- it is pretty simple, I'm just doing it the hard way. Thanks everyone! I'll give an update after tackling this again.

Put the e-Brake on and put the car in Neutral, the motor will move back and forth easier that way.

Just watch for the small ass 4 nuts that hold the fuel rail on...I've lost a few to the black death of a engine bay.

true true.

Well, I got the front valve cover and supercharger off. I decided to go for the LIM gasket since I'll already be down there anyway. Any tricky bolts/accessories to watch out for that are holding it in? I know there was the EGR and alternator bracket (I watched the LIM video under the how-to, but it was very vague as to which bolts in specific needed to be removed), any others?

I guess since while I'm in this thread, I discovered that the bearings in my AC pump pulley are shot. The AC doesn't even work anyway, as all the freon is gone; is there anyway I could get a smaller belt and bypass the pump? Or does this need to be running with everything else?

Good god, working with the 3800 is such a PITA. I've been saving up for a 350/LT1- I'm going to be so relieved when working with the simplicity of those motors compared to this one. Haha!

just unbolt the thing.


after you do it one time and look at what you did, you will relise how easy it is.

You're absolutely right, that's what happened. :P

My stepbrother came over last night and we got all the stuff off that needs the new gaskets and I took a look at the heads and the oil valley and said "you know what, this seemed a lot more complex when everything was on it." He just laughed and said he told me so.

Thanks for all the help, though! I'm hoping I can do all these gaskets right and seal everything off.

Here's a little trick I sometimes use. Unbolt the alternator tensioner/bracket and leave it off. Put the LIM on, then put the elbows into the bracdket and put it back on.

EGR. Did you bend the tube off the LIM or unbolt it from both the egr and LIM? I ask because they are prone to cracking right at the ends where you can't see it until you have exhausted yourself searching for a vacuum leak.

Good tip! I'll have to do that. Where is the smaller elbow located? on the other side of the bracket? I've only found the larger one that connects to the LIM.

! I bent it off the LIM. Oh boy, i'm gonna have to check that and make sure I have no leaks. Thanks!

there is two coolent elbows on the alternator side