steve_s

I have done a search and havent found what I was looking for.

I want to take off my valve cover to paint it. What tools do I need to take it off. What order do I put the cover bolts back on with? How much do I torque the bolts? Do I need a new gasket?

By the way my motor is a d16z6.

-Whitey-

you shouldnt need a new gasket but it wont hurt to have a spare

all you need to take it off is a 10mm then just pull up on it and reinstall it in a cross pattern(not that it matters that much but its always good to do)

steve_s

Do I need to torque the bolts?

Milano_EH3

I would suggest before you do anything under the hood of your car that you go buy a manual. At the very least get a Chiltons or something, if you don't feel like shelling out the cash for a Haynes. Any manual will tell you the bolt order and torque...and yes you will need a new valve cover seal.
Might as well do a valve adjustment while you have the cover off....

-Whitey-

not really just remember how hard they were to get off and try to retighten them to that tightness and maybe an extra 1/4 turn..becarefull not to break them off..they dont need to be that tight but you dont want them to come loose..you should have the common senseto know when enough is enough

2k1_ITR_0736

hand tight, you will strip out the threads if you do it too hard, snug with rachet. dont crank on em like they were an exhaust stud or something.

-Whitey-

you dont need a valve cover seal but it wont hurt to replace it and have a spare one handy

2k1_ITR_0736

dood, the guy is asking us hwo to take his valve cover off. do you really think that he is gonna do a valve lash adjustment? more than likely, NOT. he shoud get comfortable with his skills. and by all means this is the place to be for support. but damn just cuz he got a goldfish at the fair with a ping pong ball, doesnt mean hes taking a whaling trip next week.

But if you doo need help, ill give you a hand, gotta keep the NY on the for sheezy. ya know.


[Modified by 2k1_ITR_0736, 1:49 PM 1/27/2003]

steve_s

Thanks a lot. Yea I was just wondering about putting it back on. I dont want anything to come loose when im rippin down the highway.

Milano_EH3

*Sigh*.... if he is going to have his valve cover off then might as well knock out a valve adjustment as well. That doesn't necessarily mean HE has to do it. But, it is just something extra that can be done since he is in there already. Why is that so difficult?

steve_s

Well what does making the adjustment entitle?

-Whitey-

its not difficult at all..i think maybe he should go get a book and become more familiar with his carbefore he tries to tackle head work but a valve adjustment would be a good thing to do

maybe he should learn to install a few things and then maybe his confidence will be high enough to try adjusting valves

get a header,intake,and exhaust and if you can install all of those things your self then get a chiltons or haynes manual and try a valve adjustment its pretty easy good luck with the valve cover lol

steve_s

Im not totally useless. THe only thing that ive installed on a car was a remote starter which was fairley easy. But ive been building engines for RC cars since I was like ten. Nothing compared to a car but its something, I guess.

Milano_EH3

LOL...you guys are getting me all wrong. I'm not saying that he personally has to do it. But, since he will be taking the valve cover he can have the valves adjusted.
I didn't know people were going to get all huffy over a "kill two birds with one stone" suggestion....

-Whitey-

working on r/c cars is a good thing it shows that you know how to use tools,your head and your hands thats all you need to work on full scale cars but before you try to tackle any internal adjustmenats/tuning i recommend getting a book for your car from your local auto parts store just to cover your ***

i work on r/c cars alot too but my full scale car owns me

steve_s

You guys all suggest the Haynes manual?

-Whitey-

mailano im not getting all huffy puffy im just saying he should get a little more knowledge in his head before he tries to do an adjustmant to the valves..and who the hell recommends that he pays someone to adjust it for him while he has the cover off? its not gonna hurt anything if he waits a few months is it? he should wait to do it himself and save himself a few hundred bucks

-Whitey-

haynes or chiltons

Milano_EH3

*Sigh*... I give up....
Yes Steve, Haynes and Chiltons are good manuals to start off with (I prefer Haynes personally). And if you start doing a bunch of stuff with your car you should move up to the big manuals, Helms. Get a bigger tool box too, because you will probably start seeing your tool collection increase the more you work on your car.

steve_s

me getting new ratchet set today

-Whitey-

get 5mm-19mm deep sockets witha 3 inch and 6 inch extension in 3/8th's drive and you should be set for a while

93EH6

You could get a helms manual

MLogan

For prep, you should cover the spark plug wire holes, oil cover, and the bolt holes with masking tape or something. Then sand the cover with different variants of wet sandpaper and steel wool. For paint you should use high temperature paint. It is not too hard a project and is definitely good for a beginner.

poo flinger

Here check out the first couple of steps on how to remove the valve cover. This is a step by step for a valve adjustment but you get the idea.

http://www.c-speedracing.com/howto/v...alveadjust.php

2k1_ITR_0736

yeah dood its not that hard to do, just let him do some minor things before you get him doing light internals. Yes 2 birds one stone, good call. but not like popping the valve cover off is that big a deal. hell i take min off at least once a month to keep the valves happy.