i read a way to tighten it when i was reading the archives last night, but i cannot find it again for the life of me. anyways, my front right one with the ground broke. i was trying to torque it to 4ft.lbs with my big torque wrench just to be safe since the required is 7ftlbs and it snapped. i don't have an in/lb wrench and have even heard of them breaking with one.

i tighten in a criss cross pattern each one about half way three forth way and then do a final tightening again in a criss cross pattern. im just wondering how tight they are supposed to feel. are the bushings on the top of the valve cover supposed to smash down a lot? mine was leaking from the corner of the vc with the missing stud( yes i put silicon on the corner of the gasket where the curved part is, but stock there is none at the edges of the vc). i also sealed around my spark plug tubes because the stock gasket seems a little thin and i thought it would just be extra insurance. is that ok?

thanks in advance

 

I break these all the damn time, I've actually just put standard long bolts in there so I wouldn't snap them in half so often.

I don't use a torque wrench, I use a regular ratchet and just spin them until they get visibly tight. I then give them a little nudge and that's it. I've always just bolted it straight on, never really worried about doing any criss cross patterns or anything like that. Never have had any issues. *shrug*

Sealing everything is fine, just keeps oil from spraying all over your engine bay. Otherwise, your valve cover is completely vented anyway so it's not like you're trying to keep air from entering.

 

how much do those rubber grommets smash down when you tighten. mine are smashed pretty hardcore,but i think it might be a little too tight. i just did it this tight since i am missing one and there are only 4 on d15b7's. also still wondering if it's ok to put silicon around the spark plug tubes as extra insurance?

 

torque for the vavle cover is 7-7.5 lbs or 2 fingers tight.

 

i know the torque specs ,but im not down to break another one. so only two fingers huh? mine are probably way to tight, but it leaked more when they were looser.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SovXietday &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I break these all the damn time, I've actually just put standard long bolts in there so I wouldn't snap them in half so often.

I don't use a torque wrench, I use a regular ratchet and just spin them until they get visibly tight. I then give them a little nudge and that's it. I've always just bolted it straight on, never really worried about doing any criss cross patterns or anything like that. Never have had any issues. *shrug*

Sealing everything is fine, just keeps oil from spraying all over your engine bay. Otherwise, your valve cover is completely vented anyway so it's not like you're trying to keep air from entering. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm the same way, I broke one and went to honda, bought another bolt, and as I was putting the valve cover back on, broke a different one, so had to go back to honda. Anyways, I always just use a 10mm rachet and tighten them enough to wear they don't snap. Don't ever have any problems with leakage. I wouldn't worry to much about the torque specs enough. You can use common sense as to what will be tight enough to not have oil spill out. I usually tried to do a criss cross pattern but I really don't think it's necessary.

 

what i did was to use a screwdriver on which i can attach a 10 mm socket. Its gonna be really hard to torque it down really good because you have no grip. Never broke a stud....good luck.

 

i read that if they are too tight the spark plug tube seals could leak because they will smash down too much. anyways, i dont think im going to get it leak free without the 4th bolt(which needs to hurry up and get here). here's how im tightening them now.

i take a 3" extension and put a 10mm on it, then i hand tighten it untill it's snug , then about a quarter turn again hand tight.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by drewthomas14 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i read that if they are too tight the spark plug tube seals could leak because they will smash down too much. anyways, i dont think im going to get it leak free without the 4th bolt(which needs to hurry up and get here). here's how im tightening them now.

i take a 3" extension and put a 10mm on it, then i hand tighten it untill it's snug , then about a quarter turn again hand tight.</TD></TR></TABLE>

sounds good. Why are you waiting on a bolt? Did honda have to order one?

 

i oredred one but they still havent called me :-/

 

Like I said, it's not a big deal. Just keep something over the hole if you need to drive it around, the cover just keeps oil from spraying all over your engine bay.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SovXietday &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I break these all the damn time, I've actually just put standard long bolts in there so I wouldn't snap them in half so often.

I don't use a torque wrench, I use a regular ratchet and just spin them until they get visibly tight. I then give them a little nudge and that's it. I've always just bolted it straight on, never really worried about doing any criss cross patterns or anything like that. Never have had any issues. *shrug*

Sealing everything is fine, just keeps oil from spraying all over your engine bay. Otherwise, your valve cover is completely vented anyway so it's not like you're trying to keep air from entering. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, I had ONE problem, ONCE, because i torqued down w/o using a torque wrench and that was only that it was too tight in one area & leaking, loosened that up half a bit & retightened it to about what I did the other ones - no leak, no problem O.o

Just b/c I don't have a torque wrench and if I'm in the shop I can't always find a torque wrench or I don't feel like looking for a torque wrench...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18chatch83 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

sounds good. Why are you waiting on a bolt? Did honda have to order one?</TD></TR></TABLE>
honda would have had to order one if i bought it from them becaus i went and checked. i just decided to order from hondapartsdeals because i needed to order wires too. i do have something covering the hole, but the vc gasket still leaks in the corner with the missing bolt a and laves a nickle sized spot on the ground when i park.

 

dealerships never call when your parts come in i use a 1/4" drive ratchet. i snug them down 'till they touch, then add a bit more. not much. 7ftlbs is VERY little.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by drewthomas14 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
honda would have had to order one if i bought it from them becaus i went and checked. i just decided to order from hondapartsdeals because i needed to order wires too. i do have something covering the hole, but the vc gasket still leaks in the corner with the missing bolt a and laves a nickle sized spot on the ground when i park.</TD></TR></TABLE>

What engine is it for? If it is for a b-series you can go to an Acura dealership also. I'm sure you would have already thought of that but when I broke mine I went to Acura and they had alot more in stock then Honda did, I was gonna have to drive 30 miles to get one, then I checked Acura and they had a plethera of them. But if it's for a SOHC then honda's the only way to go.

 

it's sohc. it seems to be leaking worse and worse each day. if i retighten it, it seems like it leaks more for some reason?

 

I had this same problem. Ended up break off both of the front studs... crazy...

Right now I have two standard long bolts in there and zero leaks... in the back I have the original studs and crome nuts.

My only concern with using regular bolts in the front is that they don't contribute to holding down those rail mounts like the OE studs did... But I haven't had any problems...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Paprika &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I had this same problem. Ended up break off both of the front studs... crazy...

Right now I have two standard long bolts in there and zero leaks... in the back I have the original studs and crome nuts.

My only concern with using regular bolts in the front is that they don't contribute to holding down those rail mounts like the OE studs did... But I haven't had any problems... </TD></TR></TABLE>
what motor do you have? also, will overtightening cause leaking? im worried im gonna mess up my brand new valve cover gasket set because i have it too tight because im missing the stud. my parts coming saturday hopefully, and the dealer is supposed to get one in.

 

I'm pushing the D15B7.

I think your valve cover gasket will be fine .. Just make sure you have the valve cover bolts tightend down SNUG (not too much to break the studs again though) when you re-install it..

I'd say just clean any oil off of the gasket that may be on it before you re-install it... also off of the head. So you're mating two dry surfaces. Thats what I'd do...

I've only replaced my valve cover gasket 1 time but has removed the valve cover MANY times since then and mines has been fine to reuse.