Now I'm not car knowledgeable, the most I know to do is change spark plugs/wires and tires.

I just was given an estimate of $515 (BEFORE TAXES!!) to replace my valve cover gasket. they said the part was only $38, everything else is labor & clean up.

$515 + tax ??? <----am i being abused here? or is that the normal cost for this?

I have a feeling i'm being abused.

 

you can do it yourself. get a haynes manual. 20 bucks. and the 38 dollars valve cover gasket set.

it is not difficult at all. if you can do plugs and wires, you got this.

 

^^^^x2


For $520 I'd say your being more than abused my friend. Unless they are talking about changing your valve cover gasket, spark plug tube seals, timing belt, balance shaft belt, water pump and setting your valves. Your being raped!

Take it somewhere else to get another quote.

 

They might also be thinking head gasket.

 

highly doubtful. head gasket is ~$100. The book time is 5.9 flat rate hours. Plus they would send it away to get the head planed, which can be under $100 depending on the shop. You would spend a lot on that one.

 

It's a very easy DIY. The actual Valve Cover is held on by 4 nuts. Just undo those 4 + plus a few minor screws and take it off. You may need to hit it with a rubber mallet to get it off. Don't pry it off.
Once it's off, just scrape the area where the gasket contacts to get a good flat surface for the new gasket.
Carefully put the new one in without stretching it. You might as well do the spark plug o-rings while you're in there because they sit in the top of the valve cover and are easily reachable now.
Apply one bead of RTV in the camshaft endcap corners.
Put the valve cover back on and tighten the nuts down. It only takes about 7-8 ft/lbs so don't overtighten them.

 

Thanks all. I did the job myself with supervision by a mechanic friend. it was pretty easy.. took me almost 2 hours.. did the valve cover gasket, grommets, spark plugs/wires, distributor cap/rotor. $69 total.

 

Feels good to do it your self huh?
Rape never feels good. LOL

 

congrats!

 

2 important things to make sure it doesn't leak

1. Don't scratch the head or valve cover or it will leak. Use a rubber mallet to remove it.

2. Make sure the head and valve cover are very clean. Use a razor scraper and carb cleaner to clean off all the old crap.

 

Did you check the valve clearances while you had the cover off?

 

im about to change my valve cover gasket too (on my 91 accord ex) and someone said i need to adjust the camshaft too while at it (but i dont have tools and SKILL to adjust camshaft).. is it true? or i can just change the valve cover gasket kit ONLY?

 

Just change the valve cover gasket. No adjusting Camshaft needed.

 

When was the last time you had the valves adjusted?

I think that may have been what you heard someone saying. That you "should" adjust your valve clearances while your at it. If you don't have the tools or the skills. Then I would not suggest playing with anything under the valve cover. Have someone else do the valve adjustments for you if they haven't been adjusted in a while.

 

just out of curiosity is there an adjustment for the camshaft? it seems like that would just change the timing...

 

If you go out and buy an aftermarket adjustable cam gear. Then yes there is an adjustment for the camshaft & yes it adjusts cam timing. On an OEM head there is no cam adjustment. other than the 1/4" adjustment that the distributor provides. But you don't have to remove the valve cover to adjust that ether.

 

oh ok makes sense. thanks

 

so the moral of the story is.... no repair work in Teaneck, NJ.

got it.

 

thx for the info, i will just change the gasket then. i wanna change FuLL valve cover gasket because i found oil on spark plug number #2 when i changed spark plug. Im pretty sure its the o-ring gasket for the spark plug well as the car perform normal since i bought it 2.5 years ago.

 

Super old post, I know...came up in a search. Any specific type of RTV for the corners of the new gasket? (Between gasket and cover or gasket and engine)?

 

red or black will work just fine...just make sure that there is no oil whatsoever anywhere on the head and the valve cover gasket and you will be fine. You just want the rtv to stick to the camshaft cap corners at the head...there are basically 8 spots..four on each side.... That's the goal.

 

Hey guys I'm new to Hondas and my 93 has an oil consumption issue. I found the plug wires were soaked in oil when I pulled them so I got a valve cover gasket set from Napa today.

I've worked on cars for years, but after looking at the below video I'm a bit leary about getting it back together and not screwing up any valves. Would any of you be willing to take a minute and look at this video and let me know if what the guy is saying is on the money?


I have a haynes manual coming from the library but it's not here yet...

 

You literally can't screw up the valves because you don't lossen them. As long as you torque down everything according to specs as you should you will be fine.

eric the car guy is a well respected diy mechanic on youtube...he's referenced a lot on here

 

Definitely something you can do yourself. Check out that Eric The Car Guy video that the other users recommended, that's pretty a pretty simple fix. Gasket + torque sockets = saving you a TON of money.

 

Thanks guys. I'll definitely move ahead on this.