i am wanting to replace my valve cover gasket cuz its leaking a little oil...i want to know if it is really as simple as disconnecting the battery and taking off the valve cover bolts cleaning the area the gasket goes and then slapping on the new one and tighten...is it really this simple or am i forgetting to do something?

 

Its that easy. But please make sure you do not over tighten the VC bolts. You WILL break a stud.

 

Also, apply liquid gasket (Honda Bond or equivalent like Permatex Ultra Gray) to the corners of the humps where it goes over the camshafts.

 

^^^ si my bad forgot to mention that.

 

you dont have to disconnect the battery...dont forget to take the grounds on the vc off

 

Why would you disconnect the battery?


Just take off a couple 10mm bolts/nuts, change the gasket, and put it back on. Shouldn't take you longer than 10 minutes. If it takes longer than 10 minutes, then you've chosen the wrong hobby.

 

Oil leaks are tricky to trace. I hope you're right about it being the valve cover gasket. Also, having a micro torque wrench helps. I believe those nuts are supposed to be torqued to 8 ft-lbs.

Make sure both mating surfaces are perfectly clean and smoothe. Use honda bond in the corners.

Good luck

 

On this note you should also be replacing the grommets around all 8 studs on the cover and the spark plug holes. If the grommets are flattened too much it will cause the acorn nut to bottom out on the stud and strip even when correct torque is applied. A good 1/4" drive torque wrench will be your friend here as the nuts should be sequenced down to about 90in/lb(8ft/lb). It's also been mentioned to put a dab of high temperature gasket compound in the corners surrounding the cams.

If you're going to do it you may as well do it right.

 

thats my thought on almost everything. Just do everything right.

 

I think I might know why he said that. Ive seen some guys disconnect the alternator to get the harness that goes over the valve cover completely out of the way. The alt B+ wire is hot at all times. Maybe thats where he was going.

 

ok thanks guys for all your input!