alright guys im getting ready to install my new valve cover on my h22a4 and i have heard alot of stories about breaking the bolts when putting it back on. how tight should i torque it down? also i heard replacing the gasket can create a leak, anybody know ways so that doesnt happen?

 

Get a new valve cover gasket from honda.

Use a small amount of hondabond on the 4 area's around the cam shafts (the 4 areas where the surface of the block makes to the outer cam caps).

If you must torque them, use 7 in-lbs. I usually just hand tighten them with a 10mm socket till they are somewhat snug in a criss cross pattern then give them a slow 1/8 to 1/4 turn to torque them down since they are easy to snap.

 

Replacing a gasket can definatly not cause a leak, unless you do something wrong, but generally a new gasket fixes a leak/bad seal........ do what Gude said, just tighten them to a snug and then another half turn...... there's no real need to torque them to spec......they aren't under any kind of load

 

thanks guys, i just got back from the local honda dealership i ordered new gasket and the seals around the spark plugs, so i should be set as long as im careful with the bolts

 

You need/should put Hondabond in the corners of the gasket (where it goes over the cam caps). I usually use a 1/4" drive when tightening low-torque bolts like that. A nice snug feel is about 9ft/lbs

 

It's just as easy and snapping on your torque wrench and torquing them down to spec. Simple! "snug" for everyone isn't the same, and is it worth it to have to go in with a screw remover to get them out? It takes an additional 30 seconds!

 

That is why I said use the 1/4 drive.

 

so people snap the actuall bolt? I have busted about 6of the nuts. The threads just seem to fall off them. Bolts have always been fine. But I agree with Gude on how to tighten them

 

If you read the Helms it says to tq them down to 8.6 pounds of tq which is ft lbs

 

yeah but I've stripped the nut with less torque than that.

 

c'mon guys..... its a valve cover, is it really that difficult? if you're having problems with this..... don't touch your motor

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by spoolinlude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">c'mon guys..... its a valve cover, is it really that difficult? if you're having problems with this..... don't touch your motor</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GudeH23a &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

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w3rd

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by spoolinlude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">c'mon guys..... its a valve cover, is it really that difficult? if you're having problems with this..... don't touch your motor</TD></TR></TABLE>

haha!