Valve Cover Hex Bolts - help

[Jonnie]

Do the lower valve cover bolts get hard to remove? I am working on the passenger side and have all top ones out and the first one in the front, leaving 3. The top were not trick at all and I did not really consider them tight.

I used a 1/4 drive with extension with a 1/4 socket with a 5mm hex insert.

I tried the next 2 back and it seemed like the hex head is not biting and slipped. So I am worried I am going to round out the hex hole.

The manual indicates 77.9 lb/in ( or 6.5 lb/ft) tight.

Walked over to Autozone with the do not have any hex socket combos.

Any advice?

Jon

[atilla_the_fun]

I picked up hex sockets from O'reillys for this job. They should not be abnormally tight. I didn't have to spray any lubricant, but could you overnight with PB blaster or wd40? The driver's side has one bolt that is closest to the firewall on the bottom that is between the block and the powersteering pump. It will be really difficult to reach.

[Jonnie]

I picked up hex sockets from O'reillys for this job. They should not be abnormally tight. I didn't have to spray any lubricant, but could you overnight with PB blaster or wd40? The driver's side has one bolt that is closest to the firewall on the bottom that is between the block and the powersteering pump. It will be really difficult to reach.

I PB'd them.

Yeah, the pass. side is leaking the most, so I started on the easy side. lol!

But if I strip them, not sure what will get them out and what a 'local' replacement would be. Derp.

[IndianaVX]

I don't remember them being that tight either. I have sometimes stuck a hex socket in bolts, then lightly give it a tap to break it loose. Also brake clean the bolt head to make sure it's clean so the hex goes fully into the head.

[Jonnie]

A friend picked up last nite to get something to eat we stopped my Autozone and I got their 3/8 metric hex/socket.

So after PB'ing them last nite and seeing they were clean this morning I switched to the 3/8 setup and tapped with a hammer to set and got the two lower center bolts out.

I think it was the 1st hex bit was not seating.

So now I have the last lower one at the firewall. The heater hoses are in the way and I am worried I will damage them and I don't have any replacements. and getting to the lower connections look near impossible.

So I'm pretty frustrated and think I may button it all back together and have a shop do it. I'm just really tight on cash as many of us are. Just put $800 into a steering gear box, hoses, and pump.

I'm not shy of this type of stuff but I don't think it will end well if I continue.

And there is some oil in the front plug hole too.

[IndianaVX]

I may be missing a post, so I apologize for asking..... But what is you end game? Head gaskets? Valve cover gaskets? I am not the greatest mechanic and I Took both heads off. Just write things down, be methodical. This cover bolt is a pain, but it's doable. I will look thru my pics to jog my memory, but it seems that a universal was used in there just to break it loose, then the brake booster got in the way, so then used old fashioned hex, then by hand. Again, I don't know wether to encourage you to press on cAuse you're almost finished, or to prepare you for more wrenching!

[Jonnie]

It's just a leaky gasket, but not burring. Just lots of oil dowen the motor, been leaking a while.

I put just it all back together- will get some spare bolts and heater hoses and get a shop e$timate.

Wondering if it makes sense to have both sides done and get a valve adjustment?

Thanks for all the comments. At least the leak does not seem worse.

[p_justin13]

Just did my valve cover gaskets tonight. Isn't it a 6mm not 5? Rear bolts are or were a pain in the arse to get out had to use an allen to snake down in there to remove. Takes awhile but not that bad as long as some aren't stripped out like two of mine were had to wedge a socket on them to get the out hex was completely spinning!

[Jonnie]

So what's the best method of attack for the Passenger side firewall bottom hex bolt? The heater core lines are in the way as well as some hard lines.

[p_justin13]

Just try using a standard Allen wrench the low profile 90 degree bend fits right down in there. It obviously takes a bit of small turn remove, reposition, small turn, over and over again but once loose easy to snake hand in and loosen rest of the way.

[IndianaVX]

I seem to remember using an extension with the socket on the end, between the heater hoses. Can't remember if there was a bracket holding the hoses to the firewall, if so, I'm sure I loosened, or removed them to get more movement to get hoses where I needed them. Then take the long extension between hoses, attach Allen socket, and remove bolt. Doing this gets the actual socket wrench up away from the hoses for turning action, instead of down there in the tight spaces.

[p_justin13]

That seemed to work real well on the passenger side but the lower driver side behind the brake booster was a pain in the ***. Thats where I just ended up using an actual small allen wrench. On the passenger side I just pulled all the hoses back out of the way and zip tied them to the firewall to keep them up and clear which also helped to slide the valve cover off.