DIY valve cover gasket (pics) - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

smilecow · 10-24-2009, 08:25 PM

I changed this gasket last year but didnt post because this was too easy but somebody asked how below a thread so I posted.( my car is a 99 2.2l camry)

tool needed: 29mm wrench(or socket),10mm wrench(socket) nose plier, high temp rtv,
level: as easy as changing oil

1) detach the breather hose ( blue circle)
2) remove the 10mm bolt and move the harness aside(red circle); I did this
but not necessary.

3)remove the 4 BOOTS
with a plier (NEVER pull the wire)
[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG]

4) remove the 4 nuts with a 29mm wrench or socket( no need any lubricant. easy removal)

5) remove the cover with a flat driver.

you need to pull up

6) you should place some newpaper and a bucket for some drop of oil, not much.

7) remove the gasket by just pulling

8) remove some left seal with thinner( I didn't do that. You mostly are not going to do that)

new valve gasket and high temp rtv( I purchased boots but I didn't install. I recommend not buying boots except boot problems)

9) install the gasket

10) put the rtv on both side left and right

reassemble everything in reverse order.

When I did this, I got 135k on it with every 3k conventional oil change. It was more cleaner than I had expected.

I should keep changing oil 3k.

Novice_cardude · 10-24-2009, 09:02 PM

holy balls that's a clean motor!

I took a motor out of a 2007 lexus RX350 with 40k on the clock to re-seal the front cover, and it looked worlds dirtier than that!

I've always changed my oil at 3k. I'm doing my VC gasket with my full 120k service in a couple weeks. I can only hope mine is almost half as clean as that.

***JohnGD*** · 10-24-2009, 11:57 PM

Nice and clean engine! I'm for dino every 3000 miles.

Mike Gerber · 10-25-2009, 10:20 AM

That is a very clean engine. Nice write-up. One small correction. "4) remove the 4 nuts with a 29mm wrench or socket" The nuts should be 30MM.

Mike

Hajoca · 10-25-2009, 12:08 PM

30mm and being under so little torque, any grip will turn them.

The nuts seem to taper, and a larger socket/wrench will grab onto the corners.

Mike Gerber · 10-25-2009, 01:43 PM

Hajoca is correct. They are 30MM. I can't type. I will correct my other post. Thanks Hajoca.

Mike

peshwa · 12-20-2010, 12:31 AM

Hi smilecow
Thanks for your nice DIY. I resealed my valve cover gasket yesterday and used the Permatex High Temp RED RTV (same that you seem to have used for your VCG).
How is your Oxygen sensor doing? I am scared right now as I read Permatex Red RTV is not sensor safe.
Please respond if you are still active on this board!

***LynchburgCSI*** · 12-20-2010, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peshwa

Hi smilecow
Thanks for your nice DIY. I resealed my valve cover gasket yesterday and used the Permatex High Temp RED RTV (same that you seem to have used for your VCG).
How is your Oxygen sensor doing? I am scared right now as I read Permatex Red RTV is not sensor safe.
Please respond if you are still active on this board!

Smilecow: Last Activity: 11-27-2010 06:03 PM

04yfz · 12-20-2010, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peshwa

Hi smilecow
Thanks for your nice DIY. I resealed my valve cover gasket yesterday and used the Permatex High Temp RED RTV (same that you seem to have used for your VCG).
How is your Oxygen sensor doing? I am scared right now as I read Permatex Red RTV is not sensor safe.
Please respond if you are still active on this board!

You'll be fine, the only thing touching the red rtv is oil and minimal if any at that. However, permatex red is no oil resistant.

I recommend using permatex gray on our camry's, it's oil resistant and sensor safe. I believe it's actually an equivalent to what toyota/oem specs are.

peshwa · 12-20-2010, 09:22 AM

Thanks Ken and o4yfz for you replies.I guess start my car later today with a bated breath then!
Allowed my baby to sit for nearly 40 hours now to cure. More time given to cure RTV due to the cold weather.
I am also doing my oil pan sealing later this week. If valve cover leaks, I will redo it using Permatex Gray then.
Thanks a ton!

dave1811 · 12-20-2010, 01:40 PM

Great pics! I plan on doing this with one of my 99's soon. Have a pooling oil leak behind the back of the valve cover, gonna try tightening it up a bit first to see if that might help. You didn't need the spark plug tube seals? What about the half moon plugs on the sides, are those necessary or just use RTV? Thanks for opinions.

***fenixus*** · 12-20-2010, 02:30 PM

very clean motor!

my 5s-fe was 10x dirtier (black streaks even after sea foaming) at only 64k miles and same 3k OCI for last 30k miles ... probably prev owner made it dirty before me or using cheapest OCI deals with cheap filters didn't do any good for me in past hehe.