Hey guys (and girls), I have a 97 Corolla, automatic 1.6 My valve cover gasket is leaking badly. I have limited tools and knowledge, but am confident in taking things apart and replacing them. I know this is a recipe for disaster, but I have had many successes with working on my own car over the years. Before I start pulling this thing apart, I'd like to see a diagram or video of someone doing it. I've searched both on here and Google, but can only find 8th generation and newer. Can someone please point me in the right direction? I am assuming I will also need to replace the spark plug boots at the same time, so if someone has a link for that as well, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you for any and all help you can throw my way.
1997 Valve Cover Gasket
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Then you throughly clean and degrease the valve cover gasket crevice and put a new valve cover gasket in it. I recommend an OEM Toyota gasket, the FelPro one (seen in the pic) failed ridiculously quickly. Then you put six small dabs of RTV in six places on the engine side after it's all cleaned up (you may have to remove the old RTV, a razor blade works great but don't gouge the metal). These are the spots with angles. Here's a pic:
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Carefully place the valve cover on the engine. Put the nuts back on with new nut seals (the old ones are guaranteed to be destroyed) and torque to 52 inch lbs.
Valve cover gasket: 11213-15070
Nut seal: 90210-06010 x4
Spark plug tube seal: 11193-15010 x4
Quite the contrary... usually. This is a great attitude and how many of us started. Unfortunately, I don't know of any videos. But valve cover gaskets are very easy! Remove the four nuts and you can take off the valve cover. Sometimes it'll be a bit stuck, don't pry on the gasket seating surface! There's a small "ear" where you can gently pry on the side. Once it's off, replacing the spark plug tube seals requires bending the tiny tab out of the way, pulling them out, putting new ones in at the same depth, and flattening the tabs. Here's a pic of the finished product and proper depth:
Then you throughly clean and degrease the valve cover gasket crevice and put a new valve cover gasket in it. I recommend an OEM Toyota gasket, the FelPro one (seen in the pic) failed ridiculously quickly. Then you put six small dabs of RTV in six places on the engine side after it's all cleaned up (you may have to remove the old RTV, a razor blade works great but don't gouge the metal). These are the spots with angles. Here's a pic:
Carefully place the valve cover on the engine. Put the nuts back on with new nut seals (the old ones are guaranteed to be destroyed) and torque to 52 inch lbs.
Valve cover gasket: 11213-15070
Nut seal: 90210-06010 x4
Spark plug tube seal: 11193-15010 x4
The wires for the alternator, oil pressure sensor and AC go over the valve cover, so these need to be disconnected, and it can be tricky getting the wires out of the clips without breaking them. You must disconnect the negative battery terminal before taking the wire off the alternator or it can short out if it touches anything metal. You have to be careful not to hit the radiator with the wrench when removing the alternator wire.
Before applying the RTV sealant in the 5 locations you should clean it with brake cleaner or something similar. Any oil residue will prevent the sealant from adhering to the metal.
It's not absolutely necessary to replace the spark plug tube seals if you have time/money constraints. If you want to do all those seals, then you could also do the PCV valve grommet so everything rubber on the valve cover is new.
While you have the cover off, check that the camshaft seal is not leaking.
Before applying the RTV sealant in the 5 locations you should clean it with brake cleaner or something similar. Any oil residue will prevent the sealant from adhering to the metal.
It's not absolutely necessary to replace the spark plug tube seals if you have time/money constraints. If you want to do all those seals, then you could also do the PCV valve grommet so everything rubber on the valve cover is new.
While you have the cover off, check that the camshaft seal is not leaking.
I didn't unplug a thing. I just took the cover off and pulled the harness to the left.
Four nuts up top, but also the two bolts to the left, where the alternator harness passes through.
I used a Fel-Pro kit, which doesn't get high recommendations here, and it came with the spark plug tube seals.
The only real 'trick' to it is getting those four nuts torqued properly - and sealed.
I like DannoXYZ's idea on this the best: Just get some open nuts from the hardware store, (of the correct size and pitch of course) and put some good rubber seals under them, and torque it down.
I used a Fel-Pro kit, which doesn't get high recommendations here, and it came with the spark plug tube seals.
The only real 'trick' to it is getting those four nuts torqued properly - and sealed.
I like DannoXYZ's idea on this the best: Just get some open nuts from the hardware store, (of the correct size and pitch of course) and put some good rubber seals under them, and torque it down.
Other posters here covered almost everything I could think of so I only have one tiny thing to add:
Common newbie challenge in getting the valve cover off is not removing the rubber/metal seals under the four nuts. The rubber is typically hard as plastic by now, and clamping down on the stay threads preventing you from popping the cover off.
Common newbie challenge in getting the valve cover off is not removing the rubber/metal seals under the four nuts. The rubber is typically hard as plastic by now, and clamping down on the stay threads preventing you from popping the cover off.
Mine is a 1.8 but the only thing that caught me off guard was that there is this bolt that holds a bracket for the cruise control cable, that bolt kind of overlaps the valve cover so make sure and back it off enough for clearance.
It is nothing complex, just one of those "stupid" little things that gets in the way but isn't immediately evident.
In reality, you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. This is not a hard job.
Aside what everyone else has said -
Before going back in with a new gasket and sealant, maybe clean up all surfaces (especially where the sealant will go) with some mineral spirits so the sealant gets a good dry surface to stick to.
Sometimes the valve cover will drip a bit of oil, be prepared to deal with cleaning that up. It isn't much but even a little oil seems to create a big mess.
So here is what could go wrong and how to circumvent it -
The plug wires might be on pretty tight, You might grab a set out of a junk yard just in case one or more breaks when doing your car. Also grab at least a couple extra nuts in case you lose any. You know once stuff falls in the engine bay, it is never seen again. That is how they hid Jimmy Hoffa.
After you remove the plug wires, cover up the plug holes so the valve cover nuts do not accidentally get dropped down in there. OR - have a telescoping magnet to fish it out.
If any oil gets on the timing belt when removing the cover, clean it off immediately with a bit of soap and water. BTW, now would be a good time to inspect the timing belt best you can, even if just the exposed little bit, to get an idea of how the rest of the belt might look.
The cover for the alternator wires - that thing is a piece of crap and is likely partially broken anyways. Nothing needs to come off the alternator, the wires will move out of the way once that cover is off and there MIGHT be an extra clamp for the harness close to the alt. remove it for more wiggle room.
Make REAL sure you use sealant on the timing belt side of the valve cover. The last thing you want is oil seeping into the timing belt chamber.
If you do not have a torque wrench, just tighten the 4 nuts snugly but do not force further torque. 52 inch pounds is NOT much. Maybe grip the wrench or ratchet no more than 4 inches from the nut so there won;t even be enough leverage to go too tight. Then go around and double check the "torque", try to get things even as possible.
Checking for leaks is easy. Just kind of peek around once a week when you check your oil.
I think you will be surprised how easy this job is.
It is nothing complex, just one of those "stupid" little things that gets in the way but isn't immediately evident.
In reality, you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. This is not a hard job.
Aside what everyone else has said -
Before going back in with a new gasket and sealant, maybe clean up all surfaces (especially where the sealant will go) with some mineral spirits so the sealant gets a good dry surface to stick to.
Sometimes the valve cover will drip a bit of oil, be prepared to deal with cleaning that up. It isn't much but even a little oil seems to create a big mess.
So here is what could go wrong and how to circumvent it -
The plug wires might be on pretty tight, You might grab a set out of a junk yard just in case one or more breaks when doing your car. Also grab at least a couple extra nuts in case you lose any. You know once stuff falls in the engine bay, it is never seen again. That is how they hid Jimmy Hoffa.
After you remove the plug wires, cover up the plug holes so the valve cover nuts do not accidentally get dropped down in there. OR - have a telescoping magnet to fish it out.
If any oil gets on the timing belt when removing the cover, clean it off immediately with a bit of soap and water. BTW, now would be a good time to inspect the timing belt best you can, even if just the exposed little bit, to get an idea of how the rest of the belt might look.
The cover for the alternator wires - that thing is a piece of crap and is likely partially broken anyways. Nothing needs to come off the alternator, the wires will move out of the way once that cover is off and there MIGHT be an extra clamp for the harness close to the alt. remove it for more wiggle room.
Make REAL sure you use sealant on the timing belt side of the valve cover. The last thing you want is oil seeping into the timing belt chamber.
If you do not have a torque wrench, just tighten the 4 nuts snugly but do not force further torque. 52 inch pounds is NOT much. Maybe grip the wrench or ratchet no more than 4 inches from the nut so there won;t even be enough leverage to go too tight. Then go around and double check the "torque", try to get things even as possible.
Checking for leaks is easy. Just kind of peek around once a week when you check your oil.
I think you will be surprised how easy this job is.
Thank you all for the replies. I did the job and it was easy as pie. Below is what happened.
A took the valve cover off and inspected the gasket.
Gasket looked fine.
A neighbor who is a mobile mechanic took a look and recommended changing the gasket anyway because it was already off.
He looked at the timing belt gasket and noticed it was finger loose.
Told me to start with the valve cover gasket because the timing belt gasket is more work than I have tools for.
He told me NOT TO USE SEALANT on the new gasket. Thought this was odd since everything I've read talks about using sealant.
I got the fel pro gasket and spark plug seals.
Installed new gasket and seals.
Filler her up with oil.
Drove around for a few minutes, noticed a little bit of smoke. Figured this was due to possible spill or cleaning solvents used.
Let her sit then drove her around for about 10 minutes. MASSIVE oil leakage. There was a trail following me all the way home.
It is coming from the same area as before, but instead of being isolated to the timing belt area, it is all over the valve cover.
I then lost my keys at my GF's so I've haven't been able to get back in there.
Found the keys today, so I am going to check that timing belt gasket. If it's finger loose again, I will try to get some help replacing that.
If it's not loose, I will clean everything again and SEAL the valve cover gasket and cross my fingers.
Question: now that the new gasket is covered in oil, do I get a new one or just clean the one I just bought?
A took the valve cover off and inspected the gasket.
Gasket looked fine.
A neighbor who is a mobile mechanic took a look and recommended changing the gasket anyway because it was already off.
He looked at the timing belt gasket and noticed it was finger loose.
Told me to start with the valve cover gasket because the timing belt gasket is more work than I have tools for.
He told me NOT TO USE SEALANT on the new gasket. Thought this was odd since everything I've read talks about using sealant.
I got the fel pro gasket and spark plug seals.
Installed new gasket and seals.
Filler her up with oil.
Drove around for a few minutes, noticed a little bit of smoke. Figured this was due to possible spill or cleaning solvents used.
Let her sit then drove her around for about 10 minutes. MASSIVE oil leakage. There was a trail following me all the way home.
It is coming from the same area as before, but instead of being isolated to the timing belt area, it is all over the valve cover.
I then lost my keys at my GF's so I've haven't been able to get back in there.
Found the keys today, so I am going to check that timing belt gasket. If it's finger loose again, I will try to get some help replacing that.
If it's not loose, I will clean everything again and SEAL the valve cover gasket and cross my fingers.
Question: now that the new gasket is covered in oil, do I get a new one or just clean the one I just bought?
So, Toyota's official Factory Service Manual (FSM) mandates sealant on the spots indicated in Halo's post above. The forum members here have all done it with sealant. I can assure you that Toyota dealerships also do it as my wife got the timing belt replaced at a dealership prior to my involvement in the car and they clearly put sealant on when I popped it open.
So you've got the word of a mobile mechanic saying no sealant vs. the word of Toyota's engineering department who made the FSM; Toyota dealership mechanics; and Toyota enthusiasts on this forum all say DEFINITELY use sealant.
And now you have a massive oil leak. I'm not drawing any conclusions.... but....
(And it's safe to reuse the new gasket as long as you clean it and it's still intact.)
So you've got the word of a mobile mechanic saying no sealant vs. the word of Toyota's engineering department who made the FSM; Toyota dealership mechanics; and Toyota enthusiasts on this forum all say DEFINITELY use sealant.
And now you have a massive oil leak. I'm not drawing any conclusions.... but....
(And it's safe to reuse the new gasket as long as you clean it and it's still intact.)
i have the 7afe (1.8) in a 95 but i am wondering -
what is the timing belt gasket you speak of?
i know (from experience) that if the engine (95 1.8) is running but the oil fill cap is left off, it sprays oil all about but with the timing belt, there are no fluids running through the belt area. If it is a chain then that is a different story but i do not know how to 1.6 is set up in a prizm.
That just seems weird that it would leak THAT bad and not be evident where.
what is the timing belt gasket you speak of?
i know (from experience) that if the engine (95 1.8) is running but the oil fill cap is left off, it sprays oil all about but with the timing belt, there are no fluids running through the belt area. If it is a chain then that is a different story but i do not know how to 1.6 is set up in a prizm.
That just seems weird that it would leak THAT bad and not be evident where.
I'm not sure why he insisted on not sealing it. Maybe he was hoping I'd ask him to fix it so he gets business. Who knows.
There is some kind of seal where the red circle is on the image attached. He was able to pop it back in with his finger.
There is some kind of seal where the red circle is on the image attached. He was able to pop it back in with his finger.
Attachments
firstclutch you called it - nicely done
That's the cam seal. It should NOT be so loose that you can pop it back with your finger. In fact it's usually quite a pain to tap it in without shredding the outer edge of that seal becuase it's such a tight spot. It may have slipped right out again and caused the massive oil leak you're talking about - perhaps on top of the oil leak you have around the valve cover from not using sealant.Good to know. If I see that guy again, I'll let him know it's a cam seal and not a timing belt gasket. Keep in mind, I have limited technical knowledge here and learn as I go.
Took it apart, the cam seal was popped out again. Seeing that nothing that guy told me is adding up, I gotta ask, how hard is it to replace that seal?
Took it apart, the cam seal was popped out again. Seeing that nothing that guy told me is adding up, I gotta ask, how hard is it to replace that seal?
I am not a professional by any means and don't proclaim to be particularly good at working on cars. But I have done a fair amount of work on this Corolla, including cam seal, crank seal, valve cover gasket, timing belt, water pump, etc. The cam seal was the hardest to tap in for me. This might leave others rolling on the floor laughing, but I went through two seals before finally getting the third one in without shredding the outer edge.
This DIY add-on gives you more than you asked for but details out what's involved in the cam seal (and a whole lot more...): http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...ng-belt-water-pump-oil-seals-drive-belts.html
This DIY add-on gives you more than you asked for but details out what's involved in the cam seal (and a whole lot more...): http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...ng-belt-water-pump-oil-seals-drive-belts.html
My cam seal had popped out like that last year, and I was losing 1 quart every 25 miles! That's why I said to check that seal in my last post.
I took the metal cap off to get the seal in perfectly without damaging the outer lip, but you have to clean and use sealant on the contact surfaces of the metal when reinstalling the cap.
I took the metal cap off to get the seal in perfectly without damaging the outer lip, but you have to clean and use sealant on the contact surfaces of the metal when reinstalling the cap.
Time to add in some details for those who may be attempting these repairs.
Valve cover gasket-
YES it is advised to use sealant in the corners. No, nothing bad will happen if you dont. Its just insurance against any small leakage in the corners. Do not do this job without changing the spark plug seals. If the cover is leaking from an old hardened gasket, then the seals will leak too because they will also be hard as a rock. I have had them shatter when hitting them with a hammer for removal.
Cam seal-
No oil seal should ever be able to push in with your fingers. I have run across a few that you could. They are defective. You will need a hammer for installation. Of course a seal installation tool is the easiest and typically will insure proper installation. I dont use one. I'll use a small piece of wood to knock the seal in and have done it that way for years. A few times there wasnt enough room and just the side of the hammer did it. In any case push it in evenly until it is flush with the outside surface. There are some vehicles that this may not apply. Being the smart people you are you would have already read instructions if it wasnt.
Something else important- ALWAYS lubricate the seal lips and the shaft it is going over. Typically that lube would be whatever the seal is sealing against. In this case motor oil. Part II- ALWAYS make sure the shaft that seal is going on is free from any nicks, rust, or grooves. It will not seal if the surface isnt perfect. Small imperfections can be removed with production or emery paper. 400-600 grit for small scratches and start with 360 if you have a groove to take off. If it is really deep, you can get a seal repair sleeve. These are used most commonly for crankshaft repair. All this info applies to crank seals too.
Work smart. Do a good job.
-SP
Valve cover gasket-
YES it is advised to use sealant in the corners. No, nothing bad will happen if you dont. Its just insurance against any small leakage in the corners. Do not do this job without changing the spark plug seals. If the cover is leaking from an old hardened gasket, then the seals will leak too because they will also be hard as a rock. I have had them shatter when hitting them with a hammer for removal.
Cam seal-
No oil seal should ever be able to push in with your fingers. I have run across a few that you could. They are defective. You will need a hammer for installation. Of course a seal installation tool is the easiest and typically will insure proper installation. I dont use one. I'll use a small piece of wood to knock the seal in and have done it that way for years. A few times there wasnt enough room and just the side of the hammer did it. In any case push it in evenly until it is flush with the outside surface. There are some vehicles that this may not apply. Being the smart people you are you would have already read instructions if it wasnt.
Something else important- ALWAYS lubricate the seal lips and the shaft it is going over. Typically that lube would be whatever the seal is sealing against. In this case motor oil. Part II- ALWAYS make sure the shaft that seal is going on is free from any nicks, rust, or grooves. It will not seal if the surface isnt perfect. Small imperfections can be removed with production or emery paper. 400-600 grit for small scratches and start with 360 if you have a groove to take off. If it is really deep, you can get a seal repair sleeve. These are used most commonly for crankshaft repair. All this info applies to crank seals too.
Work smart. Do a good job.
-SP
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59 Posts
I'm a novice, but let me add...
I struggled with stretching the wire harness over the valve cover. I thought it was too short and I would need to disconnect it from the alternator.
Finally, I was able to remove the harness by pulling it first over the front corner of the valve cover, letting the harness run diagonally across the valve cover, and then pull the harness over the back corner of the valve cover.
That was a relief because the alternator connectors were covered with oil and dirt and I'm not sure how to deal with that. I would think the grime could get inside and electrically foul the connectors.
-Nick
I struggled with stretching the wire harness over the valve cover. I thought it was too short and I would need to disconnect it from the alternator.
Finally, I was able to remove the harness by pulling it first over the front corner of the valve cover, letting the harness run diagonally across the valve cover, and then pull the harness over the back corner of the valve cover.
That was a relief because the alternator connectors were covered with oil and dirt and I'm not sure how to deal with that. I would think the grime could get inside and electrically foul the connectors.
-Nick
Joined
·
2 Posts
how do i see the pictures in your post here? for some reason they just dont appear i my browser. unless i have to be a premium member to see them or something. I REEEAEAAALLLY want too see those locations for the sealant. can't really find it anywhere else. thankyou
You're not missing anything - I don't think there are any pictures except for a thumbnail in post 12.
Best way to search for pics which don't appear is through google's image search.
Best way to search for pics which don't appear is through google's image search.
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