3.8 rear valve cover replacement

[flybyy]

just about to put cover gaskets on my lxi 3.8. The rear cover appears to be a bit of a job. Any tips on how best to get at it?? thx.. Ben

[DSMLVR]

Is the cover/gasket bad or just leaking? Did you try a tighten down of the bolts on it already? NOT real tight, but snug the bolts down and see if (IF leaking IS your problem) it stops. The service manual calls them CYLINDER HEAD COVERS.
Here is the 2002 Service Manual instructions:

CYLINDER HEAD COVER(S)
DESCRIPTION
The cylinder head covers are made of stamped
steel. The covers are sealed with steel reinforced sil-icon
rubber gaskets. The cylinder head cover uses
rubber isolators at each fastener location .
NOTE: Due to the tight packaging near the cylinder
head covers, which makes spill clean-up difficult, a
spill during an engine oil change may be misinter-preted
as an oil leak. When investigating an oil leak
in the location of the cylinder head covers and
intake manifold, follow the procedure found in Oil
Leak Diagnosis (Refer to 9 - ENGINE - DIAGNOSIS
CYLINDER HEAD COVER -RIGHT
REMOVAL (REAR COVER)
(1) Disconnect negative cable from battery.
(2) Remove the wiper module. (Refer to 8 - ELEC-TRICAL/
WIPERS/WASHERS/WIPER MODULE -REMOVAL)
(3) Disconnect spark plug wires from plugs.
(4) Disconnect power steering pump supply hose
support clip from cylinder head cover .
(5) Disconnect PCV hose from cylinder head cover.
(6) Remove cylinder head cover bolts.
(7) Remove cylinder head cover and gasket INSTALLATION
(1) Clean cylinder head and cover mating surfaces.
Inspect cylinder head cover surface for flatness.
Replace gasket as necessary.
(2) Inspect seal on the cover bolt for wear or damage.
Replace bolt assembly as necessary.
NOTE: The cylinder head cover bolts contain a
torque limiter sleeve and a seal (Fig. 26). The seal
and torque sleeve is replaced with the bolt.
(3) Assemble gasket to cylinder cover by inserting
the bolt assemblies through each bolt hole on the
cover and gasket (Fig. 26).
(4) Install cylinder head cover and bolts (Fig. 27).
(5) Tighten cylinder head cover bolts to 12 N·m
(105 in. lbs.) (Fig. 27).
(6) Connect PCV hose to cylinder head cover.
(7) Connect power steering pump supply hose sup-port
clip to cylinder head cover (Fig. 24).
(8) Connect spark plug wires to spark plugs.
(9) Install wiper module. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRI-CAL/
WIPERS/WASHERS/WIPER MODULE -INSTALLATION)
(10) Connect negative cable to battery.

CYLINDER HEAD COVER -LEFT
REMOVAL (FRONT COVER)
(1) Disconnect spark plug wires from spark plugs.
(2) Disconnect crankcase vent hose from cylinder
head cover.
(3) Remove cylinder head cover bolts.
(4) Remove cylinder head cover and gasket.
INSTALLATION
(1) Clean cylinder head and cover mating surfaces.
Inspect cylinder head cover surface for flatness.
Replace gasket as necessary.
(2) Assemble gasket to cylinder cover by inserting
the fasteners through each bolt hole on cover and
gasket (Fig. 26).
(3) Install the cylinder head cover and bolts (Fig.
27).
(4) Tighten cylinder head cover bolts to 12 N·m
(105 in. lbs.) (Fig. 27).
(5) Connect crankcase vent hose.
(6) Connect spark plug wires to spark plugs.


Since you did not tell what year you have , this is all the info I can give. It is pretty much the same for all years.

GOOD LUCK

[flybyy]

thx for the info.. in case it matters.. its a 1998. I think it is most likely a leak due to the 70k miles. My big concern was getting the cover out from under the cast intake 'spider' that is on top of it. The front is wide open but the back looked a little tougher to get at. I may try tightening for a week just to see if I get lucky.. thx again.. any additional would be appreciated.. thx..Ben
:thumbup

[sellinghomes4u]

You need to remove the intake.
Larry

[flybyy]

that's not funny... I know your kidding..ha..ha.. right?.. I mean..its just a freakin valve cover.. no way.. right?.. huh.. uh.. ok..no..really.. not the intake...ahhhhhhh!!!!!!&#3 3;! maybe it doesnt leak thaaat bad.. ugh..

[Woggy]

I was thinking of doing the same thing as Flybyy, in the spring. But now.....well now that I really look at it it's not bad.

[sellinghomes4u]

The manual calls for removal of the intake for plugs too (but they can be done without). It's not that hard. AAMOF next time I do my 99's plugs (it will have over 200k than) I intend to remove the intake since it's easier than snaking my arm between the firewall and exhaust pipe. Besides it'll probably need vc gaskets by than ;-)
Larry

[DSMLVR]

Removing plugs WITHOUT removing the intake is different then trying to remove something the size of the valve cover. :cry You MAY beable to do it, but WOULD it be worth the time and trouble of doing it that way? I remove plugs ALL the time, WITHOUT removing the intake. But I would never try it with the valve cover. :nope

[flybyy]

just makes me miss the days of my old V-8s where you could pretty much remove anything in 30 minutes with a 1/2 inch box wrench and a tune up required a screwdriver and a dwell tach, not a 1300 dollar meter.. (or a 60 dollar stealership diagnostic to turn out a flashing light)... nah well.. I guess all the performance and mileage make up for it somehow... <S> <_<

[sellinghomes4u]

Yeah I miss those days too, but than a vehicle couldn&#39;t go more than 10000 miles without some kind of tune up attention, carb adj, points etc. Of course I was wrenching for a living in those golden days and it was gravy work. But than there was other faux pas like the 429 mustang which needed the motor mounts pulled and the engine yanked upwards to give enough clearance to get the plugs and even than it was a bal....er knuckle buster.
They&#39;re really not that bad unless you get into some of the foreign crap but even that is getting better.
Larry