Did my Valve Cover Gasket, Finally! Options

[hurley97]

you're burning oil

[Celicav]

So, I finished up painting my valve cover, put the new gasket in, applied the Toyota FIPG in the correct spots (according to your advice, Haynes manual, and residue of original FIPG), set the cover on without pinching any cords, and tightened everything else up (used 17 ft/lbs on the spark plug hole nuts). Then, I let the car sit cold for 2 hours (the FIPG instructions say you can start car 1-2 hrs after application) before starting. I ran the car in place for 10 minutes, and lo and behold, I've got a leak...about a 3-inch wide puddle on the passenger side. I must be leaking on the back side of the valve cover.

Advice?
Just get it redone at Toyota and avoid hassle of redoing it? Or, try the car out again tomorrow to give FIPG more time to harden? Or, the leak is not that bad and just keep adding oil?

The purpose of replacing the gasket was to stop leaks, and I obviously don't have a perfect seal. I'm thinking it is not good to keep having a leaky engine, but appreciate your advice. I'm afraid to see how much Toyota or any other shop charges to have this gasket replaced!

[6strngs]

1: you might have just spilled some oil if you drained and refilled while doing this.

2: you might be leaking from somewhere else.

3: is that the torque spec? I always thought they needed to be tighter than that.

4: for sure do it yourself if you verify that that is where it's leaking from. just remove it again (won't be stuck on there this time around) clean up all the FIPG and clean the mating surface nice and good and make sure there's no oil on it. also make sure to put FIPG between the valve cover and the gasket as well as between the gasket and the head. since the gasket is only a day old I'm sure you won't need to buy another and can just re-use it.

good luck and post pics!

[GriffGirl]

I have 2 questions, as I intend to undertake this endeavor myself in the not-too-distant-future. 1) what is FIPG? and 2) when the valve cover is off, if what's underneath looks like devilsden's, should one clean up the motor? If so, with what? What would the proper procedure be for this?

Thanks!

[Batman722]

I have 2 questions, as I intend to undertake this endeavor myself in the not-too-distant-future. 1) what is FIPG? and 2) when the valve cover is off, if what's underneath looks like devilsden's, should one clean up the motor? If so, with what? What would the proper procedure be for this?

Thanks!

FIPG
Form In Place Gasket

when the cover is off (very easy to do on an ST) don't put anything in there, and don't let anything fall in there either. The best way to clean up the inside of the motor (other than taking it all apart) is to use seafoam and follow the instructions.

[thespacepanda]

I was wondering, if anyone has taken the valve cover off their ST can someone post pics of the bolts that need to be removed. I need to do a new gasket and I want to paint it too and I've never removed one. If not pics just tell me how many have to come off. And did you have to pry the cover off or does it lift off?

[Rook]

nice job on the valve cover man! now i'm wanting to do that. lol. So...you think doing that would be hard for a 17 year old Rook?

[Rook]

Did my valve cover gasket! now i got a new problem: i broke a hose:( i'm guessing its the PCV Hose?? I'd put a pic but idk how. Ugh. Today= horrible day. I went to the auto parts stores and no one has it. Should i head out to Toyota or wat?

[6strngs]

nice job on the valve cover man! now i'm wanting to do that. lol. So...you think doing that would be hard for a 17 year old Rook?

nah, go back to the parts store and tell them you want a foot of 3/8 hose. take it home, cut it to length, and voila... if possible, take the broken hose with you to compare for size. If it is the PCV though, should be 3/8

[Rook]

oh...well i already put one on...but im not sure wat size it is. It sounds really bad though. i cut it to size and put it on as tight as it could go. The engine sounds rough at idle though...and i feel some of my power missing...

[6strngs]

oh...well i already put one on...but im not sure wat size it is. It sounds really bad though. i cut it to size and put it on as tight as it could go. The engine sounds rough at idle though...and i feel some of my power missing...

sounds like a vacuum leak. are you sure you have the right size hose, and/or you didn't forget to hook any other hoses up that you took off.

[Rook]

yeah i got 3/8 hose from oreilly's. i spent about an hour checking all the hoses and everything.....

[6strngs]

can you describe the noise it makes?

also, you're using hose clamps on the hose, right?

[Rook]

ah...engine almost sounds like it rattles. yeah im using the clamps. i just went out there to look for any air leaks. idk. Is there supposed to be a certain torque on the valve cover..? could that even be it?

[6strngs]

ah...engine almost sounds like it rattles. yeah im using the clamps. i just went out there to look for any air leaks. idk. Is there supposed to be a certain torque on the valve cover..? could that even be it?

you didn't drop anything into the engine while you had the valve cover off, did you?

[Rook]

ah...engine almost sounds like it rattles. yeah im using the clamps. i just went out there to look for any air leaks. idk. Is there supposed to be a certain torque on the valve cover..? could that even be it?

you didn't drop anything into the engine while you had the valve cover off, did you?

...a piece of silicon or watever was on there from the old gasket might've fallen into the head...but i seriously doubt that does anything. right? it was a tiny piece...it would just melt.

Another thing i could throw out there is the fact that it puts out less speed at the normal rpm..

[6strngs]

unless the gearing in the transmission changed, or your clutch is slipping, the rpm/speed relationship shouldn't have changed. I honestly don't think I can help you without hearing or seeing the engine, at least not without a better description of the symptoms.

Is it more of a rattling, knocking, or ticking noise? Does the speed of the noise increase with the speed of the engine? Does the volume of the noise increase with the speed of the engine? What area of the engine bay does the sound sound like it's coming from? How loud is it, barely noticable, noticable, or absolutley obnoxiously loud? And, you're positive it didn't make this noise before?

This post has been edited by 6strngs: Nov 29, 2008 - 1:31 AM

[Rook]

unless the gearing in the transmission changed, or your clutch is slipping, the rpm/speed relationship shouldn't have changed. I honestly don't think I can help you without hearing or seeing the engine, at least not without a better description of the symptoms.

Is it more of a rattling, knocking, or ticking noise? Does the speed of the noise increase with the speed of the engine? Does the volume of the noise increase with the speed of the engine? What area of the engine bay does the sound sound like it's coming from? How loud is it, barely noticable, noticable, or absolutley obnoxiously loud? And, you're positive it didn't make this noise before?

lol. yeah i was sure. thanks alot for your help man. We found the problem turned out the temperature sensor or watever was broken. the reciept for the part says Switch Radiator Fan BWD I'm not sure if my bud might've broken it while we were taking off the valve cover since he was on that side or wat. But i got it replaced today and everythings fine...

so now to paint the valve cover The problem now is whether i should take it back off or not. My dad said i probably shouldn't since the new gasket's been set and all, but i should just paint it while its on the engine. idk...good idea??

[6strngs]

was it the oil pressure sensor that's right below the valve cover on the right (driver's) side?

I'm a little confused, so you took the valve cover off, put it back on, and now want to take it off again to paint it? I thought the whole purpose of taking it off was to paint it! lol. But yeah, you technically shouldn't re-use gaskets ever, but I've done it in the past if the gasket was only a day or two old. except hard to get at things like the oil pan... anyways, I wouldn't recommend painting it while it's still on the car, you'll end up painting everything around it and it'll look unproffesional

[Rook]

haha...well i think i'm just gonna go for it. i'll mask stuff off and hopefully it'll look good. I'm not wanting to end up messing somthing else up and ending up back on here asking for more mechanical help. lol.