I removed the brake booster from the master cylinder and just sat it up out the way. There was no my valve cover would come off with out doing that. Now that I have it bolted back up though, my brake pedal is stuck.
Valve Cover Removal
- Thread starter Red Poison
- Start date
Anything more on this method?
sorry no pics, but I have removed driver side valve cover without removing the booster with success and sent out to powder coat, getting ready to reinstall tonight. It worked but I would suggest removing the midpipe to give just a little bit more jack room and more clearance off the booster.
I'll be doing this in the next week. I'm doing LT's anyways so i'm dropping the K and suspending the motor via a harbor frieght engine support. Then just gonna lower it just enough to get the cover off. Much simpler but only cuz i'm already gonna have the k member off 
:beer:
:beer:
I was able to change the driver's side valve cover gasket in less then 2 hours. Remove the clutch cable, the throttle cable and the ground strap. Remove the coil-on plugs, valve cover bolts and loosen the motor mount. Remove the power steering reservoir and dipstick bolt. Jack the engine up high enough to remove the valve cover.
This is much easier then removing the brake booster which i did the first time.
This is much easier then removing the brake booster which i did the first time.
For the life of my, I could not figure out how to unplug the connector that goes into the side of the Master cylinder reservoir, so I left it plugged it. It made it a tad more difficult because it took up valuable space where moving the valve cover, but I managed. I’m sure I put an extra strain on it by pushing and pulling up against it. If anyone knows how to unplug it, please feel free to tell me and I will add it to this write up. Reference the above pic of the master cylinder for a clear view of the top, but here are some pics of the bottom. (I had to wait til I got the valve cover off before I snapped these pics.)
This is a proximity sensor that goes from the motorside to the fenderwell side of the master cylinder. To remove it, you unclip it onthe fenderwell side of the master cylinder and the sensore and clip slide out as one.
This tutorial helped a lot but in my 04 it was impossible to just slide the master cylinder over enough to get the driver valve cover off so this is what I did to get a little more room.
I removed the brake booster completely from the firewall its not that hard and it gave me way more room to work. I just got my valve covers powder coated and didnt want to scratch them on the re-install, turned out to be a good idea it was very easy to reinstall the brake booster.
First remove the nut that holds the lines for the master cylinder so you don't break them.
Then you should be able to slide the master cylinder back enough to completely remove the brake booster. ** Note on reinstall make sure you have the bottom stud back in before you slide it back into the firewall, makes it easier to get the master cylinder hooked back up to the brake booster
I removed the brake booster completely from the firewall its not that hard and it gave me way more room to work. I just got my valve covers powder coated and didnt want to scratch them on the re-install, turned out to be a good idea it was very easy to reinstall the brake booster.
First remove the nut that holds the lines for the master cylinder so you don't break them.
Then you should be able to slide the master cylinder back enough to completely remove the brake booster. ** Note on reinstall make sure you have the bottom stud back in before you slide it back into the firewall, makes it easier to get the master cylinder hooked back up to the brake booster
Last edited:
That looks exhausting, but to each their own. Just in my experience of doing 2 both ways, it is so much quicker and easier to remove engine mount nut, take 2x4 and jack up transmission so driver side comes up and then loosen the nut on the dipstick and cover comes out and goes back pretty easily.
Its actually on to 3 bolts more.. simple enough and kept me from scratching up the new powder coated valve covers.
I had mine powdercoated as well and not a scratch. :beer:
Might be a dumb question, but I am going to be doing this in the next couple weeks and removing the brake booster (which is what we did when we pulled the motor), I don't need to bleed the brakes correct?
i wanna do this but i wanna use hi temp paint. i have no experience with powdercoating.
I wouldn't think so, You aren't opening the master cylinder your just separating the brake booster from the master cylinder. So no fluid loss/air in the lines
Why not
That is EXACTLY what I'm getting done for mine, I LOVE the wrinkle black valve cover look after having it on a 3rd gen Camaro w/ the wrinkle black VCs, air cleaner, and timing cover.
I got quoted $125 to blast and powder the valve covers and $75 to blast and powder the timing cover, not sure if thats the normal price but thats local here.
Now I just need to figure out what I wanna do for the timing cover; wrinkle black vs. semi-gloss black vs. silver vs. semi-flat silver and so on :beer:
great write-up. helped me VERY much last week to get through the removal of the drivers side valve cover. i however had the same difficulty afore mentioned about not having enough room even with the hydro-boost unbolted. i had to separate it from the master cylinder and set it aside. could possibly be because of my aftermarket (solid) motor mounts. thanks again for sharing/and especially the pictures!!
So final verdict gentlemen: remove brake booster etc or remove motor mount?
I am pulling my heads really so if im jacking engine up to remove cover would i just reinstall the engine back on mount when cover is off in order to get heads off?
Should i just move brake booster to make it easy to work with heads coming off? Thanks guys!
I am pulling my heads really so if im jacking engine up to remove cover would i just reinstall the engine back on mount when cover is off in order to get heads off?
Should i just move brake booster to make it easy to work with heads coming off? Thanks guys!
^personally I like to work less. So doing it both ways now. I will always remove driver side nut on engine mount and loosen dipstick and jack engine rather than remove booster. That is such a pain in the ass. I dont have big hands but damn you need tiny fingers to get the bolt under the dash.
Due to numerous delays I haven't done mine yet and glad I read this - are you lowering engine to be able to get clearance, or are you jacking up driver's side to get above the brake stuff?
Any chance you have some pics of the process? My friend that is a mechanic moved so I'm limited to hand tools so the easier the better now
Ok, so i just remove nuts on motor mount and jack up engine? just like that? it wont mess up the passenger side motor mount and i dont need to remove anything other than dipstick? where are ur jacking points?
Oh and im removing heads too should i just put the engine back on mount and secure once i pull valve covers off or do i need the clearance for the heads too?
thanks raven
Users who are viewing this thread
