So I recently finished my valve cover install, and noticed that when I researched the site there was little information on how to do it and just a lot of do I need to take off the hydroboost or not? Hopefully this write up will help some people out that wanted to do it them selves.
Tools you will need:
- Basic socket set
- 13mm DEEP socket
- extensions, I used a 6inch and a couple of 2 inch extensions.
- Valve cover gasket set (I think I paid like 50$)
First things first, get some stuff out of the way. Remove drivers side seat (electrical connector is in the back underneath) also remove the clutch cable from the firewall.
Passenger side
- Remove intake, tb + plenum (you don't have to disconnect the TB cable)
- Remove cop cover (10mm socket)
- Remove the 10 bolts(14mm socket) that hold the valve cover into place.
- At the front of the valve cover there is some RTV that has a pretty good grip on the valve cover, just take a flat head and pry up. I scraped the remaining RTV off the head with the flat head (be careful not to get it into the head)
- Apply your new gasket to the bottom of the cover.
- Apply some RTV to front corners of the head.
- Put on your new spark plug gaskets (be careful that these don't fall off into the head, however if they do you can easily get them out).
- When you put your cover on, before you tighten it down make sure your 4 spark plug gaskets are still on. You can do this by just shining a light down there... you will see the inner white edges of the gasket.
- Tighten down valve cover (Can't remember tq. specs sorry)
Drivers side (poison)
- Disconnect master cylinder from hydroboost (2 nuts), disconnect distribution box.
- Now time for the fun part.... disconnect the the brake pedal from the shaft that comes from the hydroboost. There are a few parts to this, take a pic of it. Disconnect the wire from the brake light switch. There is also a blue plastic peice that connects to a metal plate, you can remove this with needle nose plyers (squeeze and pull through the other side).
- Use your 13mm deep socket and a 6 in extension to remove the 3(three) nuts that hold the brake booster plate on the firewall. You will need the 2 in. extensions for one of the nuts (maybe 2 of them... can't remember). Next remove the one nut in the engine bay that holds the hydroboost into place, its located on the lower left side of the hydroboost.
- Push in the brake pedal, this will push out the hydro boost almost completly out. Now wiggle the hydroboost out (the shaft is the biggest problem). Move hydroboost to the side.
- Disconnect the nuts to the power steering line (one is right on top of the res the other is by the pulley cover, there is a third but you don't need it removed).
- Remove the valve cover (samething with the other side, RTV up front, scrape off, apply new RTV, new gasket for valve cover, tighten down valve cover).
- Put hydroboost back into firewall (it will be tough to push through the firewall) so instead of fighting with it for like 20 mins. Just get it barely in, throw the shaft back on the brake pedal and pull the brake pedal. Put nuts back on the to tighten down hydroboost setup.
- Attach the master cylinder to hyrdroboost, it is tough to go back on... so get it lined up and tap the end with a hammer, then tighten down.
- Put nuts back on power steering line to tighten it down.
- Now when you disconnected the pedal frrom thee shaft and failed to take a pic it goes back together like this..
They go back on in this order, put black washer on first (flatside first). Then slide the hydroboost shaft onto the pedal and over the black washer. The brake light switch goes next. Slide the white plastic washer on, then put the metal pin on to lock everything into place. Sorry I couldn't get a pic of this, I tried with my phone but obviously its dark under there and I have no flash.
Reinstall clutch cable, seat, intake, plenum and TB. Start the car and check for leaks. I had a little bit of smoke coming from the engine, this was normal as I think some got on the exhaust during the removal of the valve covers... if it doesn't stop after like 5 mins make sure all your bolts are tightened down.
All in all it took about 5-6 hours, however if there was an extensive write up like this one I really believe I could have it down in half the time. Goodluck.
Ben
Tools you will need:
- Basic socket set
- 13mm DEEP socket
- extensions, I used a 6inch and a couple of 2 inch extensions.
- Valve cover gasket set (I think I paid like 50$)
First things first, get some stuff out of the way. Remove drivers side seat (electrical connector is in the back underneath) also remove the clutch cable from the firewall.
Passenger side
- Remove intake, tb + plenum (you don't have to disconnect the TB cable)
- Remove cop cover (10mm socket)
- Remove the 10 bolts(14mm socket) that hold the valve cover into place.
- At the front of the valve cover there is some RTV that has a pretty good grip on the valve cover, just take a flat head and pry up. I scraped the remaining RTV off the head with the flat head (be careful not to get it into the head)
- Apply your new gasket to the bottom of the cover.
- Apply some RTV to front corners of the head.
- Put on your new spark plug gaskets (be careful that these don't fall off into the head, however if they do you can easily get them out).
- When you put your cover on, before you tighten it down make sure your 4 spark plug gaskets are still on. You can do this by just shining a light down there... you will see the inner white edges of the gasket.
- Tighten down valve cover (Can't remember tq. specs sorry)
Drivers side (poison)
- Disconnect master cylinder from hydroboost (2 nuts), disconnect distribution box.
- Now time for the fun part.... disconnect the the brake pedal from the shaft that comes from the hydroboost. There are a few parts to this, take a pic of it. Disconnect the wire from the brake light switch. There is also a blue plastic peice that connects to a metal plate, you can remove this with needle nose plyers (squeeze and pull through the other side).
- Use your 13mm deep socket and a 6 in extension to remove the 3(three) nuts that hold the brake booster plate on the firewall. You will need the 2 in. extensions for one of the nuts (maybe 2 of them... can't remember). Next remove the one nut in the engine bay that holds the hydroboost into place, its located on the lower left side of the hydroboost.
- Push in the brake pedal, this will push out the hydro boost almost completly out. Now wiggle the hydroboost out (the shaft is the biggest problem). Move hydroboost to the side.
- Disconnect the nuts to the power steering line (one is right on top of the res the other is by the pulley cover, there is a third but you don't need it removed).
- Remove the valve cover (samething with the other side, RTV up front, scrape off, apply new RTV, new gasket for valve cover, tighten down valve cover).
- Put hydroboost back into firewall (it will be tough to push through the firewall) so instead of fighting with it for like 20 mins. Just get it barely in, throw the shaft back on the brake pedal and pull the brake pedal. Put nuts back on the to tighten down hydroboost setup.
- Attach the master cylinder to hyrdroboost, it is tough to go back on... so get it lined up and tap the end with a hammer, then tighten down.
- Put nuts back on power steering line to tighten it down.
- Now when you disconnected the pedal frrom thee shaft and failed to take a pic it goes back together like this..
They go back on in this order, put black washer on first (flatside first). Then slide the hydroboost shaft onto the pedal and over the black washer. The brake light switch goes next. Slide the white plastic washer on, then put the metal pin on to lock everything into place. Sorry I couldn't get a pic of this, I tried with my phone but obviously its dark under there and I have no flash.
Reinstall clutch cable, seat, intake, plenum and TB. Start the car and check for leaks. I had a little bit of smoke coming from the engine, this was normal as I think some got on the exhaust during the removal of the valve covers... if it doesn't stop after like 5 mins make sure all your bolts are tightened down.
All in all it took about 5-6 hours, however if there was an extensive write up like this one I really believe I could have it down in half the time. Goodluck.
Ben
