Valve cover replacement.

This passed weekend I finally got around to doing the Valve Covers and the rest of the gaskets etc that are associated with replacing them.

As I do, most of the time, when getting ready to do a repair like this one, I trolled YouTube to get an idea of what I was getting myself in to.

And yet again, I came across a video posted by @Timmah! As always his video was very informative.

Here's a good place to start.
https://youtu.be/N5fAXAuGozI

 

You can get the parts list off his video.

As I collected parts, I went in a different direction on a couple of things.

I went with NGK wires and plugs instead of Denso.

 

Here's prices and where I got the rest of the parts. These are the best prices I could find.

 

I didn't buy new half moons. When you get to those... Do not rock them back and forth to pull them. You want to pull straight up. If you rock them back and forth, you risk breaking the shoulder ridges off.

Ask me how I know

 

pictures

 

I also bought an IAC gasket. Reading @Timmah! 's comments on his video about not getting cleaner in the IAC, and at the suggestion of @Speedytech7 I decided it would be best to replace the IAC gasket while I was cleaning the throttle body.

Removing the IAC while cleaning the Tbody makes it so you don't have to worry about getting cleaner in it. It allows you to clean out any gunked up coolant that in there (this is the area where coolant runs through the lower portion of the Tbody).

The gasket was also really flattened and brittle, so I'm glad to have it replaced.

The IAC gasket was purchased at my local Toyota dealer for about 8 bucks and change.

They did have to order it for me. And make sure you get the correct one for your smog application.

 

Was kind of pissed at the time and didn't think to take a pic lol

 

Another thing to think about are the 3 - 3/8s hoses under the throttle body. I know 2 of them carry coolant to and from the IAC, not sure what the other one does. These are famous for leaking coolant under your intake plenum.

I ended up not bothering to change mine. They looked in decent shape and there were no signs of any leakage under my plenum.

 

While I was collecting parts, I decided to look at my oil filler cap. I had no rubber O-ring to seal the fill cap, at all. So I ordered one of these.

Looks kind of cool, it's cheap, and it has a good rubber gasket to seal.


It was like $13 or $14 on Ebay

 

Another suggestion... I'm assuming, if you're changing the VC gaskets, you truck is leaking oil like mine was.

I took mine in to a detailer and spent 90 bucks to have it steam/pressure washed on the top and bottom of the engine. I'm glad I did.

Here's after pressure wash and before VC replacement.


Was nice doing this kind of job without caked up mud oil etc all over the place.

 

$50 in spark plugs holy hell

 

So here's what I started with.


It's seriously a pretty straight forward job. My suggestion is to just watch @Timmah! 's video and follow his advise. He is spot on, on everything (as usual). Label hoses and elect connections so you can find everything when it goes back together. Take your time. And follow the torque specs.

 

Lol... Find NGK dual platinum for cheaper. I'd love to know where I can get them for less than that.

 

OK, now i'd like to know more about the nice battery setup on the passenger side! Nice and professional looking!

 

Carry a glove with you, you'll burn the shit out of your hand on that if you have to undo it on the side of the road

 

You know... I always carry gloves in the truck. But I'm glad you said that. I would have learned that the hard way lol.

 

I'm in a shitty spot for service right now. I'll add more pics and comments later.

 

I talk about it in my build thread. Mostly on pages 2, 3, and 4

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/el-taco-diablo-the-birth-and-new-adventures.523955/

 

Looks like you scored some solid pricing too

 

So, here's what the throttle body looked like before I cleaned it.

Not bad for 285,000+ miles with 250,000+ of those miles running a K&N air filter.