Want to make STICKY DIY Valve Cover Gasket

Lol didn’t work I got busted.
What brush she says and pulls out a new one. You can keep the one you got she says.

 

Did the valve cover gasket job during the holiday. I'm afraid I over-tightened the bolts. I don't a have a torque wrench now and was using a 3/8 ratchet. I know I followed the correct pattern but I snugged all the bolts down really good, like about 1 full turn from being fully tight if that makes any sense. At the time I didn't know the correct torque spec. Should I be concerned? Also I oddly enough had a pop noise right at the beginning of tightening the plug tube bolts.

 

Just a thought for anyone doing maintenance - you can get a torque wrench pretty cheap at Harbor Freight - probably not for a pro mechanic but good enough for DYI. I got mine from Sears years ago - I guess you can still get Craftsman from Home Depot or who ever bought the brand.

 

I had one....til I didn't. Won't say why, it's embarrassing.

 

Stanley bought craftsman and now sell it at sears lowes farm and fleet to name a few

 

Define pop? I wouldn't be too concerned as long as you didn't crack the cover. If you have a torque wrench now. I'd redo.

Side note. A quick search here will bring up the factory service manual if you need torque numbers in the future

 

As I was cycling through tightening the 8 bolts that run the valley where the coils are, there came a point when I gave the two center bolts a final 1/2 turn and they were pretty snug already, there was a pop sound I checked around the eyelets and didn't see any visible cracks so I finished up the others and called it good and moved on to the outer bolts.

I'm getting a torque wrench today. Will the gasket be to compressed to redo the bolts to spec?....thoughts anyone?

 

how long gotta waite for the rtv to dry before driving?

 

i believe the stuff i used said 24 hours. i did the install the am and defiantly didn't drive it until the next day. instructions will be on the sealant.

 

being that it is rubber, i would say no guess you will find out. good luck

 

For those who go buy a torque wrench at harbor freight....keep on mind that you're rolling the dice and gambling on it being nowhere near accurate. At measuring 10ft-lbs I just broke a bolt trusting the torque wrench I bought at harbor freight. No x-threading or anything and the bolt snapped and another bolt was about to break, was beginning to twist. The torque wrench never even clicked.

Just saying beware for using that tool on anything sensitive.

 

yeah. IMO, when going cheap, it's probably a good idea to at least get a craftsman. Mine works fine. For small spec's it's best not to use it like a big lever though. keep your hands towards the drive end.

Craftsman 9-31423 25-250 in.lbs 3/8" Drive Microtork Torque Wrench

https://www.amazon.com/Craftsman-9-31423-25-250-Microtork-Torque/dp/B009CZYW3A

For really really sensitive work, I'd actually recommend a digital one for in-lbs. 5-50 in the manufacturing world often use screw-driver types.

Also, there's a difference between dry and wet torque. Hard to know how Toyota spec'd it. I'd use compressed air to blow out the holes and try to get a remotely dry torque on it so a clicky torque wrench has a better chance to click.

I'm ordering parts now. will get it done next weekend I think.

 

For my go at it, I pretty much followed this video:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzm_W5PUCbI

I did his “get the bolts to snug, then 1/4 turn” but maybe went a touch less than 1/4 on them. Resistance felt good and saved a bit of time on busting out the torque wrench.

How to make your wife mad:



Felpro Set worked nice:



The scene of the crime:



Look at that valve cover stand out from all the dirt:



I heard a pop on the first bolt I snugged down near the spark plug tubes and I know what it is - there’s little parts around the spark plug bolt tube holes that hug the outside of the metal flange. I believe it’s just the plastic valve cover being pulled off of the top of the flange to the outside where it wants to be positioned. Didn’t do the PCV since I don’t know where it was after waiting to do this job for 2 years (and 30k miles later lol). Nice you can do it without removing them even if it takes some time. I blew through mine and it was ok at 180k miles. I also didn’t unbolt the metal tube that goes to the PCV and could sneak a wobble tip extension between it and the valve cover.

Edit:

So I got a leak the next day from not cleaning the head surface enough. I went to town and got it all shiny and so far so good. You can see the difference from the cleaner portion to the not so clean portion:

 

Did mines too was fast, maybe hr...easier then it looks just take time and remember how you took it off.... no oil leaks now.

 

Have you sent out that OEM outer gasket? If not, I’ll take you up on that offer.

 

For those that did this, did you spend the extra on Toyota FIPG or just use permatex?

 

I’m making sure the fel pro is going to work - I ended up having to redo mine but it’s because I installed it without cleaning the entire surface on the head. Let me know if you’re still interested in a few weeks

Yes. Any permatex should work - I just grabbed what I had lying around - copper exhaust manifold rtv

 

I went ahead and just bought the OEM gaskets. I appreciate the offer though

 

At a setting of 10 ft-lb, there is not enough tension to make a clicking sound. The best way to describe the sound a click-type torque wrench will make at very low settings is, they "give way." Not really a sound but a feel. The head stops turning but the handle will move a bit more. Yes you can break off fasteners this way, done it myself... once.