Hi, I own a cavalier z24, 2000 convertible with an automatic transmission, and heres the deal:
One of my valve covers (the one closest to the firewall) is leaking oil, filling one of my spark plugs (the one further to the left) with oil. The mechanic found a crack on the valve cover and decided to weld it, change gasket and re install. The thing still leaks oil and its been repaired (welded, sealed with epoxy) 5 times. Its a big leak since I have to put about a quart every 2 weeks. So I got tired and decided to change the whole valve cover. My question is: Is it necessary to take the motor out of the car to do this? Can it be done with common tools? Would you recommend making it a weekend project? While Im at it I also plan to powder-coat, paint or polish both valve covers and put it some secret cams.
Can someone guide me in removing the valve covers?
Thanks for the help
its not fun the first time
Support the engine (with like a jack and a pad under the oil pan)
remove IDI cover
remove power steering pump
remove electrical connector to the oil sending unit (on the back on the intake cam tower)
remove everything connected to the black bracket at he end of the exhaust cam tower (should be wire harneses clipped in)
remove coolant res tank
remove upper motor mount
remove upper timing chain housing cover bolts
remove pass front tire
remove splash shield
remove serp belt
remove harmonic balancer (crank pully) (this will require a pully puller)
remove remaining timing chain housing cover bolts
remove timing chain housing cover
set motor to Top Dead Center, and rotate crank one quarter turn. This will allow you to rotate the cam shafts and install in any positon without interferance
remove timing chain tensioner... (if this has never been replaced, now is a great time to do so)
remove timing chain guides
remove timing chain
remove cam sprockets
remove the top two bolts behind the cam sprockets
remove cam tower bolts
OPTION 1) I find it harder to do this way but you can remove the valve covers now and access the cams
OPTION 2) Its easier to remove the timing chain housing
remove the bottom two bolts behind where the cam sprockets were
remove the timing chain tensioner shoe (be very careful and this likes to break easily)
remove all bolts on the bottom of the timing chain housing
pull timing chain housing off (its held in by dowel pins so a little force may be nessicery
now you can remove the cam towers and valve covers easily
-----------------------
to reinstall make sure you get the correct fastening order and torque spec on the cam tower bolts and install in reverse
if you went with option one, you will need to work each bolt in order down several times to get the cover to go on, since you cannot just simply drop it down(the housing is in the way)
replace all gaskets, even if they look good... the only one you can get away with not changing is the timing chain housing to timing chain cover gasket. the card board gaskets having single use treatment on them (they are the black and orange gaskets) and its just a good idea to replace the valve cover to cam tower gaskets (look like long thin strings)
and i'm assuming you know how to reset timing...
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Sunday, June 27, 2010 5:25 AM
Its a cam housing and chances are that several of the holes are stripped out. If thats the case you have some thread repair to do on the head. Mine leak because a few of the holes stripped out, just havent gotten around to fixing them yet.
ok wtf? what kind of dumbasses did you let work on your car?
in what universe is it easier to WELD up a crack in a bearing surface, cast aluminum unit in a high oil PSI envirnment and NOT go find a replacement in a junkyard for a 5 dollar bill?
180hp in 1989 or 145hp in 2002, you decide. >
holy s&*t... thats hard to pull out by someone thats its not a mechanically inclined... is it necesary to remove all that stuff just to change the valve covers?
the final 2 bolts are behind the cam shaft sprockets
the power steering bolts to the other side of the intake tower...
and technically they arent valve covers... they are cam tower covers... the cam towers sit above the valve train.
the bottom two aren't needed to remove the valve cover...
they are needed for the cam housing however.
Speedline02 (GME Chat!!) wrote:the bottom two aren't needed to remove the valve cover...
they are needed for the cam housing however.
Depends on what you consider the valve cover. Sounds to me like he is trying to remove the whole tower.
I have no signiture
i consider the cover the valve cover, the tower sits under the cover, and the head is at the bottom...
an LD9 does not have a 'valve cover'. but technically, the LOWER portion of the 'tower' would be the 'valve cover'. so you'd need to remove all 4 bolts.
180hp in 1989 or 145hp in 2002, you decide. >
Speedline02 (GME Chat!!) wrote:the final 2 bolts are behind the cam shaft sprockets
the power steering bolts to the other side of the intake tower...
and technically they arent valve covers... they are cam tower covers... the cam towers sit above the valve train.
z yaaaa wrote:an LD9 does not have a 'valve cover'. but technically, the LOWER portion of the 'tower' would be the 'valve cover'. so you'd need to remove all 4 bolts.
so we just said the same thing =P
either way it sounds like the cover above the cams is cracked on the O.P.s motor... i doubt someone who didn't know about this motor would call the cam tower a valve cover...
so the answer to my question.... its a yes right??? we have to remove all these components just to change the cam towers seals/gaskets????
Yes. its a very easy job to do.
Here are some pictures of the actual leak.
this is how ir looks from the top
this is the stupid fix
LOL wow
~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
JB weld ftw!!! bahahaahahahahahhahahha
agreed dave, wow.
Oldsmobile all motor > Saab/Opel boosted
