Replacing the emissions stuff and valve cover gaskets - any pointer and tips?

[rider]

I've got another load of new OEM bits ready to fit that I've had together for a while now and I'm working on getting myself fired up to do it before taking the car off SORN at the end of March. Just want to know if there are any tips to taking off of the valve covers and PCV valve swap that'll make life easier. None of it needs doing parts wise but these was a passenger side valve cover oil leak I noted when I changed the spark plugs and I have the parts sitting around so I may as well get on with it. 

New bits ready to fit: 

6 new OE Denso coil packs 

PCV Valve + all to and between cover rubber pipes (they were expensive!)

16 washer seals for the valve covers

6 new coil clips

Loads of number 7 loom clips

Valve cover gasket set

Silicone sealant

Plastic cover - A2 bolt set

 

I've read removing the rear of engine water hose makes removal of the cover bolts in that area a lot easier. Is that so and do you lose much water when taking this hose off? Is it fiddly or easy, seeing its restricted room with bonnet in place I'm guessing its going to get fiddly and possibly annoying?

I haven't looked at the replacement PCV valve for a while, is it a push fit and any tips for getting the old presumably by now brittle one out?

I changed the spark plugs a few hundred miles ago so beyond checking their torque I'm not planning on touching those.

Any pointers people have will be gratefully received.

 

 

Edited January 24, 2021 by rider (see edit history)

[m12aak]

I've not had to do any work on my TT6 yet, but on my NA, that hose at the back of the head was a massive headache to remove (the clamp was very tight, and all of my pliers were seemingly too big/small to properly compress it). I ended up cutting the top of the hose off to get pliers in there (it had split, that was why I was taking it off). I now have a pair of flexible cable hose clamp pliers which make it much easier to remove.

It was not necessary to remove this hose to get to the nuts (not sure if it's different on a GTE of course). Not a lot of coolant came out, as its basically the highest point in the system as the matrix and radiator is lower, so it's really only what's already in the lines that come out. If that hose is the original from 20+ years ago, I'd change it while you're there (I got mine from Keron, think it was somewhere between £10-20.)

I've unfortunately had no experience of PCV valve removal yet on either cars yet, but from the way the manuals always just say 'remove the PCV valve' instead of a proper procedure, I think it's just getting some pliers around it and hoping it doesn't snap off before it comes out. 

Hope this helps!

[Mike2JZ]

I wouldn't remove the rear heater hose just to change the valve covers gaskets, perfectly do-able with them still installed.

However, I would say that once the valve covers are off that would be a great time to change the rear heater hose at the back of the head.  Have seen a few of those rear hoses get hairline fractures and it's a real pain to change when valve covers stop you getting most tools where needed. 

When removing your cam cover washers & bolts you will notice that the washers will get stuck on the 4 studs that are on each corner of the the spark plug wells. Do not try and lift your valve cover out when washers are still on these studs as you can cause the valve cover to break. Take the time to get a flathead or some sort of pliers to remove the washers from the studs completely first, then remove valve covers. 

PCV valve can require quite a lot of force to remove sometimes, other times they just pop out. I personally wouldn't recommend removing unless you also have a replacement rubber grommet that the PCV valve sits in. If the original rubber is old I have seen that crack on removal of PCV. 

[rider]

3 hours ago, Mike2JZ said:

When removing your cam cover washers & bolts you will notice that the washers will get stuck on the 4 studs that are on each corner of the the spark plug wells. Do not try and lift your valve cover out when washers are still on these studs as you can cause the valve cover to break. Take the time to get a flathead or some sort of pliers to remove the washers from the studs completely first, then remove valve covers. 

Thanks for that info, I would never have thought the cam covers were so delicate. Fortunately I have a multitude of pliers and pincers for all eventualities.

[rider]

I tackled my car today and didn't, in the end, remove the valve covers as I found all the cover bolts were either really loose, less than finger tight, or not even screwed down. The rear bolts were the ones hanging up the threads and that is the area leaking oil into number 6 plug well. I had my torque wrench set at 6Nm but never got close to clicking before stopping. I couldn't get any sockets into the inner rear bolts so just nipped those down with a 10mm spanner and a lot of patience. I just did finger tight and half a turn so I can go back and tighten to torque another time if I ever visit the plug area again and see any oil leakage. From the time when I changed the plugs, a while back but probably no more than 500 miles ago, there has been only minimal oil seepage as opposed to the collected puddle when I changed the plugs. I also replaced several of the #7 loom clips.

I fitted a full set of new OE coils and checked the resistance on the new and old coils. Some of the Philips screws holding the coils where really tight and I used grips to remove those to avoid the prospect of stripping the screw head. All the new coils were 0.73ohms and the old ones, run over 112k miles, ranged from 0.74 to 0.79 which are all in spec. The car fired up fine so all ready for the Spring to take off SORN in April. I've got a front lighting mod to do next on my 65' Mustang next so there is always something to do, but not with the Supra. she's ready to fly.

 

[Swampy442]

Did you look at the condition of the washers on the cam cover bolts?