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#1
07-31-2003, 02:06 PM
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any tips on changing valve cover gaskets?
Hey everyone,
I am attempting to change my plugs and valve cover gaskets. Does anyone have any tips to make things easier. I found the how-to on changing the plugs but nothing about the valve cover gaskets. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!! On a side note my car is making a whistling sound and idling rough I think I have a vacuum leak. Anyone know where I should look? Thanks in advance
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Amanda 
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#2
07-31-2003, 03:43 PM
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Good luck Amanda
It's easy with the engine out
 I planned on using ratcheting box wrenches for most of the bolts when I intended to do it before the headgaskets failed. Doesn't appear to be a difficult job with the engine in, just time consuming. I strongly recommend that you change the gaskets behind the bolts as well. You probably are planning on it though. Pull the coils after removing the bolts (2 per coil). Use a curved pick to remove the rubber boot from the plug. Wipe out the spark plug/coil pocket before pulling the covers to avoid getting accumulated junk onto the cams. This would be a good time to change the plugs too. Remove the gaskets and place the new ones in position. DO NOT OVERTORQUE THE FASTENERS! The rubber will distort and the gaskets will leak. The torque on these is ridiculously low (7 ft-lbs from what I recall). Bolt everything back down and you're done. Maybe an oil change while you're at it? Sally will appreciate it Have fun, Todd Vacuum leaks are a bear. I'd just recommend that you replace all the rubber lines.
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Down to none 
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#3
07-31-2003, 05:18 PM
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Re: Good luck Amanda
Quote:
The bolts that hold on the valve covers are shoulder type bolts.That is the reason for the low torque value. The shoulder bottoms out and keeps the rubber from distorting as you indicated.
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Mike 92 LSL Teal 103k 00 RS 2.5 Silverthorn Metallic 36k 68 Chevy Camaro 07 Forester XT Sport
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#4
07-31-2003, 07:30 PM
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A trick for finding vacuum leaks
Use a pair of needle nose pliers and pinch off the vacuum lines one at a time. If the noise stops or the rpms drop slightly you've narrowed down the leak. There are a lot of lines under the intake manifold, check there. Could be a leak other than a vacuum line too. Good Luck!
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#5
07-31-2003, 07:36 PM
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Just read your post again. If the vacuum leak is causing the rough idle then the leak is large enough to make the fuel mixture too lean. Look for a large hose. Maybe leaky intake gaskets? A small vacuum leak will not make it idle rough but will actually increase the idle speed slightly.
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#6
07-31-2003, 09:48 PM
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One of the most common vaccum line to get knocked off accidently is the cruse control. I don't know it that is it, but that one seems to come off very easily.
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. Earl .... ... .... ><SVX(*> Subaru Ambassador [COLOR=”silver”]1992 Tri Color L[/COLOR] ~45K (06/91) #2430 1992 Dark Teal LS-L ~184K (05/91) #0739 1992 Claret LS-L ~196K (05/91) #0831 1992 Pearl LS-L ~103K (06/91) #1680 1992 Pearl LS-L ~151K (06/91) #2229 1992 Dark Teal LS ~150K (07/91) #3098 (parts car) 1992 White LS-L ~139K (08/92) #6913 1993 25th AE ~98K (02/93) #164 1993 25th AE ~58K (02/93) #176 1993 25th AE ~107K (02/93) #215 1993 25th AE ~162K (02/93) #223 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~124K (1/94) #2408 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~144K (10/93) #1484 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~68K (10/93) #1525 1994 Barcelona Red LSi ~46K (02/94) #2624 1994 Pearl LSi ~41K (12/93) #1961 1995 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~70K (02/95) #855 1996 Polo Green LSi ~95K (03/96) #872 1997 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~55K (08/96) #097 2003 Brilliant Red LS1 Convertible ~29K (04/03) #8951 1999 Magnetic Red LS1 Coupe ~33K (04/99) #6420 My Email | Old Locker | New Locker | Picture of 15 of the 19
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#7
08-01-2003, 05:20 AM
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The vacuum leak could be from a loose intake manifold. The bolts tend to be loose after a few years.
I took off the valve cover on the Px side. Very messy and not much space to work. I think it had more space than the Driver side. One side is tighter not sure which. Beav said he put an o-ring under each bolt head. This he said tightens the gaskets just a little and seals the bolts.
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May your transmission live forever. SuperbVehicleXtraordinary Proud sponsor of a 1992 SVX. 
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#8
08-01-2003, 05:45 AM
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Re: any tips on changing valve cover gaskets?
Quote:
__________________
Huck Subaru Ambassador 92 SVX LS-Tour Magnaflow Exhaust, 5-Spd-AWD 88 XT6 AWD 5-Speed "Bride of FrankenWedge" 15 Impreza Premium Sedan 15 Crosstrek XV 5-Speed My 5-Speed "How-To" Write-up 1976 Pontiac Firebird Formula Current Count of Subaru's Owned.... "70"
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#9
08-01-2003, 07:16 AM
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thanks for all the tips!!! I plan on doing everything this Sunday. plugs, valve cover gaskets and an oil change.
In all honesty I have no idea how to do any of this but I'm pretty excited to learn!! We have a mechanic here at work that fixes all of our Rolls Royces. I figure if he can fix those cars he can assist me in doing all this maintenence. Between all the info here and in the how-to files and his knowledge of cars I think we should be okay. Huck....I'm the one with the small hands
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Amanda
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#10
08-01-2003, 11:05 AM
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Just checked your locker, and you're right you do have small hands
...you can coome over and work on my car any time ...ow...OUCH, quit it Carol, I was just kidding
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Huck Subaru Ambassador 92 SVX LS-Tour Magnaflow Exhaust, 5-Spd-AWD 88 XT6 AWD 5-Speed "Bride of FrankenWedge" 15 Impreza Premium Sedan 15 Crosstrek XV 5-Speed My 5-Speed "How-To" Write-up 1976 Pontiac Firebird Formula Current Count of Subaru's Owned.... "70"
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#12
08-01-2003, 02:53 PM
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*snip* We have a mechanic here at work that fixes all of our Rolls Royces. I figure if he can fix those cars he can assist me in doing all this maintenence.
*snip* "..fixes all or our Rolls Royces"? where do you work?  -Bill
__________________
Retired NASA Rocket Scientist Most famous NASA "Child" - OSIRIS-REx delivered samples from asteroid BENNU to Earth in Sept. 2023 Center Network Member #989 '92 Fully caged, 5 speed, waiting for its fully built EG33 '92 "Test Mule", 4:44 Auto, JDM 4:44 Rear Diff with Mech LSD, Tuned headers, Full one-off suspension '92(?) Laguna, 6 spd and other stuff (still at OT's place) My Locker
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#13
08-04-2003, 07:24 AM
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Quote:
Bill, I sell cars on eBay. My boss is addicted to Rolls Royces and Bentleys, so we always have a few around.
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Amanda
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#14
08-04-2003, 10:06 AM
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Amanda,
Nice job! Do you get to drive any of them around prior to selling them? -Bill
__________________
Retired NASA Rocket Scientist Most famous NASA "Child" - OSIRIS-REx delivered samples from asteroid BENNU to Earth in Sept. 2023 Center Network Member #989 '92 Fully caged, 5 speed, waiting for its fully built EG33 '92 "Test Mule", 4:44 Auto, JDM 4:44 Rear Diff with Mech LSD, Tuned headers, Full one-off suspension '92(?) Laguna, 6 spd and other stuff (still at OT's place) My Locker
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#15
08-04-2003, 10:24 AM
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Quote:
I usually drive all of them ( one of the perks). We try to put several hundred miles on each car before we sell them. Between the two of us we can usually do that. It's a little wierd pulling up to the drive thru in a Rolls Royce. You get a lot of strange looks.
__________________
Amanda
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