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LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
Hey all,
So I'm currently halfway through a valve cover gasket job where my gaskets are so old and heated that they are stuck in the grooves and are like brittle plastic, forcing me to chisel them out carefully. (see pic below) I was able to get the RH (passenger) side off and replaced ok, but currently the LH (driver's) side is unbolted and does not have enough clearance to come out of the engine bay. While browsing other threads, I saw some people have either lifted one side of the engine or slid the engine over slightly. My question is which mounts do I loosen in order to move my engine around on a jack? Hopefully someone can answer ASAP as I have to bum rides from a friend today as my SVX sits in my garage.
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1992 Dark Teal LS-L w/ 165k+ miles (traded ) Mods: Power Slot front rotors, polyurethane sway bar bushings, window scratcher fix, SPD hood struts, Outlaw Engineering phenolic spacers, Bontrager Works 22mm rear sway bar, R-134a conversion, 93 Legacy SS 5 speed swap, Ceika coilovers, ARP head studs 2001 Black Toyota Sequoia (hauler/daily) 1992 Blue Toyota Cressida (drift car) 1992 Red Toyota MR2 (weekend/track day car) Last edited by EdWindows; 11-15-2012 at 07:38 AM. Reason: attached pic |
#2
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Re: LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
Slide underneath the car with a flashlight. You will see, to the rear of the oil pan, the subframe, and you should also be able to see the motor mounts. The motor mounts rest on top of the subframe, and each has a stud that goes through the top of the subframe, and a nut threads on from the bottom, through 2 holes in the underside of the subframe. The nuts, IIRC, are 14mm head.
If your motor mounts are starting to go, there's a decent chance you'll finish them off when you raise the engine even after taking the nuts off. Also you might have to disconnect the dog-bone mount, which connects the top, front of the trans to the firewall. I'm not too sure how high you'll be able to lift it before that mount starts to be a limitation. I would caution against lifting up the engine with the front of the car jacked up. I would jack the car up, put jack stands or something for safety, undo the motor mount nuts, and then lower the car back down, then jack the engine up (the oil pan should be plenty strong) and do your work from the top. As you raise it up, be careful and proceed slowly to avoid pulling on any hoses, wires, etc. Just lift it up until the motor mount studs clear the subframe (just a couple inches), and then you can shift it to the side to get the valve cover off.
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'94 Laguna Blue LSi ~159k.......JDM ultra short-geared 3.900 STi Version 7 6-speed w/ Cobb shortshifter, ECUtune 244,8.1mm/256,9.1mm i/e cams, group N motor mounts, '97 grille, JDM clear corners, Momo JDM Legacy GT steering wheel, apkarian's LED tails, silver STi BBS wheels, PWR radiator, redstuff pads f/r, drilled/slotted rotors, bontragerworks rsb #18, Koni/GC 450f/375r coilovers, Megan Racing adjustable lateral links, KMac c/c plates, Stebro exhaust, ECUtune 1v5, Optima battery in the trunk where it belongs. Turbo project '97 Ebony LSi ~137k #036.......Power mode mod, JDM clear corners, BBS wheels. AUX/pocket mod Now a mod "over there" ............Photo album |
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Re: LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
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Also, looking at the prices on Subaruparts.com, if they did break when I took them off then I would have to wait a while since they are $360 for both. I would definitely have to drive around with broken ones until I got the money for them...
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1992 Dark Teal LS-L w/ 165k+ miles (traded ) Mods: Power Slot front rotors, polyurethane sway bar bushings, window scratcher fix, SPD hood struts, Outlaw Engineering phenolic spacers, Bontrager Works 22mm rear sway bar, R-134a conversion, 93 Legacy SS 5 speed swap, Ceika coilovers, ARP head studs 2001 Black Toyota Sequoia (hauler/daily) 1992 Blue Toyota Cressida (drift car) 1992 Red Toyota MR2 (weekend/track day car) |
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Re: LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
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'94 Laguna Blue LSi ~159k.......JDM ultra short-geared 3.900 STi Version 7 6-speed w/ Cobb shortshifter, ECUtune 244,8.1mm/256,9.1mm i/e cams, group N motor mounts, '97 grille, JDM clear corners, Momo JDM Legacy GT steering wheel, apkarian's LED tails, silver STi BBS wheels, PWR radiator, redstuff pads f/r, drilled/slotted rotors, bontragerworks rsb #18, Koni/GC 450f/375r coilovers, Megan Racing adjustable lateral links, KMac c/c plates, Stebro exhaust, ECUtune 1v5, Optima battery in the trunk where it belongs. Turbo project '97 Ebony LSi ~137k #036.......Power mode mod, JDM clear corners, BBS wheels. AUX/pocket mod Now a mod "over there" ............Photo album |
#5
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Re: LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
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Are these cheaper through somewhere other than Subaru? Also, are they all the same or do I have to get a specific model year (05-07, etc)?
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1992 Dark Teal LS-L w/ 165k+ miles (traded ) Mods: Power Slot front rotors, polyurethane sway bar bushings, window scratcher fix, SPD hood struts, Outlaw Engineering phenolic spacers, Bontrager Works 22mm rear sway bar, R-134a conversion, 93 Legacy SS 5 speed swap, Ceika coilovers, ARP head studs 2001 Black Toyota Sequoia (hauler/daily) 1992 Blue Toyota Cressida (drift car) 1992 Red Toyota MR2 (weekend/track day car) |
#6
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Re: LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
http://www.oakos.com/Merchant2/merch...gory_Code=3115
Get the part numbers from there, and you can use to probably find a better price.
__________________
'94 Laguna Blue LSi ~159k.......JDM ultra short-geared 3.900 STi Version 7 6-speed w/ Cobb shortshifter, ECUtune 244,8.1mm/256,9.1mm i/e cams, group N motor mounts, '97 grille, JDM clear corners, Momo JDM Legacy GT steering wheel, apkarian's LED tails, silver STi BBS wheels, PWR radiator, redstuff pads f/r, drilled/slotted rotors, bontragerworks rsb #18, Koni/GC 450f/375r coilovers, Megan Racing adjustable lateral links, KMac c/c plates, Stebro exhaust, ECUtune 1v5, Optima battery in the trunk where it belongs. Turbo project '97 Ebony LSi ~137k #036.......Power mode mod, JDM clear corners, BBS wheels. AUX/pocket mod Now a mod "over there" ............Photo album |
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Re: LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
It's doable with the engine at its normal height, I did my VC gaskets with the engine in the car once upon a time. As I recall it takes a bit of finagling to get in there, but it does go. I have vague memories of dropping it in farther back so it clears the cam gears and then sliding it forward. Have you removed the battery and other stuff in the way?
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Chris 92 Ebony Mica LS-L "A Rolling Restoration": 223,250 KM - Sleeping 2007 STi 6MT, Stance GR+ coilovers, PWR Rad, JDM hood badge, svxfiles 6000K HIDs, JDM Clear Corners, $15/15 min mod, $20/20 min mod, Energy Swaybar Bushings, Hella Supertones horns, Gold STi BBS rims, Group A lightweight crank pulley, A/C system removed, Custom header-back exhaust, Hybrid carbon/metal rear sway bar, restored headlights with CCFL halos 2008 Subaru Legacy Spec B - Diamond Grey Metallic - Sold 2020 Ram 1500 Longhorn - Red Pearl |
#8
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Re: LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
When I was with Old Tom doing my valve covers, he had a pretty nifty idea of using a ratcheting tie down to pull the engine from one side to the other. Obviously removing the battery is going to give you the most access, and should allow for the cover to slide out.
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1994 SVX LSi JDM Tailbar and Grill, Clear Corners, 15min-mod, Nevin Blue RSB, G-FORCE SPORT COMP-2 Tires, Phenolic Spacers (Manifold & Throttle Body), SS Brake Lines, Maniac Electric Motors 160A Alternator 2008 Legacy 3.0R |
#9
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Re: LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
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Also, I tried sliding the cover back to clear the cam gears, but then the cover gets stuck on something and I can't pull it up.
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1992 Dark Teal LS-L w/ 165k+ miles (traded ) Mods: Power Slot front rotors, polyurethane sway bar bushings, window scratcher fix, SPD hood struts, Outlaw Engineering phenolic spacers, Bontrager Works 22mm rear sway bar, R-134a conversion, 93 Legacy SS 5 speed swap, Ceika coilovers, ARP head studs 2001 Black Toyota Sequoia (hauler/daily) 1992 Blue Toyota Cressida (drift car) 1992 Red Toyota MR2 (weekend/track day car) |
#10
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Re: LH Valve Cover, how to remove from engine bay?
I've done VC gaskets on 3 different SVXs and in all cases I removed the nuts from the motor mount studs and jacked up the motor a few inches as described. It's really not that hard and I couldn't figure out any other way to do it. Removing the battery is a "must" too. I didn't have to disconnect the dogbone and if you've got a little oil leak (like most of us do) then chances are some oil has seeped down around the motor mounts and they'll slide out with ease.
Last edited by davew833; 11-15-2012 at 10:06 AM. |
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