Valve cover gasket replacing

`88 4.0L renix

1) Do the front coolant hoses have to be removed to be able to easily replace the gasket.
2) What do the valve cover bolts need to be torqued to?

Thanks

BAMCHEROKEE88 said:

`88 4.0L renix

1) Do the front coolant hoses have to be removed to be able to easily replace the gasket.
2) What do the valve cover bolts need to be torqued to?

Thanks

Click to expand...

1. You can do it without removing them. It is somewhat difficult, but not impossible to work around them.

2. My 1990 4.0L has them torqued to 6 Nm or 55 inch lbs, per the FSM.

May I also suggest getting the cork replacement overmaking one out of RTV. Don't forget to locktite the cover bolts!

I did however, RTV my cork gasket to the cover and let it set over night with the pressure of the cover on top of the gasket...kept it nice and tight for the intall.

I ended up doing mine with cork gaskets 2 times, I just couldn't get a good seal. so I tried a silicone gasket maker called "the right stuff", or somthing like that and it worked like a charm first time.

Good Luck,
Joe

Thanks. I have the Fel-Pro PermaDryPlus gasket. The more I look at it (valve cover), I more I think I might as well disconnect 2 of the 3 coolant hoses and put it on once. I will try plugging up where the hoses go until the cover is back in place. Then new CCV hoses too. A great Sunday project with work on Monday and this as my only vehicle. At least today I got the EGR replaced, throttle body removed and cleaned properly, and new battery cables.

BAMCHEROKEE88 said:

Thanks. I have the Fel-Pro PermaDryPlus gasket. The more I look at it (valve cover), I more I think I might as well disconnect 2 of the 3 coolant hoses and put it on once. I will try plugging up where the hoses go until the cover is back in place. Then new CCV hoses too. A great Sunday project with work on Monday and this as my only vehicle. At least today I got the EGR replaced, throttle body removed and cleaned properly, and new battery cables.

Click to expand...

Also when you get the cover off find a truly flat steel deck like a big table saw and check the cover for flatness, run a feeler gauge around the bottom between the cover and the deck. Any high spots *gently* bend them down or up as needed. It could have been removed in the past and pryed off, ya never know...