Valve Cover Replacement

[packman]

I gotta replace the valve covers on my mom's '86 CV. The pass. side valve cover is leaking really bad and the bolts/studs/nuts are tight. Not the first time that valve cover gaskets failed in a vehicle in my possession. I have no info about taking the throttle linkage apart. Are there any tricks to doing this? I am going to use my father's credit card to get some Ford Racing EFI covers (the ones with the EGR tube on the pass. side) from Summit with 2-day shipping. I don't think this will be too complicated. My Haynes service manual has only 5 pages dedicated to the EFI motors, so I think there are details missing from this kind of work. So, any suggestions on what to do while I got the upper plenum off of the engine would also be welcomed as well. Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me.



Packman

[Pirate]

I gotta replace the valve covers on my mom's '86 CV. The pass. side valve cover is leaking really bad and the bolts/studs/nuts are tight. Not the first time that valve cover gaskets failed in a vehicle in my possession. I have no info about taking the throttle linkage apart. Are there any tricks to doing this? I am going to use my father's credit card to get some Ford Racing EFI covers (the ones with the EGR tube on the pass. side) from Summit with 2-day shipping. I don't think this will be too complicated. My Haynes service manual has only 5 pages dedicated to the EFI motors, so I think there are details missing from this kind of work. So, any suggestions on what to do while I got the upper plenum off of the engine would also be welcomed as well. Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me.



Packman

H.O. upper intake, and take the injectors out to have them professionally cleaned...

[91LTDProject]

Replace all the 22 year old rubber vacuum lines with new ones, new gasket for between the upper/lower intakes, new t.v grommet. Linkages are really easy to remove, usually stick a standard screwdriver between the linkage itself and the plate they attach to and give it a twist, and they pop right out. The nuts that hold the linkage to the EGR spacer are kind of a pain in the ass to get off due to space, makes life easier to remover the IAC valve. New pcv valve/screem/grommet while you got the upper off since its so easy to do with nothing in the way. I'd maybe reccomend an engine shampoo focusing around the vc area to get rid of most of the dirt so it cant get into your engine when you start taking it apart, and I also highly reccomend Fel-pro Permadry VC gaskets, bit spendy, but they work great and are re-useable.

[packman]

H.O. upper intake, and take the injectors out to have them professionally cleaned...

Can I do that to the O.E. speed density without trouble? Or do I have to do the complete HO conversion? If that is the case, then I will wait until I do the whole engine. After the Mustang meet yesterday my father said that if the stock lopo dies or something, then he'll let me build another 302, just gotta be conservative for MPG sake. I'll just swap the valve covers when the engine build happens.

91LTDProject: yeah I already figured that I will have to replace some of the old lines. Once I have the upper plenum off, I will have access to the lines that I need to/should replace. Thanks for the throttle linkage info. I am definitely going to have this done by the end of the week. That friggin valve cover is getting oil all over my headers.



Packman

[91LTDProject]

I did an HO upper swap on both my cars, an 88 and a 91. All I did was add in a bored EGR spacer, swap the lopo throttle linkage plate (what the Throttle cable and tv cable hook up to) onto the the H.O throttle body, set up all the vacuum lines the same as the lopo (gotta swap some stuff from underneath the lopo onto the H.O, I dont know the exact names of the parts, vacuum tree?) Bolt it back on like you would normally and re-adjust the TV cable. Didnt change how mine ran at all.

[mrltd]

What gaskets did you use? The factory stamped steel EFI covers are pretty tough and if you use the steel core ford gaskets they don't leak. You can spend all you want on valve covers.... However, if you use crap gaskets they are going to leak.

[P72Ford]

Factory Ford gaskets are very good, and they don't leak, period. They're reusable as well.

[packman]

Did the said Ford VC gaskets come in CVs or did mine just feel like taking the day off? Though perhaps the one bolt in the back of the valve cover (under the plenum) is the culprit and I really don't need to replace them, but since I got them apart............... Oh, and that brings me to another question, is there a special tool or something that can get to the back bolt w/o taking the upper plenum off again when I have to retighten everything?



Packman

[Lincolnmania]

22 years what more can you expect? my valve cover gaskets were bad in 1998 when i got my lincoln.......if you are unsure about replacing em you can come visit me and i'll give you a hand

[gabegt90]

What gaskets did you use? The factory stamped steel EFI covers are pretty tough and if you use the steel core ford gaskets they don't leak. You can spend all you want on valve covers.... However, if you use crap gaskets they are going to leak.

x1 I got ford racing reusable valve cover gaskets on mine leak free lol

[packman]

22 years what more can you expect? my valve cover gaskets were bad in 1998 when i got my lincoln.......if you are unsure about replacing em you can come visit me and i'll give you a hand

I appreciate the gesture mang; as always you are being a truly great mang! I am going to stay here because I am going to get as much done around here as possible within the next few days. Though in reality I will probably get lesss than a quarter of what I planned done. When things stop breaking around here I will definitely try yo free up some time and get to PA to see your shop B4 Scottfest. I got the roof project that we started up again, I got my dad's truck to work on (yay, intake and headers), I will try to arse my father into grinding the front springs, I want to try to get the rear springs loose from the spring perch), and I also got a tangled cord on my lawnmower that has to be dealt with, or in the worse case scenario I'll have to shell out some dinero for a new one. I guess I am pushing the $15, flee market special (had it for 8 years now), ?? year old lawnmower too far. I want to try to nitrous this thing B4 it's said and done:evil:. Though if there was some way to get my hands on a cup of nitro, all the better; though I don't think I'll be able to arse somebody for it.


Packman

[Lincolnmania]

understand
the throttle linkage and the tv linlage pop ogg the tb......the tv you slide off (an 86 thing)
the throttle pops with a scewdriver......there are 6 upper intake bolts, 2 under the cover......gotta get the throttle bracket off the back of the upper intake (ratchet wrench really handy there) unlpug the tps the iac, the egr, wires, undo the vac lines for the egr, canister purge, the tree, the map sensor and pvc......pull the upper out of the way, now you have vc access......replace the vac lines and the pcv screen and gromnet and pcv......also good time for ho upper and tb.......will only run better esp since the car has headers and exhaust.....take the stock egr spacer to a machinist and have it bored out to 63mm.....i have a ho throttle body made up for an 86 here that i can send ....just need the stocker back for the lever for the next guy with an 86 (my wagon lol)

[packman]

Believe it or not, my father has a lathe; can I bore out the throttle body with the lathe?



Packman

[Lincolnmania]

yes if you know how to use it
dont go any further than 63mm
oh and plug the egr cooler lines while you have the upper off......with the spacer bored, it will seal vacuum wise, but it may not seal coolant wise.......i never hook them up but i know a few people who have after the spacer is bored with mixed results

[packman]

Hmmmm........I may just make this a cosmetic and seal replacement deal and call it a day. I will mod this car when I get the time after the other projects are done.

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=23085

That is the end goal for this car as of now since my father only wants to deal with stock displacement engines (for the MPGs).


Packman