removing valve covers...

[merc91]

can i do this without taking off the upper intake. I can't have the car out of comission for a day even and i don't want to drain the coolent. So if i can just pop em out and paint them in a day that would be great and new gasket of course.

[gabegt90]

it's easier if you take the upper off. just be carefull not to brake to many vacuum lines lol
might as well but a new pcv valve in while your in there also replace those egr coolant lines as well

[merc91]

i just flushed and put in all new coolent 3 days ago so if i need to drain it again i will just not take out the covers... and the coolent change left me 100% leak free so i'm happy with that haha.

[Southern_Pride]

One side you can one side you pretty much have to pull it off.

[gadget73]

You don't need to drain the coolant to remove the upper intake. Just use hose pincers to clamp off the little tubes going to the egr cooler. Or just find bolts of the approximate right size and stuff them in the hoses. You won't lose much out of them anyway as long as the radiator cap is on. Do the pcv stuff while you're in there. Pulling valve covers without removing the intake is a huge amount more work than just pulling the upper out of the way to be honest. Its only 6 bolts and a few hoses.

[PICKUP6772]

When I did mine, on the CV a few years ago, I just took out the 6 bolts, and moved the upper intake to one side. I did not have to remove anything else.
Mike

[gadget73]

you can do it that way. I take them off completely so I can replace any questionable vacuum lines and get a little better access.

[merc91]

oh thanks... PICKUP6772 i think i will just do that since i have no aperent problems with my lines so i wont tinker if i can help it. is there a gasket i need to worry about for th upeer intake? or just bolt it back up after.

[87_crown_vic]

it can be a lil bit of a pain trying to line up bolt holes in the gasket, but shouldnt need one. what kinda gaskets you gonna use for the v-covers?

[86VickyLX]

There is a gasket for the upper intake. While it's off you might as well replace the old one, it's not expensive at all. Use a little rtv to hold the gasket in place on the lower intake so you can position the bolt holes. While you're at it, change the PCV filter and screen like Gadget73 said. And if this has been the first time that your intake has been off, I am sure that there are some nice rotting vacuum lines that are just waiting to be replaced.

As for the valve cover gaskets, I would recommend anything but cork! They suck. I know because that's what came in the refresh kit I got for my motor, and goddamnit, they're leaking now, and instead of just tightening them up, which is probably what they need, I will replace them probably with fel-pro gaskets. So sometime when I feel up to it/get my HO intake stuff, I will do the valve covers. Don't use cork! Also I didn't need to drain the coolant at all, didn't even have to plug the lines, a little coolant came out but that was about it.

[87_crown_vic]

fel-pro permadry gaskets for the v-covers... if you dont want the v-covers scratched up, remove the plenum or the cables on driver side will mess you up and the plenum is a pain trying to hold outta the way and positioning the v-cover and bolting down.

[merc91]

ok i'll replace the upper intake gasket, and i will see if i can find non-cork v-cover gaskets (around here you cant always get pciky with stuff cuz selection is really poor). my stock cork ones have yet to leak but i will do my best to not use cork unless i have to. I'll see if i can replae the other lines and filters also if they need replacing and if i can find the stuff.

[70torino429]

if all you can get is cork it aint a big deal, as long as you install them correctly, you wont have any problems.

[gadget73]

If you have to use cork, just use some RTV and do not over-torque the gaskets. Biggest cause of leaks with those is people cranking down on the bolts and smashing the gaskets to death. Some better cork gaskets have metal sleeves in there to help stop that.

[merc91]

canadian tire had only 1 pair of gaskets... just so happens the good fel-pro, haha, same with the upper intake gasket. Now one around here does the TB gasket tho so i will have to cut my own.

Well i'm going to take that stuff apart, paint it, clean things out, clean things up allot under the hood and make a K&N cold air style intake up and i'll let ya's know how she goes... thanks for the help guys.