Valve Cover: Service and Repair
Valve Cover
Removal
All vehicles
CAUTION: During engine repair procedures, cleanliness is extremely important. Any foreign material, including any material created while cleaning gasket surfaces, that enters the oil passages, coolant passages or the oil pan can cause engine failure.
1. Disconnect the battery ground cable.
2. Disconnect the camshaft position (CMP) sensor electrical connector.
3. Lift up the connector boot and disconnect the cylinder head temperature (CHT) sensor electrical connector.
4. Disconnect the ignition coil-on-plug electrical connectors.
5. Remove the 4 ignition coil-to-valve cover bolts and the ignition coils.
6. Disconnect the breather tube from the valve cover.
7. Disconnect the fuel rail pressure and temperature sensor and the fuel injector electrical connectors. Detach the wiring harness retainers.
8. Remove the radio interference capacitor bracket bolt and position the bracket aside.
Vehicles with secondary air injection (AIR)
9. Disconnect the heated oxygen sensor (HO2S) electrical connector.
All vehicles
10. Detach all of the wiring harness retainers from the valve cover studs and position the harness aside.
11. Remove the 14 valve cover retainers, the valve cover and gasket.
^ Discard the valve cover gasket.
Installation
All vehicles
1. CAUTION: Do not use metal scrapers, wire brushes, power abrasive discs or other abrasive means to clean the sealing surfaces. These tools cause scratches and gouges which make leak paths.
Clean and inspect the sealing surfaces.
2. Install the valve cover, a new gasket and the 14 retainers.
^ Tighten in the sequence shown to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).
3. Position the wiring harness and attach all of the wiring harness retainers to the valve cover studs.
Vehicles with secondary air injection (AIR)
4. Connect the HO2S electrical connector.
All vehicles
5. Position the radio interference capacitor bracket and install the bolt.
^ Tighten to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).
6. Attach the wiring harness retainers. Connect the fuel rail pressure and temperature sensor and the fuel injectors electrical connectors.
7. Install the breather tube on the valve cover.
8. Install the ignition coils and the 4 ignition coil-to-valve cover bolts.
^ Tighten to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).
9. Connect the ignition coil-on-plug electrical connectors.
10. Connect the CHT sensor electrical connector and install the connector boot.
^ Tighten to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).
11. Connect the CMP sensor electrical connector.
12. Connect the battery ground cable.