H22 Valvecover Install *pics* - Honda Prelude Forum

ludehawk · 11-15-2003, 11:08 PM

Didn't really see one of these, so heres mine:
Well, I was going to just post up end pics... but I decided to do a whole write-up

Let me know if you have any comments or questions... and let me know what you think of how it looks

List of what you need:
JDM Type-S Valvecover (or EuroR cover)
helms
new valvecover gasket: Honda part 12341-p13-000
new sparkplug gaskets (not necessary)
hondabond (honda gasket sealer)
10mm socket and extension.
regular small head screwdriver.

This is how it starts:

1. remove your neg batt terminal - YES, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO IT ON THIS INSTALL, cover your fenders and any paint you want to keep. Also, clean the whole damned bay up... can't stand working with a dirty engine
2. Remove the spark plug cover (4 10mm bolts), the alternator pos cable and 4 prong connector, the head ground on the driver's side of the block, the p/s hose support, the PCV, the sparkplug wires, and the tube heading to the intake valve. Just a general rule, everything attached to the valve cover needs to be removed
3. Peel back the black plastic cover on the valvecover, the one running to your alternator, this should just pull back and put it to the side of the valvecover.
4. Remove all of the 10mm bolts on the block, there should be 8 of them.
5. Using the regular screwdriver, gently insert between the valvecover and the head - to make things easier - ensure the screwdriver is under the existing gasket. Gently pry into the valve cover, then twist the knob, I suggest you do this at atleast 4 points around the valvecover, ensure you do not go anymore than 1/4 into the gap.
6. If you have a sig amount of miles on your car (mine has 76k) you may need to tap each corner of the valvecover to dislodge the old seal and just general crustyness... I suggest a slight tap by a rubber mallot.
7. When you have the cover loose enough to remove, ensure you have a towel on the ground you plan to lay it (unless you really don't care about oil stains...i'm at aprils' so down went the towel)
8. Gently pull up on the back of the valve cover, then the front, you can rock it back and forth if you have a problem. The biggest problem I had was clearing the power steering hose.
9. When you have the valve cover coming off DO NOT flip the valve cover over while it is over the exposed head!
10. Place the valvecover on the ground...then remove the following...
- the PCV gasket (1)
- the metal/rubber washers for each of the bolts (8)
- the sparkplug gaskets (4)
this is what you should have removed...

this is what the underside of the valvecover will look like with 76k miles

or atleast mine did

compare pics...

My gasket (about 10k on it):

Ok, installation of the new one... :smile:
1. Clean the inside of the new valvecover...
2. Install the gasket (it only fits 1 way) to the inside of the valvecover, ensure the gasket is seated properly.
3. install the sparkplug gaskets into there appropriate spots
4. apply hondabond or equivalent to the 8 flat spots on the gasket, you can see exactly where to put it when you have the gasket in front of you. (wait 5 min for the sealant to set)
5. If you have the balls, wipe off the top of your head... this is if you are a perfectionist :clap:

6. Place the valvecover on top of the head, ensuring the bolts line up properly.
7. push down on the valvecover and wiggle back and forth to ensure the cover and gasket are seated.
8. reinstall the 8 bolt grommets/washers, or whatever they are onto the valvecover.
9. hand tighten/thread the bolts onto the head.
10. well there is a set method to installing the bolts, but my method is to install the middle 3 (the 3 that are hidden under the spark plug cover) tightening the middle one until it wont tighten very easily, then doing the same to the other 2. I then alternate each side until they are all pretty tight, then 1 by 1 tighten all of them to 8 lbs.
11. re-install all of the crap that was removed... especially the alternator cable.... very tightly

ok, your pretty much done, but if you want to be really safe... you can leave the spark plug wires off and crank the car... just to be sure you didn't really **** something up
Here's what I ended up with, what do you think?

PLEASE NO COMMENTS ON MY DIRTY ASS OLD VALVE COVER

I have LARGE versions of all of the pics available if you take the "-small" out of the all of the pic URLs
Again, let me know if you have any questions.

Joon525 · 11-15-2003, 11:36 PM

In this picture your timing belt looks like it has oil on it. Did you inspect the old gasket to see if it was leaking?

Girl n-a Lude · 11-15-2003, 11:36 PM

0_o your engine bay looks so clean! whats your secret?

cifer6425 · 11-15-2003, 11:42 PM

you intrested in selling your old valve cover? PM me.

the red looks good. the black looked good too.

B0b · 11-15-2003, 11:42 PM

where did you get that huge socket set. LOL! I have a bunch of different ones, but that looks like one nice big box.

azninside · 11-16-2003, 12:17 AM

coo....I was goin to do this months ago, but I've been so busy

I really need to get all my ish on soon

TimeRacer · 11-16-2003, 12:34 AM

What's up with your oil? It looks like (though i can't tell very well) you've got quite a bit of sludge in there.

lildawgryan · 11-16-2003, 02:46 PM

please tell us what you do to keep your engine so clean! I thought at first your car was pretty much new but 76K! I clean my engine bay with GUNK cleaner but what the heck is the stuff you use.

NoRice4U · 11-16-2003, 02:55 PM

Great job!

Toretto · 11-16-2003, 04:00 PM

I to would like to know how you keep your engine bay so clean. I have tried powerwashin mine, but it doesnt really turn out very well. What your method?

Girl n-a Lude · 11-16-2003, 04:45 PM

>_< seriously! u dont have any dirt in there at all haha

DudewithaLude · 11-16-2003, 04:49 PM

man....that engine bay looks like it was fresh off the factory line

lildawgryan · 11-16-2003, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toretto
I to would like to know how you keep your engine bay so clean. I have tried powerwashin mine, but it doesnt really turn out very well. What your method?

ummm....i dont beleive that method is too safe

most engine cleaners say use the least amount of water as possible and not to spray it but just gentle let the water wash the parts off. I guess u havent had any problems since u got no complaints but juss be careful that way.

cementups · 11-16-2003, 06:55 PM

C'mon already and give up the secret to the clean engine. If you guys would see ine engine bay, you would all cry.

SK Honda 7 · 11-16-2003, 07:02 PM

What happen to the underside of that valve cover??? looks like it has sludge on it...

If you wanna see clean engine bay... u should see mine... 2001 ... 46K daily driver.... you can eat of it.

thepreludedude · 11-16-2003, 07:10 PM

looks good. when i did mine (about 80,000+miles) the oil didn't look nearly as nasty as yours did. do you ever change your oil???

rufridn · 11-16-2003, 07:15 PM

looks really good blood.

PRelude787 · 11-16-2003, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by B0b
where did you get that huge socket set. LOL! I have a bunch of different ones, but that looks like one nice big box.

Looks to me the a Craftsman tool set. It has almost every socket known to man (slight exageration

) but it is the most complete set out there for the money. It's the best investment I've made....by far!

OH...and what the heck DO you use for that bay?

blk97ludeSH · 11-16-2003, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DudewithaLude
man....that engine bay looks like it was fresh off the factory line

for real looks like u never drove it b4 !

ludehawk · 11-16-2003, 10:26 PM

ok, joon... I got my t-belt replaced (under warrantee...

) at about 65k... well they didn't install the valvegasket right... so they get to replace it.. they just don't know it yet

haven't had a chance to get the car up to them... there is only a slight amount of oil on there... but still none would be great.

ok... the sludge... *COUGHREADTHEDAMNEDPARTOFTHEPOSTTHATSAIDDON'TTALKA BOUTTHEDIRTYVALVECOVER!!!!COUGH*
oil's been changed every 3k... might have been the slight amount of air getting into the block... but my old civic did the same thing... maybe it's the short trips in the middle of winter... a whole bunch of diff things... but that's a whole other topic...

the engine bay... I just cleaned it again and it looks better

you want details? there are a million posts on it... but I and april use simple green...