dlister70

I took off the valve cover today to take a look at the timing chain guides. I just bought the truck and although I didn't have any indication that anything was wrong, I just wanted to make sure they weren't cracked or broken (the guides looked great!).

I hadn't planned on putting any adhesive on the valve cover grommets when I put them back on, but there was adhesive on the old ones when I took them off.

Do you need a sealant between the grommet and the valve cover before you put the nut back on?

cman1

iTrader: (1)

i would put a new gasket on since its off...my 2cents.

dlister70

Yeah, I got a new gasket set with new grommets. I'll be installing the gasket in a little bit. I just wasn't sure about whether I needed to seal under the grommets when I put the new ones on. I didn't think that was necessary, but apparently the last guy did because there was black sealant under each grommet when I unscrewed them.

cman1

iTrader: (1)

nope,no sealant and only like 8inch pounds of torque,if you crank down on em the valve cover will hit the rail and make alot of noise..

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

No sealant on the grommets, as said, ......however; DEFINITELY use sealant on the underside of the half moons AND the corners of each half moon(where the valve cover gasket meets the half moon and head....just a TINY bead on all 4 of those corners). Otherwise, the half moons CAN AND LIKELY will leak, sooner than later. This is why it's best to use a new gasket after pulling everything if it's been on there for 100K or more.... Mine, being new, was able to come on and off several times without replacing it.... and as long as I used the RTV on the corners and underside of half moons... NO LEAKS, not a drop, in 5K. But yes, the old gaskets, they get flattened out due to all the heat cycles.

Have fun, man, and welcome to yotatech!

Grego92

iTrader: (4)

I just did this the other day on a 22RE. The manual doesn't say to use any sealant (although I did put a light coat of fipg since I had it out anyhow for the half moons) and the torque is 52 Inch Pounds.

xxxtreme22r

52 inch pounds is WRONG !!!!!!
If you go to 52 inch pounds your going to hit the rockers off the valve cover.

It was changed via TSB to a lower amount, something like 20 inch pounds or something. But tightening down to just when the grommets squish is about where it should be.

Grego92

iTrader: (4)

WHAAAATTTTT!!!! Someone please tell me what is now...I gotta go home at lunch and loosen those things up now! good thing it's still in build stage on the engine stand.

xxxtreme22r

Yeah if I could find the actual TSB to prove it, but most of us who know these engines really well can confirm it. I am 100% positive it is not 52 inch pounds. It's not like you'll break anything, but it will make a little more noise.

snobdds

It is 9ft/lb which is basically finger tight plus a quarter turn...

dlister70

Hah.. well I went and borrowed a torque wrench from Autozone to set it to 52 inch pounds after reading the above. I was just about to go out and put it back on when I saw this.

I guess I'll just snug it up with a wrench like I was going to in the first place.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Sup, Grego?

See that 'Seal Packing' part number? Not positive, but that's exactly where the sealant goes on the top side(corners) and it's best to always/also use some on the underside of the half moons. (It even shows the guy in the illustration holding/squeezing a tube of goop. lol)>

I, too, do the bolts down to "touch".... I use 2 fingers with a 1/4" drive and 12MM socket. As it BEGINS to compress, that's where one should slow down or stop cranking the grommets down. They expand with heat, and if they're too tight, even if they're not touching the rockers/making noise.... they will dry out and crack much sooner, if torqued down too much.

Grego92

iTrader: (4)

did you mean 9 INCH LBS? because 52 In Lbs is 4.33333333 FT LBS

Grego92

iTrader: (4)

Hey Mark...yeah it's me, still slowly putting this thing together!

Yeah, I did what you did, I put a good amount of packing on the underside of that half moon plus on top like the manual shows.

xxxtreme22r

9ft/lb? That's 108 in-lbs. Maybe 9 in-lb you meant?

EDIT: NUTS. Grego92 beat me to it.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

GREGO,......................SICKKKKKKKKKKK! LOL..

Nice, man... and yeah, that's what I've read in Haynes, 9#, ...but these things are old and tired/stressed and heat fractures that you can't see, etc., etc., ........so I just trust my hands like a safe cracker! lol.

snobdds

Well the FSM has 9ft/lbs...

Were making a mountain out of a mole hill here. Finger tight and a quarter turn, if you hear a noise, back it off a bit...

dlister70

Haha.. well said.

One more noob question though..

The half moon rubber seals do not seem to push down all the way. They are not flush with the head. I'm assuming once I put down the valve cover and tighten the bolts that all will be well.. but I thought I'd ask since you're all here. Is it normal that it doesn't seem to sit in the groove all the way?

Grego92

iTrader: (4)

But I'm anal and ocd !!! I wanna know what it is!

Finger tight and a little more with a 1/4" wrench until the rubber starts squishing out from the grommet...got it.

xxxtreme22r

88 manual doesn't give a torque spec and that above mentioned photo is from the 93 FSM. Oil pan bolts are 9ft-lb though.