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I used the Felpro VS50358R kit. Comes with the gasket, 2 half-moons & 4 grommets. Don't over-tighten the cover when reinstalling & make sure you use a little RTV on the half-moons in the 3 places as shown below, note the torque for the cover as well:
Wow awesome everyone thanks much for these responses, I was hoping someone would chime in that the felpro was ok being I can get that kit fairly easily. I’m sticking to the work/home only routine right now to keep from getting this virus. Next week we go to part time so I’ll be getting things done around here. Thy are splitting us all up where we all work our department alone. I’m in CNC and in the lathe dept.
The last valve cover gasket kit I bought was from Advanced Auto Parts. I THINK (although rarely ) it was FelPro, but I'm probably wrong. Anywho, it was a whopping $17.00. Had the gasket, both half-moons, and the 4 hold down nut grommets. Just remember to use the squeeze tube gasketing materiel where the FSM says to. I am pretty sure it just takes a bit at the corners of the half-moons, and a thin film around the mating surface of each half-moon. The circular portion, not the flat part.
A little trick I learned when putting the valve cover back on with a new gasket: First and foremost, put the gasket on the right way. There is a thin part and a fat part of the valve cover gasket. The THIN part goes into slot in the vale cover, the FAT part is what sits on the flat mating surface of head. This is IMPORTANT, or it won't seal, and there will be oil leaks all around the valve cover. The hold down grommets won't fit, either. At all. The grommets are a LITTLE bit too thick when they're first installed, with the gasket right way up, but you just have to push down on the valve cover a bit to got the nuts started. If you put the gasket in upside down, IE: the fat part in the cover's slot, it won't matter how much you push, the grommets won't permit you to get the acorn nuts started at all. It's a good indication you put the gasket on upside down.
Second, to get the gasket to stay on when trying to get the cover back in place, try putting a SMALL dab of a very thick grease of some sort at the corners, and a few other places around the gasket, in the slot in the valve cover. It holds the gasket in place while upside down, lowering the valve cover into place over the head. I take a toothpick, and whatever I can scoop up with the fat end of it is how much I use. Small little dabs of grease. Just enough to keep it in place, mostly, when I flip the valve cover over to lower it into place on the head. It's saved me a LOT of frustration, trying to hold the gasket in AND maneuver the valve cover to where I can get it into place correctly.
I've replaced the gasket every time I've set the valve lash, which I do once a year. It's saved me alot of time and effort finding that friggen rattle...
I also do the radiator hoses, and the belts, along with the usuals. Distributor cap and rotor, plugs and plug wires, coolant, transmission oil, etc. I save the removed belts, hoses, plugs, etc, and throw them in a box I keep in the back, and throw out what had been in there. That way, if I get a bad one from the store, of whatever, I can replace it right on the side of the road, rather than needing to get a tow home. It's saved me more than one tow expense, I can tell you!
Sorry. I babble too much. I wish you good fortune!
Pat☺
Where's the pictures of this rig!? That would also help confusion about what exactly you have
I bought a gasket kit off Rockauto last year, and it came with the half moons, but like scope says, the picture will show you everything it came with. I'm pretty sure I paid under $100 for the kit, before shipping. Haven't had an issue with the handful of gaskets I've used, I'm pretty sure the kit was "Engine Tech" brand.
Where's the pictures of this rig!? That would also help confusion about what exactly you have
I bought a gasket kit off Rockauto last year, and it came with the half moons, but like scope says, the picture will show you everything it came with. I'm pretty sure I paid under $100 for the kit, before shipping. Haven't had an issue with the handful of gaskets I've used, I'm pretty sure the kit was "Engine Tech" brand.
Post 66 I left a link with a pic of the truck. Well now I see it won’t even work. How the heck do you all add pics on this forum?
Last edited by Jaketheone46; Apr 4, 2020 at 09:31 PM.
Thanks man yours is awesome, is that a 4 runner I’m assuming? Do you keep the top off and have it enclosed somehow??
yup, 4runner. I have the hard top on for the colder months Nov-mid May, though i don't drive it unless the roads are clear. Then usually rolling in safari mode all summer and fall.
yup, 4runner. I have the hard top on for the colder months Nov-mid May, though i don't drive it unless the roads are clear. Then usually rolling in safari mode all summer and fall.
Well I have a summer vehicle already, I’m a conversion van guy. 94 Ford E150 Explorer conversion 30,000 miles on it. She only had 19,800 miles when I found it almost 3 years ago now. She is absolutely beautiful. I kept buying cars for winter beaters and never liking what I was driving for the winter. I thought and thought of finally getting the truck I wanted, everytime I considered a old school yota 4x4 I thought then I’d have 2 summer cars. Well I decided I’ll just get one anyway and drive it during the winter using a good undercoat. I use woolwax so we will see how well it works for the pickup. I use the van in the summer as our traveling vehicle. We camp in it when traveling during the nights we are heading to our destination. We tow a enclosed trailer with our motorcycles.
Last edited by Jaketheone46; Apr 6, 2020 at 03:39 AM.
I ended up getting a ishino stone valve cover gasket set which is supposed to be a good quality oem Japan set, anyone heard of this?? So I’ll be installing that this weekend if I can get to it along with a valve lash ADJ. Also got my 4 new tires ready to go on the Mickey Thompson classic Wheels. I have Mickey Thompson Baja mtz on it now but they are all showing age which I was ok with except the right front has some kind of issue I have no idea what, every other lug sticks up. So you have a high lug then low lug then high/low all the way around?? It’s like having busted belts under every other lug. If it wasn’t for that these tires would get me through another year. After lots of research I’ve ended up grabbing 4 milestar pategonia MT 31x10.50x15. After feeling how heavy a 31x10.50 is I kinda wish I had went with a 30x9.50. But the current tires are 31x10.50 and it does fine so I’m not changing anything. I do love having this truck.
Last edited by Jaketheone46; Apr 8, 2020 at 03:41 PM.
I ended up getting a ishino stone valve cover gasket set which is supposed to be a good quality oem Japan set, anyone heard of this?? So I’ll be installing that this weekend if I can get to it along with a valve lash ADJ. Also got my 4 new tires ready to go on the Mickey Thompson classic Wheels. I have Mickey Thompson Baja mtz on it now but they are all showing age which I was ok with except the right front has some kind of issue I have no idea what, every other lug sticks up. So you have a high lug then low lug then high/low all the way around?? It’s like having busted belts under every other lug. If it wasn’t for that these tires would get me through another year. After lots of research I’ve ended up grabbing 4 milestar pategonia MT 31x10.50x15. After feeling how heavy a 31x10.50 is I kinda wish I had went with a 30x9.50. But the current tires are 31x10.50 and it does fine so I’m not changing anything. I do love having this truck.
youre getting chopping. Prolly due to worn shocks letting the wheel slightly bounce. My 4runner has patigonias on it, and thats how mine are now. 20yr old shocks will do that. Or a slight alignment issue.
Apr 2, 2020 | 11:42 AM
) it was FelPro, but I'm probably wrong. Anywho, it was a whopping $17.00. Had the gasket, both half-moons, and the 4 hold down nut grommets. Just remember to use the squeeze tube gasketing materiel where the FSM says to. I am pretty sure it just takes a bit at the corners of the half-moons, and a thin film around the mating surface of each half-moon. The circular portion, not the flat part.
