7mge spark plug valley cover help!

northdakotakid

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Feb 17, 2009
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So im wanting to pull my spark plug cover to drain the oil oil outta the valley, but I cannot for the life of me get the bolts off! I made my own tool to remove the bolts out of a bolt while double nutting the end. When I try to remove them, the tool starts to twist/bend! I am cranking on these stupid bolts and the will not even think of moving, are these opposite thread by some stupid reason? Or are they just frozen solid?
 

northdakotakid

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Feb 17, 2009
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Good to know I'm not the only one struggling with these. Ill buy one monday, I live 45 min. from the nearest autozone. And my Napa in town closes at 2 on saturdays and is closed on sundays.
 

northdakotakid

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Feb 17, 2009
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Wow good to know as well, there is a Harbor Freight in Fargo, 45 min. away from here, maybe ill stop there and pick that up. It would be nice to have a whole set.
 

PureDrifter

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Aug 11, 2009
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www.clublexus.com
if you buy the HF one, be sure to NOT BUY THE LONG VERSION!
stick to the regular length hex socket set, it's reasonably sturdy. the longer ones WILL snap dead center on a hard bolt. I snapped one of mine on the very bolts/plugs mentioned here (with a 3t 1/2inch breaker bar). Just buy the single 12 or 14mm extended hex you may need for the head bolts from sears or w/e.

also, if your 3rd valve cover (part name is something like that) is mangled or seeping you can leave it out if you use the proper gaskets on the plugs during reassembly (the stock gasket/cover deal is about $100, the napa gaskets i used were part no. 704-1076 and a hell of a lot less.).
 

Turbo Habanero

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Apr 28, 2009
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PureDrifter;1794238 said:
also, if your 3rd valve cover (part name is something like that) is mangled or seeping you can leave it out if you use the proper gaskets on the plugs during reassembly (the stock gasket/cover deal is about $100, the napa gaskets i used were part no. 704-1076 and a hell of a lot less.).

+1
 

hvyman

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Apr 17, 2007
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Napa gaskets work awesome.

Also one of the reasons I spent 40$ on the snap on 14mm hex. Makes it seem like child's play.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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They shouldn't be THAT tight, if they are, that's why they're leaking. The torque spec is only 13 ft-lbs. Overtighten and you rip the rubber coating on the No. 3 Cylinder Head Cover (that's it's real name) and they don't seal.

I agree it looks like crap without the cover there (especially with the stock plug wires), but to each their own...
 

Turbo Habanero

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Apr 28, 2009
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I'm pretty sure they are all Oil Related and the No.3 Cover acts like a gasket for them so yes you need to get all of them off. I replaced my No.3 valve cover with Oil Drain plug fiber crush washers never leaked since
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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The ones that hold down the No. 3 Cylinder Head Cover go to oil, the ones down between the spark plugs go to coolant (and leave them alone unless they leak!)
 

planemos

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Apr 22, 2011
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If the hex head bolt strips don't even try to get it off. It's impossible I tried. Unless maybe you can remove all the valve covers and cams then try. If they don't leak, don't touch them like Poodles said.
 

northdakotakid

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Feb 17, 2009
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North Dakota
Well I got the cover off, and upon further inspection, a majority of the fluid in the plug valley is coolant, not oil. There is a little oil, but not nearly as much as there is coolant. Where could this coolant be coming from?