DOHC Valve Covers

[Joe Walsh]

OK, I know that I must be missing something simple... :o
I'm disassembling my engine to get the front cover, cam chains, sprockets, tensioners, & valve covers.
(I'm having a forged 'Big Bore' engine built using another block so that I only have to send my heads and above mentioned items to Modular Performance for final assembly of the long block)
I had a somewhat difficult time getting the passenger's side valve cover past the heater box and off the engine, BUT I can't get the driver's side valve cover off....Do you have to remove the windsheild wiper motor box and/or the master cylinder?
It's easier to get valve covers off a 428CJ Mustang than my MM!
Ford builds the biggest sedan on the road with a 1/4 acre hood & big a$$ engine compartment and they can't provide valve cover clearance???? :mad: :mad2:
Anybody who has pulled their valve covers to paint them know what the 'trick' is?
Thanks, Joe

[TAF]

Joe...

The driver's side is MUCH easier than the passenger. However...they both will have much more removal clearance by taking off the wiper assembly. That should do the trick for your driver's side (and make the passenger's side easier to go back on).

[DEFYANT]

I have never done this, but I read in other posts, some guys remove the motor mounts to gain clearance..... my 2 cents.

[Constable]

WIPER MOTOR... and pretty much the whole inner-cowl area. Just unbolt everything and leave it out until the new motor gets there. It'll make the swap much easier. With that stuff out of the way, the driver side should just pop out. The passenger side gave me the problems (like TAF said). Had to loosen the frontend and drop the motor down about 2" so I could pull the cover.

[Petrograde]

^^^what they said^^^

had the car on a lift, loosened engine mounts, removed transmission cross-member and tilted the engine forward.

what a PITA.

[Joe Walsh]

WOW...that really is a PITA! I salute you guys who went through all of that B.S. just to paint your valve covers!
Did you REMOVE the motor mounts or just loosen them?
Tilt engine forward or back? i.e. drop the front or the back of the engine?
I hope that I can get the engine back in with the valve covers on.
On a related note...can you leave the transmission IN the car when you pull the engine or MUST they both come out together?
Thanks in advance for all your responses...Joe

[Petrograde]

WOW...that really is a PITA! I salute you guys who went through all of that B.S. just to paint your valve covers!
Did you REMOVE the motor mounts or just loosen them?
Tilt engine forward or back? i.e. drop the front or the back of the engine?
I hope that I can get the engine back in with the valve covers on.
On a related note...can you leave the transmission IN the car when you pull the engine or MUST they both come out together?
Thanks in advance for all your responses...Joe

It sure did look like a PITA! I watched while a couple wrenches at a local speed shop cursed and granted. :P

near as I can tell they only loosened the motor mounts, tilted it as far as it would go. I should've taken some pics! :rolleyes:

wish I could be more help. :o

[looking97233]

Call me silly, or maybe I'm missing something...but if you are pulling the heads to send out... you can't drive the car... and when the new motor gets there... you have to pull the old block. So why not pull the motor now? Everything would be easier and you wont risk scratching your fenders trying to dis-assemble the motor in the car.

[Joe Walsh]

Call me silly, or maybe I'm missing something...but if you are pulling the heads to send out... you can't drive the car... and when the new motor gets there... you have to pull the old block. So why not pull the motor now? Everything would be easier and you wont risk scratching your fenders trying to dis-assemble the motor in the car.

Simple...There is not enough room in my garage to fit my engine hoist in front of my Marauder WITHOUT partially backing the MM out from the garage. It's 24 degrees outside and I'm in no mood to freeze my a$$ off. I won't have the new engine back for at least 1 month (heads are going to be ported and get new SS valves, new valve springs and Crower Cams) so I can wait for warmer weather to pull the OEM block.

[Merc-O-matic]

Not 100% correct....but I think you have to remove the
motor (Motor mounts) and tilt the engine to get the
valve covers off. Somebody said it took a trained
"gearhead" over 12 hours in labor. Not a good day.

Gotta Love It!

[Joe Walsh]

As always there is a positive and a negative to everything....I love those huge DOHC (kinda like a Boss 429) valve covers. Especially at the drag strip when I have my hood up to cool the engine in between runs....
people walk by, look, stop dead in their tracks, and say "Holy Crap look at the size of that V8!!!" They think that a Marauder has a 500 cubic inch engine based on the valve covers.
But, they area major PITA to remove!

[HwyCruiser]

Sheez, I wonder what the Ford labor guide says about R&R'ing the valve covers. I was thinking about powder coated valve covers and a camshaft bearing cap re-torque. Maybe not so much now.

[Petrograde]

Sheez, I wonder what the Ford labor guide says about R&R'ing the valve covers. I was thinking about powder coated valve covers and a camshaft bearing cap re-torque. Maybe not so much now.

2.2 hours for the right side
2.8 hours for the left side

how the hell do they do that I wonder?

[rumble]

2.2 hours for the right side
2.8 hours for the left side

how the hell do they do that I wonder?

In my whole life in the automobile business I never paid anyone to pull a valve cover on one of my cars.
But after a heart to heart talk with Logan and Petro I decided I only needed two tools to do the job. My Visa card and a pen, along with a ride to John Eagle here in Dallas. $210 labor. Job done.

Thanks again Logan and Tom.

Shine baby shine!

[O's Fan Rich]

I was at the local Ford dealer and I noticed an F150 with the front end off in a service bay. I asked 'how hard was it hit?" They said, "Oh. no. We pull the front end off to do cylinder head work or to pull the valve covers. It only takes 45 minutes."
Woa!!
I'll hold off a anew color for my covers, thank you very much.

[SouLRioT]

Who has the spare set of valve covers now? Maybe you could send out the spare set and then once you get your motor out you can put it back into rotation.

[rumble]

Who has the spare set of valve covers now? Maybe you could send out the spare set and then once you get your motor out you can put it back into rotation.

Last I knew of them I sent them to Barrister "jspradii" in Louisiana.
You might PM him to see if he still has them and if so would he like
to continue the chain? If he has already sent them on it should be easy
to track them down.

Gary

[HwyCruiser]

2.2 hours for the right side
2.8 hours for the left side

how the hell do they do that I wonder?

Thanks Petro.

Let's see, 5 hrs x $80/hr = $400 for valve cover R&R. I'm pretty much looking at getting stuck with the labor guide at rate on stuff like this. Now the question is how bad do I want bling and a dice roll to rid myself of the ticks?

[Joe Walsh]

Thanks Petro.

Let's see, 5 hrs x $80/hr = $400 for valve cover R&R. I'm pretty much looking at getting stuck with the labor guide at rate on stuff like this. Now the question is how bad do I want bling and a dice roll to rid myself of the ticks?

Just curious....
Is the 'camshaft bearing re-torque' you mentioned a cure for the familiar ticking valve sound??

[Petrograde]

Just curious....
Is the 'camshaft bearing re-torque' you mentioned a cure for the familiar ticking valve sound??

some folks here have cured their ticks by retorquing the bearing cap hardware. Apparently, some of them were not properly torqued. :rolleyes:

[rumble]

Thanks Petro.

Let's see, 5 hrs x $80/hr = $400 for valve cover R&R. I'm pretty much looking at getting stuck with the labor guide at rate on stuff like this. Now the question is how bad do I want bling and a dice roll to rid myself of the ticks?

If your still under warranty let FMC pay for it. "De-ticking" the engine
seems to be a known warranty issue with DOHC engines. As petro said
re-torque the cam hold downs. This involves (with most techs anyway)
R&Ring the valve covers.

Another way to go is John Eagle and the Marauder club. Maybe you need to
come to Dallas this spring and meet all these fine folks down here. Cruzer
and 2003MIB (yes, THE 2003MIB) are talking about having the meetings on
Saturdays this year. Also the folks Petro had do his were good enough that
he has recomended them.

Just some other options for you to consider.

[rumble]

OK, I know that I must be missing something simple... :o
I'm disassembling my engine to get the front cover, cam chains, sprockets, tensioners, & valve covers.
(I'm having a forged 'Big Bore' engine built using another block so that I only have to send my heads and above mentioned items to Modular Performance for final assembly of the long block)
I had a somewhat difficult time getting the passenger's side valve cover past the heater box and off the engine, BUT I can't get the driver's side valve cover off....Do you have to remove the windsheild wiper motor box and/or the master cylinder?
It's easier to get valve covers off a 428CJ Mustang than my MM!
Ford builds the biggest sedan on the road with a 1/4 acre hood & big a$$ engine compartment and they can't provide valve cover clearance???? :mad: :mad2:
Anybody who has pulled their valve covers to paint them know what the 'trick' is?
Thanks, Joe

Sorry Joe, I apologize for Hijacking the thread.

[Joe Walsh]

Just an update after last night's thrash in the garage...You don't need to unbolt the motor mounts nor tilt the engine...As suggested, I removed the windsheild wiper motor assembly (basically the entire black plastic moulding in front of the windsheild to which the ww motor and arms are attached). The driver's side valve cover now clears and lifts off easily. :banana:
Thanks to everyone for their help. Joe

[TAF]

Just an update after last night's thrash in the garage...You don't need to unbolt the motor mounts nor tilt the engine...As suggested, I removed the windsheild wiper motor assembly (basically the entire black plastic moulding in front of the windsheild to which the ww motor and arms are attached). The driver's side valve cover now clears and lifts off easily. :banana:
Thanks to everyone for their help. JoeNow...let's see...who suggested this and said that there was no need to loosen the motor mounts...??:confused: :P

Remember Goober Knows Cars...and although I never "wrench" anything myself...I got some of the best "Goobers" in the country down here to watch as THEY wrench....

[Joe Walsh]

Now...let's see...who suggested this and said that there was no need to loosen the motor mounts...??:confused: :P

Remember Goober Knows Cars...and although I never "wrench" anything myself...I got some of the best "Goobers" in the country down here to watch as THEY wrench....

You're OK in my book GOOBER!! ;)