Blackened300a
01-18-2009, 09:33 AM
OK let me start off by saying that this is one of the biggest PITA job's I have ever done on a car or truck! If you are easily discouraged, impatient or not very mechanically inclined, then I suggest not attempting this job yourself.
I decided to go the easy way out by doing the drivers side cam cover first. So this way I HAVE to do the passenger side.
Here's what It looked like before I started wrenching.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0050.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0051.jpg
First thing you have to do is remove the wiper arms from the cowl, then the entire cowl that sits against the windshield must be removed. There are 2 push in clips with 4 phillip's head screws on the cowl.
Once thats removed then you will see the entire wiper motor assembly. There are 6 silver bolts in there that need to be removed and then just unplug the wiper motor which will allow the entire assembly to come out as one piece. It should look like this.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0053.jpg
With that removed, its just a matter of un-bolting the intake tube, master cylinder, the throttle body and IAC must be removed, also under the master as you can see in the pic above are 3 plugs that clip on to a bracket. The bracket is bolted on to the brake booster, just simply unplug the smaller plugs and unclip the big plug off the bracket and shove the entire wiring harness behind the head. It will be in the way if you don't do this.
Just go ahead and unclip the wire holders from the cam cover bolts and start removing all 10 bolts. The oil dipstick has a small bolt that holds it to the head and a bracket that holds it to the cam cover, just remove the smaller bolt and carefully turn it away from the cover. It will move a bit so dont worry about snapping it off. Remove the coil covers, all 4 coils and pull the harness out of the cover, just pull it behind the intake lid out of the way.
I ran into a bit of a issue trying to get the cam cover out with the upper intake lid being in the way. I just unbolted it and lifted it up to give me enough clearance to roll the cam cover towards me and then pull up and out.
You will then bask in the marvel that is the 4V Marauder engine.
Gotta hand it to synthetic oil, Its immaculate for 60K miles.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0054.jpg
After cleaning the surface on the head where the cover will sit and then placing the new gasket into the new cam cover I had to lift up the intake lid just a bit and slid the new cover in bottom first and it just dropped right in without any struggle.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0055.jpg
Just reverse the steps and bolt everything back together.
IMPORTANT!! The bolts may have a big cap on them but they are only 6mm bolts. If you tighten them down too much they will snap! Just snug them down til tight and leave them.
I bolted everything back on and put the entire driver side back together with the new cover installed.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/install.jpg
Here's the comparison from passenger to driver side.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0058.jpg
OK No turning back now! Its time for the dreaded passenger side!
Its a bit less involved only because there are less item's to remove to get to it.
You'll have to remove the gas line which requires a special tool you can pick up at any auto part store, You'll have to remove the 2 10mm bolts that hold the EGR shield on, the coil covers, all 4 coils with harness, and any vacuum lines that run across the cover. I unbolted the 2 bolts that hold the fuel rail onto the intake manifold just so I could lift it up a bit to prevent damaging or scratching the covers. There is a coolant line that run's off the heater core behind the cover, just simply move that out of the way but don't disconnect.
Now unclip all the wire clips from the cam cover bolts, and remove all the bolt's from the cover. There are a few threads that mentioned this technique to remove the cover and it really works. The reason why you removed the EGR shield is so you can roll the cam cover up towards the intake. It will get high enough that you can slide it to the right and pull it straight put. This sounds A LOT easier that what it really is! It will take a few attempts and some real patience to get this cover out.
Once its out you will see this.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0059.jpg
Getting it off was very trying and difficult, putting it on will be worse!!! There have been several mentions in past threads about removing the passenger side motor mount bolt and jacking the engine up to gain some clearance. I didn't do this and I think it would actually make it harder to work. The other technique that has been mentioned is removing a non-structural "bung" on the inside of the new cover. This actually will work.
Pictured here on the old cover is a wear mark where the cam guide was hitting the inside rear of the cover during removal and making this job much more difficult.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0061.jpg
Now take a dremel with a grinding head on it and very carefully grind away at the "bung" to make it smoother and easier for the cam cover to slide over the rear cam guide.
It should look something like this when your done.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0060.jpg
Clean out any excess metal inside the cam cover from the grinding and insert your gasket.
Now the you are on your way to stress and a huge headache!
continued.....
I decided to go the easy way out by doing the drivers side cam cover first. So this way I HAVE to do the passenger side.
Here's what It looked like before I started wrenching.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0050.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0051.jpg
First thing you have to do is remove the wiper arms from the cowl, then the entire cowl that sits against the windshield must be removed. There are 2 push in clips with 4 phillip's head screws on the cowl.
Once thats removed then you will see the entire wiper motor assembly. There are 6 silver bolts in there that need to be removed and then just unplug the wiper motor which will allow the entire assembly to come out as one piece. It should look like this.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0053.jpg
With that removed, its just a matter of un-bolting the intake tube, master cylinder, the throttle body and IAC must be removed, also under the master as you can see in the pic above are 3 plugs that clip on to a bracket. The bracket is bolted on to the brake booster, just simply unplug the smaller plugs and unclip the big plug off the bracket and shove the entire wiring harness behind the head. It will be in the way if you don't do this.
Just go ahead and unclip the wire holders from the cam cover bolts and start removing all 10 bolts. The oil dipstick has a small bolt that holds it to the head and a bracket that holds it to the cam cover, just remove the smaller bolt and carefully turn it away from the cover. It will move a bit so dont worry about snapping it off. Remove the coil covers, all 4 coils and pull the harness out of the cover, just pull it behind the intake lid out of the way.
I ran into a bit of a issue trying to get the cam cover out with the upper intake lid being in the way. I just unbolted it and lifted it up to give me enough clearance to roll the cam cover towards me and then pull up and out.
You will then bask in the marvel that is the 4V Marauder engine.
Gotta hand it to synthetic oil, Its immaculate for 60K miles.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0054.jpg
After cleaning the surface on the head where the cover will sit and then placing the new gasket into the new cam cover I had to lift up the intake lid just a bit and slid the new cover in bottom first and it just dropped right in without any struggle.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0055.jpg
Just reverse the steps and bolt everything back together.
IMPORTANT!! The bolts may have a big cap on them but they are only 6mm bolts. If you tighten them down too much they will snap! Just snug them down til tight and leave them.
I bolted everything back on and put the entire driver side back together with the new cover installed.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/install.jpg
Here's the comparison from passenger to driver side.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0058.jpg
OK No turning back now! Its time for the dreaded passenger side!
Its a bit less involved only because there are less item's to remove to get to it.
You'll have to remove the gas line which requires a special tool you can pick up at any auto part store, You'll have to remove the 2 10mm bolts that hold the EGR shield on, the coil covers, all 4 coils with harness, and any vacuum lines that run across the cover. I unbolted the 2 bolts that hold the fuel rail onto the intake manifold just so I could lift it up a bit to prevent damaging or scratching the covers. There is a coolant line that run's off the heater core behind the cover, just simply move that out of the way but don't disconnect.
Now unclip all the wire clips from the cam cover bolts, and remove all the bolt's from the cover. There are a few threads that mentioned this technique to remove the cover and it really works. The reason why you removed the EGR shield is so you can roll the cam cover up towards the intake. It will get high enough that you can slide it to the right and pull it straight put. This sounds A LOT easier that what it really is! It will take a few attempts and some real patience to get this cover out.
Once its out you will see this.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0059.jpg
Getting it off was very trying and difficult, putting it on will be worse!!! There have been several mentions in past threads about removing the passenger side motor mount bolt and jacking the engine up to gain some clearance. I didn't do this and I think it would actually make it harder to work. The other technique that has been mentioned is removing a non-structural "bung" on the inside of the new cover. This actually will work.
Pictured here on the old cover is a wear mark where the cam guide was hitting the inside rear of the cover during removal and making this job much more difficult.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0061.jpg
Now take a dremel with a grinding head on it and very carefully grind away at the "bung" to make it smoother and easier for the cam cover to slide over the rear cam guide.
It should look something like this when your done.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/Engine/DSCN0060.jpg
Clean out any excess metal inside the cam cover from the grinding and insert your gasket.
Now the you are on your way to stress and a huge headache!
continued.....