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limpnalong
Dodge Dakota
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6/01/2004
10:54:31
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 Subject: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
I replaced the valve cover gaskets on my 1987 3.9l 2wd. 140k miles. I cleaned out all the cruddy old gasket, vacumed out all the little bits that fell into the springs, etc. I cleaned out the gunk from the valve covers them selves.
I also scraped all the mating surfaces and wiped them down with acetone.
My Haynes manual says that the tork for the valve cover nuts should be 80ft/lbs. I worked the bolts in a kind of a criss cross pattern one quarter to one half turn at a time. Got them down pretty tight and then continued the pattern with the tork wrench but I'm not getting anywhere near 80ft/lbs. The wrench is reading about 25ft/lbs and those covers are on pretty tight.
(FYI, this is the first time I've used a tork wrench)
Is it neccessary to actually crank these nuts down to 80ft/lbs ? I'm afraid I'll damage the valve covers. At 25ft/lbs do I risk some vacum leak?
I had my carb rebuilt and replaced it at the same time that I did the valve covers (and the EGR valve). The engine is running pretty smooth right now but was giving me a rough idle at stop lights and isnt as 'peppy' as I'd hoped after the carb rebuild.
Also, the EGR bolts have the three slashes on them, not sure what the tork on these should be, I tightend them down to 25lbs. I dry fitted the gasket.
I guess in general I'm asking in any of these three areas, the valve covers, the carb, and the EGR valve, should a reasonable tightening down of the associated bolts give me a a good seal or should I have gone nuts with gasket sealer, etc. All of the surfaces were in good shape and the carb was professionally rebuilt.
see this link for the thread regarding the carb replacement.
http://www.dodgedakota.net/boards/v6/9259.html
Thanks a bunch.
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limpnalong
Dodge Dakota
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6/01/2004
10:58:26
|  RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
One last thing, is there a break in period/routine till all of these gaskets saturate with gas / oil etc? The EGR and Carb gaskets were some sort of paper material and the valve cover gaskets were a sort of cork material.
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Oh No
Dodge Dakota
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6/01/2004
11:34:18
| RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
I don't have my manual handy but my guess it they meant 80 inch pounds or about 6.6 foot pounds 24 ft.lbs would ruin the gaskets
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Oh No
Dodge Dakota
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6/01/2004
11:34:30
| RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
I don't have my manual handy but my guess it they meant 80 inch pounds or about 6.6 foot pounds 24 ft.lbs would ruin the gaskets
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daffydak
GenIII
6/01/2004
11:39:03
| RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
are you sure its not 80 in/lbs instead of ft/lbs?my haynes manual for 97-99 dakotas lists 95 in-lbs for the valve cover nuts/studs... i dont know about the egr, 25 should be OK (exhaust manifold nuts are rated 25 in my same manual, they should be similar to the egr bolts) BTW, 3 slashes is grade 5 I bieleve......
and the gaskets should be ok, as long as they arent over tightened. just keep an eye on them for leaks...
hioe i helped
Dan
MOPAR=More Power!!
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daffydak
GenIII
6/01/2004
11:39:19
| RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
are you sure its not 80 in/lbs instead of ft/lbs?my haynes manual for 97-99 dakotas lists 95 in-lbs for the valve cover nuts/studs... i dont know about the egr, 25 should be OK (exhaust manifold nuts are rated 25 in my same manual, they should be similar to the egr bolts) BTW, 3 slashes is grade 5 I bieleve......
and the gaskets should be ok, as long as they arent over tightened. just keep an eye on them for leaks...
hope i helped
Dan
MOPAR=More Power!!
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daffydak
GenIII
6/01/2004
11:40:03
| RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
whoops sorry about that ;-)
Dan
MOPAR=More Power!!
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limpnalong
Dodge Dakota
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6/01/2004
13:38:46
| RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Thats a HUGE Help. I'll double check. It probably is inch lbs. I'm glad I didnt crank them all the way down...Geez... Thanks a bunch...
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limpnalong
Dodge Dakota
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6/01/2004
13:52:55
| RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
Hey, So assuming that I messed up and did screw them down to 20ft/lbs, do you think I need to yank them off again and replace the gaskets again?
If I dont see an oil leak am I probably OK? Also, should I back them off a bit? Wondering if the valve covers may get distorted by leaving them on so tight. I've only put about ten or twenty miles on since I did the work.
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another mark
Dodge Dakota
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6/01/2004
13:53:25
| RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
Just so you know, lug nuts are torqued to 100-120 ft/lbs, there
is no way those valve covers are at 80 ft/lbs.
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daffydak
GenIII
6/02/2004
00:59:16
| RE: v6 valve cover gaskets
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Message:
i think the gaskest will be OK. You should make a it a point, to look for leaks once a week though.....
you should back them off a bit and torque them to spec (your torque wrench should read in-lbs as well) that way you will be sure.
Dan
MOPAR=More Power!!
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