Vibe/Matrix/Corolla 1.8 1zz engine valve cover

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Looking to take off the valve cover and look at the engine (for "sludge") on my 2003 Vibe, 120k miles. The valve cover has never been off before. I don't have any reason to think it is sludged at all, but think it would be something good to check out at this point in time and mileage.

Would I be wise to replace the valve cover gasket at the same time? It is a $15 part and available locally.

If I replace the gasket, do you put a bit of grease on the back to keep it in place (like is often done with tranny pan and oil pan gaskets), or just put the gasket on there?


What are good things to use to clean the inside of the valve cover while I have it off?
 
Get a new one, it will have more elasticity and keep oil in longer.

I'd use RTV instead of grease to hold it in place, but am not sure you'd even need that. Often a couple bolts will stick through smallish holes with friction and hold the VC gasket that way.
 
I would also buy a new gasket, just to be safe.

If you are careful you can reuse the VC gasket and reoil if it wasn't damaged when you removed the VC. I did this about 5 times on our old Civic and it never leaked a drop of oil.
 
The list keeps getting bigger. I'm going to end up spending a whole day on this stuff. I think I'll get an OEM gasket (depending on price) instead of a FelPro one. And if the valve cover is dirty, also take down the oil pan and clean that and replace the sealant (no gasket on oil pan).

The list:

New O2 sensors
New catalytic converter
Throttle body cleaning and gasket
Clean IVAC and new gasket
New intake manifold gasket
Valve cover cleaning and gasket
New VVTi filter change and VVTi valve cleaning
Oil change

Blower motor relay, resistor, and blower motor itself can wait for another day (only about an hour total for this).

Hope I can find time within a month or so to do this.
 
Quote:
I think I'll get an OEM gasket (depending on price) instead of a FelPro one


FelPro makes and excellent gasket,no reason to spend more money.
 
That's a lot of parts. What year and milage is it? Are you going to check adjust the valve clearance since you'll have the valve cover off?
 
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
That's a lot of parts. What year and milage is it? Are you going to check adjust the valve clearance since you'll have the valve cover off?


2003 with 121k miles. Parts are about $600 I'd guess, am not really keeping track. Half is the cat. Checking/adjusting the valves is too advanced for me. I'll probably have the Toyota dealer do that when I have it in for a tranny fluid flush and screen filter and gasket change (I got a flush 35k ago, and did a drain and fill 13k ago) summer 2012. I figure it is worth it to me to have the dealer do the tranny flush for $60 more than it would cost me to do three drain and fills. I will have a hard enough time with some of this stuff, but it definitely all seems doable from my research. I'm not going to mess with the oil pan (not leaking) unless it is dirty under the valve cover because it seems like a messy job with the sealant (and haven't found the torque setting for the pan bolts).

I'll get the Toyota VC gasket if it is $25 or less, the FelPro one is $16. On Toyota Nation a mechanic was saying the FP ones don't last as long as OEM with foreign cars.
 
Don't remove the valvecover for NO REASON - that is silly insane. PLus you'll disturb the plugs and need new ones. Wait till you need an adjustment or know how to check your valve lash. My Toyota DOHC 1.5L is non adjustable - you have to tear the engine down to replace the buckets.
 
Yeah, it really sounds like overkill. Everyone I've read on genvibe that has checked their valve clearances, with many more miles than yours, have been well within spec.
 
Quote:
On Toyota Nation a mechanic was saying the FP ones don't last as long as OEM with foreign cars


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Cant argue with that.
 
Originally Posted By: PRND3L
Yeah, it really sounds like overkill. Everyone I've read on genvibe that has checked their valve clearances, with many more miles than yours, have been well within spec.


I've seen this, too. My reason for taking off the VC is to check the engine for cleanliness. Hard to see much on this engine through the fill hole. There is staining, can't tell much else. Figured I'd replace the gasket while the cover was off.
 
Can't do anything about the "cleanliness" though, other than changing the oil as you have been. The normal coating of varnish is not a problem. Is the engine showing signs of being plugged up?
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Can't do anything about the "cleanliness" though, other than changing the oil as you have been. The normal coating of varnish is not a problem. Is the engine showing signs of being plugged up?


Engine runs fine except for the "ticking" these engines make is a bit loud, which is why I'm replacing the VVTi filter to hopefully help with that. Want to see about cleanliness to see if I might want to switch to Ultra or something. It has seen reasonable OCIs since we've had it (got it at 21k miles, now 121k), mostly with Valvoline blend. Put in QSUD this last change (it is due for another change within a month) and it darkened a bit quick, but not horribly quick. Doing some cleaning I'd presume.
 
I've got the same engine with 196k and the only things I've done so far to it is;

1 PCV valve
Oil changes
Air filter changes
1 coolant flush
1 set of plugs

That is it. Everything else is still sealed up and original. I bought a valve cover gasket a few years ago when I check the valves, got a accessory belt when I need to replace it and I know its clean so until something needs to be taken care of I'll do it then.

No WAY would I be replacing the O2 sensors, cat and such unless I NEED to. Is there a problem that you need to take of the intake?

Here is my oil fill 5 minutes ago. I'm not concerned...

img1382n.jpg

Keep us informed.

Bill
 
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
No WAY would I be replacing the O2 sensors, cat and such unless I NEED to. Is there a problem that you need to take of the intake?

Keep us informed.

Bill


Yeah, the intake manifold gasket needs replacing. We have the P0171 code, and the 0420 code. There is a TSB about it. The bad manifold caused the cat to go bad based on what I've found. Not sure if the O2 sensors are bad or not , but I figure I'll replace them while I'm doing the cat/resonator and do the exhaust manifold one, too. Might as well do the throttle body stuff ($6 in parts) since it needs to come off to do the manifold gasket, and the VVTi filter is easier to do with the manifold off so might as well replace that, too ($6 part - hope it lessens the ticking these engines do, which has gotten louder with time). Looking through my oil fill hole it is much more stained than that.
 
The mating surfaces have to be clean and dry.
A small dab of silicone RTV is usually used in the corners or at half moon seals - things like that.
Use a new gasket, for sure.
 
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I've got the same engine with 196k and the only things I've done so far to it is;

1 PCV valve
Oil changes
Air filter changes
1 coolant flush
1 set of plugs

That is it. Everything else is still sealed up and original. I bought a valve cover gasket a few years ago when I check the valves, got a accessory belt when I need to replace it and I know its clean so until something needs to be taken care of I'll do it then.

No WAY would I be replacing the O2 sensors, cat and such unless I NEED to. Is there a problem that you need to take of the intake?

Here is my oil fill 5 minutes ago. I'm not concerned...

Keep us informed.

Bill

Almost 200k miles with only 1 coolant flush ? The first coolant flush should be around 100k miles and every 60k miles after that, is that the recommended ?
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR

Almost 200k miles with only 1 coolant flush ? The first coolant flush should be around 100k miles and every 60k miles after that, is that the recommended ?


IIRC, Bill used Peak Global. Between that and the distilled water, the total was less than $20.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Quote:
I think I'll get an OEM gasket (depending on price) instead of a FelPro one


FelPro makes and excellent gasket,no reason to spend more money.


Agreed, fel pro is on par with OEM.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR

Almost 200k miles with only 1 coolant flush ? The first coolant flush should be around 100k miles and every 60k miles after that, is that the recommended ?


Correct. Here is the tread on my coolant change a little over 150k.

Originally Posted By: hate2work


IIRC, Bill used Peak Global. Between that and the distilled water, the total was less than $20.


Correct. Peak Global lifetime is in my Toyota, Subaru, 2004 GMC truck, Dad's 2005 Honda powered Vue, 2002 Chevy truck, 2005 F150 and 2007 Dodge Caravan. Going in my sisters 2003 Taurus next month. I'm not going to have 6 different coolants I have to keep track of.

As far as the next time I'll change the coolant is a drain and fill every 2-3 years with 50/50. Once I did the full flush to get the vehicles over to PGL a drain and fill is all they will get.

Take care, bill
 
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