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View Full Version : replacing a gasket


Roostercruiser
January 16th, 2011, 06:48 PM
ive never replaced this gasket before. is it pretty simmple as far as removing out side bolts and bolts on top does it come right off?

its on a 99 corolla
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac11/cowboyjarman/0115010906a.jpg



any info would help.
KnuckleHead
January 16th, 2011, 06:58 PM
Would that be a Valve cover gasket???
foxtrot
January 16th, 2011, 07:05 PM
thats what it looks like, if it is the valve cover, then just remove the bolts and install the new gasket. there might be a couple of vaccuum tubes running to it, just take a picture of where they go :) if it is a head gasket, then you have a whole other ordeal.
Brody
January 16th, 2011, 07:10 PM
Valve cover gasket. Have you just tried tightening down the bolts? A lot of times that is all that is involved to stop the leak.

What you are looking at is either a basic flat gasket or a gasket that conforms to a groove on the inside of the valve cover, kinda like a glorified O ring. The flat gasket you need to use RTV with, the rubber O ring style you don't. When you take the cover off, if it is the rubber style, you should have no issues and no surfaces to clean off other than the groove that the ring goes into.. The flat gasket style will have to have both surfaces very clean in order for the RTV to bond and seal. Be careful scraping off the engine side of the mating surface as you don't want that crap going down into the engine. Just stuff rags around the valve train and try to leave just the surface where the gasket goes exposed.

Assuming you are dealing with a flat/RTV gasket, clean off the mating surface of the valve cover, put some RTV on the gasket, press it into place on the valve cover , using the bolts you took out to locate it, and then run your finger over the gasket to get it as flat as you can. Leave it like this for 20-30 minutes, then remove the bolts, coat the other side and re install onto the engine. When you tighten up the bolts, do it in a cross hatch manner and start turning the bolts as uniformly as you can so that the cover seals as flat as can be.

The rubber gaskets are pretty much plug and play, but you still need to clean the groove out well, and tighten the bolts in the same way.

Hope this helps....
Roostercruiser
January 16th, 2011, 09:25 PM
Ill take a better pic of it on tuesday. Thanks for the info . Ill tighten the bolts first then go from there