New Member with a Question

[Enricor99]

Hi,

Good to see a site dedicated to the 1981 vette. From Toronto, picked up my vette late last year and really had no oppurtunity to really drive it. I stored it for the winter and because of the really mild weather, I thought I would start it up.

When I did I notice a bit of oil on the enginbe header below the valve cover on the driver side. Is it a big job to replace the gasket for a valve header? Is it expensive?

 

[Mikfa]

Welcome to the CAC and congrats on your Vette purchase. There's lots of knowledge on this site so I'm sure someone will provide an answer soon.

 

[Peer81]

Not a very big deal, you need to remove a couple of things (not sure even). But fearly easy thing to begin with

Greetings Peter

 

[vett boy]

Fairly easy and I can't imagine that even in Canada that it would be expensive.

Welcome.

 

[EC_BG124]

Welcome -

Driver's side isn't a big deal at all.
1) Remove the air cleaner housing, hot air tube, and pcv hose.
2) Move the several vacuum hoses near the front of the valve cover.
2) Move the wiring and cruise control vacuum tubing (if installed) from the back of the valve cover. You may also have to remove the distrubutor static cover, but mine has been long gone.
3) Remove the four bolts and carefully remove the cover.

Gaskets are usually less than (a lot less than) US $20. Have fun with it!

 

[Enricor99]

Thanks - that is very helpful

Welcome -

Driver's side isn't a big deal at all.
1) Remove the air cleaner housing, hot air tube, and pcv hose.
2) Move the several vacuum hoses near the front of the valve cover.
2) Move the wiring and cruise control vacuum tubing (if installed) from the back of the valve cover. You may also have to remove the distrubutor static cover, but mine has been long gone.
3) Remove the four bolts and carefully remove the cover.

Gaskets are usually less than (a lot less than) US $20. Have fun with it!

 

[GerryLP]

Welcome -

Driver's side isn't a big deal at all.
1) Remove the air cleaner housing, hot air tube, and pcv hose.
2) Move the several vacuum hoses near the front of the valve cover.
2) Move the wiring and cruise control vacuum tubing (if installed) from the back of the valve cover. You may also have to remove the distrubutor static cover, but mine has been long gone.
3) Remove the four bolts and carefully remove the cover.

Gaskets are usually less than (a lot less than) US $20. Have fun with it!

I would add the following to the steps above:

Note 1: We're assuming that you have already tried snugging the cover bolts before attempting this. Moroso makes some real nice thick gaskets of slightly pliable plastic/rubber mix-like material that work great on original heads.

Note 2: Take an image of the engine's drivers side cover to get everything back the way it was. Buy some differently-colored tape and mark connecting hoses with like color tape. Mark connecting fitting connections as well.

1) Remove the air cleaner housing, hot air tube, and pcv hose.

2) Move the several vacuum hoses near the front of the valve cover.
a) The alternator may have to be removed as well. Just simply swinging it out of the way did not work for me very well with the 70 amp alternator. Close, but not enough.

2) Move the wiring and cruise control vacuum tubing (if installed) from the back of the valve cover. You may also have to remove the distrubutor static cover, but mine has been long gone.

Note: In the car, the cruise control's vacuum motor/actuator bracket was a PITA, for the narrow space between firewall and bracket bolts which attach to the rear face of driver's side cylinder head. It will most likely work better if you separate the vacuum control/motor from the bracket and leave the bracket there (the screws holding the control motor are somewhat small. Make sure you don't drop them. They will most likely land into the dirt on the tranny's body and hard to find.).

3) Remove the four bolts and carefully remove the cover.

GerryLP:cool

 

[Enricor99]

I would add the following to the steps above:

Note 1: We're assuming that you have already tried snugging the cover bolts before attempting this. Moroso makes some real nice thick gaskets of slightly pliable plastic/rubber mix-like material that work great on original heads.

Note 2: Take an image of the engine's drivers side cover to get everything back the way it was. Buy some differently-colored tape and mark connecting hoses with like color tape. Mark connecting fitting connections as well.

1) Remove the air cleaner housing, hot air tube, and pcv hose.

2) Move the several vacuum hoses near the front of the valve cover.
a) The alternator may have to be removed as well. Just simply swinging it out of the way did not work for me very well with the 70 amp alternator. Close, but not enough.

2) Move the wiring and cruise control vacuum tubing (if installed) from the back of the valve cover. You may also have to remove the distrubutor static cover, but mine has been long gone.

Note: In the car, the cruise control's vacuum motor/actuator bracket was a PITA, for the narrow space between firewall and bracket bolts which attach to the rear face of driver's side cylinder head. It will most likely work better if you separate the vacuum control/motor from the bracket and leave the bracket there (the screws holding the control motor are somewhat small. Make sure you don't drop them. They will most likely land into the dirt on the tranny's body and hard to find.).

3) Remove the four bolts and carefully remove the cover.

GerryLP:cool

Again, Thanks for your help