Rocker cover replacement guide

[spectron]

Hi all, as the subject, I've got a couple of replacement covers from ZMANALEX and am looking for a decent guide for replacing them. I've done a search but nothing obvious has come up.

 

The local garage reckon it's a 6 hour job and need to remove the full plenum and manifold but then I'm also getting conflicting info online that it's not that big a job (although still no guides as to what actually needs doing)

 

Has anyone done the job and can confirm what actually does need to be removed?

 

 

[MDMetal]

quote a few guides on youtube. I've got mine to do and this video seems like a complete walkthrough...

 

 

[ZMANALEX]

Maximum 2 hour job.

 

Very straight forward. 

[spectron]

50 minutes ago, ZMANALEX said:

Maximum 2 hour job.

 

Very straight forward. 

So I presume the manifold coming off is not necessary?

[cs2000]

I have used the Torqen seal kit, not Alex's replacement covers, but the bulk of the process is the same.

 

Remove strut bar

 

Undo the upper plenum and all its hoses/wires, remove it.

 

Undo any hoses/wires that get in the way of the bolts around the rocker covers, remove and replace. Its not that easy as on the drivers side you have to remove a lot more stuff like the connector to the fuel rail, but its just bolts and wiring connectors. I personally put a bit of tape around every bolt/nut/connector/hose I had to remove and wrote on it so I knew where to put it back.

 

Just take your time in disassembly, mark everything properly, and you'll have no issues doing it yourself. Even doing the torqen kit where you have to cut the rocker covers up to replace the seals was probably 2 hrs, With a few tea breaks and if youre nervous, the whole job would take somewhere like alex said, id say min 2 to around 4 hrs for a average DIY'er, a garage should be charging no more then 2 hrs labour IMO.

[ZMANALEX]

7 hours ago, spectron said:

So I presume the manifold coming off is not necessary?

By manifold, I assume that you mean the plenum, which has to come off.

[spectron]

OK thanks all, I baulk at stuff that takes too long due to other commitments and a perceived complexity but if it's as you all describe, I'll tackle it it one of these coming weekends.

 

Cheers

Edited April 12, 2019 by spectron

[cs2000]

Just set a day aside for it, knowing its a job you've spent good money on parts for, and you'll be saving a ton of cash by not going to a garage  You'll get it done in a day with plenty of breaks and looking for spanners you just put down right there, you swear!

[MDMetal]

1 hour ago, spectron said:

OK thanks all, I baulk at stuff that takes too long due to other commitments and a perceived complexity but if it's as you all describe, I'll tackle it it one of these coming weekends.

 

Cheers

Don't be put off by things like this there's no "skill" required it's following a process. Nothings hidden and there's no special knowledge required just follow the steps and don't drop anything inside your engine :P

[Windy]

Hello,

Tried to replace the covers at the weekend, but couldn't get to bolt 7 on the rear of the covers!

Presume that I will need a flexible extension bar, can anyone recommend a suitable item that would be able to handle the torque required.

Many Thanks

[RobPhoboS]

14 hours ago, Windy said:

Hello,

Tried to replace the covers at the weekend, but couldn't get to bolt 7 on the rear of the covers!

Presume that I will need a flexible extension bar, can anyone recommend a suitable item that would be able to handle the torque required.

Many Thanks

 

Get a couple of impact 'wobble sockets'.

(I've got a pair of US pro ones which do the job fine)

[cs2000]

for me, a combination of short extensions (which inherently have some slop in them), and one of those universal joint wobbly things seemed to do it. Some of those bolts arent easily accessible, but 100% doable with a pretty basic toolkit.

 

Where are you based, if youre around Essex, i dont mind helping.

[Windy]

Thanks, I'll look at some wobble sockets!

cs2000 thanks, but I'm in Hampshire!