I need to replace the valve cover gasket on my 97 960. Is it as simple as removing the valve cover gasket bolts and pulling it or is it more involved? Also is there anything else I can do relatively easily while I am in there? Any source for good 960 specific manuals?

 

It is no where near that easy.
It is a pain.
Are you 100% sure it is leaking from there?

They very rarely leak from there.

 

I have oil under the plastic cover over the spark plugs and leak spots where the valve cover meets the head. When I changed the plugs 2,3, and 4 had oil on the tip and threads. I just changed the oil and bumped up from 10w-30 to 10w-40 and substituted 1 quart of Lucas for 1 quart of oil. I have a valve tick if I idle too long. That rarely happens with the Raleigh traffic though LOL.

 

Make sure your OIL cap seal is good and it isn't leaking from there. (Common on all the aluminum engines)

 

I already checked it and the seal looks like new. It only uses about 1 quart every 2 weeks or about 1000 miles. It has about 200,0000 miles on it now.

 

It is kind of a pain to do. You are supposed to have a special tool to do it.
Many have done it without it.

The cover is sealed on there with Chemical sealer.It is pretty expensive to. You will need a mini Paint roller to put it on.

Then you have to be very careful torquing everything down and make sure you have the proper specs.

I have seen engines lock up from not being torqued properly.

So to answer your original quiestion no its not as easy as just removing and installing a new gasket.

 

I didn't think it could be that easy. Why would it be. Any idea on what it would cost to have someone do it?

 

Probably about 4 to 5 hours labor or so.
If you have done some pretty extensive work on cars then you would be able to do it.
It is also time consuming. Cleaning offall the old sealer Really Sucks!!

 

I have done done many of my own repairs, even rebuilding the differential on my 96 S10,but nothing with the internals of the engine. I am sure I could do it if I had a manual, but I can't seem to find a good 960 specific manual. I was mostly worried about messing up the timing.
As far as getting the old gunk off, I will just get an air gasket tool from Harbor Freight ( ain't compressors great).

 

The timing is the easy part.
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ic/ic60326.htm
(link for timing belt replacement)
Books for these cars are pretty hard to come by.

I can get you all the specs if youy want them.

 

I would appreciate that. I have heard that you want to replace the bolts when you do it because of some locking chemical on them. I looked at AUTOHAUS and they only listed the rtv type stuff for the gasket and the spark plug gaskets.

 

You might have to buy the sealer from the Dealer.
Reusing the Bolts will be ok.
The Specs for the cover bolts are 17NM or 13FT.LBS Starting in the center and working out.
That is about all you will need for that.
Make sure you remove the Cam sensor. Becareful the Plugs tend to break.
You will also need to buy a new Cam Plug for the back of the Head.
Would also be wise to buy new Cam seals and replace at the same time. The cams will be Loose anyways.

When you remove it unscrew the screws. Leave some in all the way around. Break the seal between the cover and the head. There is tabs where a special pair of pliers are supposed to fit to pry up.
Then loosen the screws slowly to get all the tension off.
Also make sure you lift it straight off.

See what you can find in Parts. I will try to dig up the Part # for the sealer and what ever else you cant find.
Then you can search the Net by the part#.

 

I seem to be able to find the sealant ok but can't find the gasket anywhere. The gasket can't be that expensive at the dealer can it? I would probably get all the parts at the dealer because what I have gotten there so far has been in par with online prices (except the O2 sensor).

 

The sealer is the gasket.

 

The Lucas oil change seemed to do the trick. But just in case, how do you know when it is the right thickness?

 

You only put a thin layer of sealer on one side only.