Rocker cover screws?

Hey guys, im not sure if you call it the rocker cover but its the "plate" that goes on the very top of your block and has screws through it. Anyway, ive noticed my cavalier and a few others are missing a screw or two from it, they usually are missing from the middle one, or is there even a screw supposed to go in there? Is it causing a problem if there is no screw in there?

That is actually the UIM, or Upper Intake Manifold ;) Rocker panels are under the doors, between fender and quarter panel.

As for the screws, Im not sure...

are you talking about the valve cover? is it leaking oil?

Oh ok, my friend said it was a rocker cover. Anyways i do slowly loose oil somehow, sometimes between the block and that gets oil in between it but i dont think it leaks. Im trying to find a pic of a 96 2.2 to show u.

They used to be called Rocker Covers when the actual rocker arms were under them.With OHC engines,there are no rockers persay...but camshafts,lifters and followers.A "Rocker Panel" is a body panel.A Rocker Cover is an engine part.

Ok my bad it is called the valve cover I guess, here is a pic, but its a Honda. http://www.uwm.edu/People/jlradue/Valve%20cover/close%20up%20of%20engine.JPG The green plate, anyways there are threads in the center closest to you with nothing in it. Plus I found one more hole thats threaded with no screw in it, it is down and right from the block ill try n find pics too. Is this a problem if there is no screw there, or is there no such thing as screws there?

yea your valve cover. I'd say get a screw from somewere and get one in there. Otherwise it will start leaking oil and get messy

Well from what I know its not been there for a long time, i see some oil seeping thru the very right side but not very much, ill take a pic of it to see if there is a screw neccisary to go in there, thanks.

P.s. Whats the gasket called thats right under the valve cover? Does that ever need to be replaced? Im thinking thats why oil seeps thru a bit.

Just simply the valve cover gasket. It's is fairly cheap. And yea it will keep that oil from seeping out. It won't hurt your engine to have too much comming out just can make a mess after a while.

dont worry about it, it is for an accesory you dont have a senor it is simply just there for mounting i konw that for a fact so dont be worried about it leaking oil its not coming from there

what do you mean. there is like six screws that hold it down.

this is what happens when you don't take care of that gasket and bolts.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a6/cavalier2000/Cavalier/IMG00028.jpg

it starts to leak and then gets all over the palce as your drive and hit bumps

i would start by changing the valve cover gaset but i would also look for cracks in the cover itself just because of all the oil on top of the engine, but it could be caused by a loose bolt hoding it down and oil shooting up through the gap. check the egr valve tube too

what do you mean. there is like six screws that hold it down.

this is what happens when you don't take care of that gasket and bolts.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a6/cavalier2000/Cavalier/IMG00028.jpg

it starts to leak and then gets all over the palce as your drive and hit bumps

Yeah its kind of like that but its a lot less and just seeping thru the gasket i think on the very right of the block. How much is a new gasket and where could I get one from? I could swipe a valve cover from a cav at pick ur part if i need to, ill look at it today, Thanks.

So its no harm if it seeps through? Its not in huge amounts but I like my whole engine and everyting being clean :)

Edit: What torque should the bolts be at? Thanks

the gaskets are not that expensive and they are at any parts store.

Just don't overtorque them and break one, like I did, dammit, it's not cheap to remove a broken bolt from a head, and not worth it either. I would rather buy a new head and have it cleaned and P&P. Just turn it till it gets tight and give it 1/8 extra turn, the gasket is a really soft rubber so you really don't have to muscle them tight.

Ok great, thanks.

lol just go get a gasket for $20, and while you have the cover off clean it, dirty valve covers ftl. like its been stated many times here just follow the outskirts of the cover there are about 8 bolts holing it on, take them off and carefully remove the cover. depending on the year cavi your rolling, the throttle, sparkplug wires, some vaccum hoses and various other obstacles may be on top of it. that which lies beneath the cover is rather sensititive so dont force anything.

dont forget to create your seal on your cover with some non hardening sealant or a dab of oil.