front valve cover gasket leak

[98gpking]

ok heres the issue. in the front of my engine oil leaks right down onto the exhaust manifold and burns. and smokes...and everything else that makes it embarassing to open my hood. i want to replace it this weekend but i dont know the first thing about engine work lol...the difference is i wanna learn on my own time and car not someone elses pride and joy. all i have to do is take off the white plastic cover and put the new seal on right? or is the seal thats leaking a little deeper in the engine. ive heard this is a very common problem with the GTP. and now its occured to mine. anyone able to give me the steps to removing the cover and replacing the seal on a 1998 grand prix GTP. i figured you guys of all people i could trust. also how much does boring the supercharger help if any....what mods are required to be done to support this.

vince

[gprixgtp]

First thing you want to do is get a manual for your car. It will help youlearn if you can see what the steps involved. But I guess you mean the valve cover at the front of the car. That is actually the left side of the engine. Overall you need to remove the cover and replace the gasket that seals it to the cyl. head. There is something over towards the front of the engine that blocks some of the bolts.I'm sorry But I don't remember what, maybe the coil pack? Remove anything that is blocking access to the cover. Remove the bolts holding the cover to the head. Remove cover. Clean old gasket off of both surfaces, the cover and the head. Replacement gasket material varies, I always prefer rubber. But I would suggest atleast a rubber inpregnated cork gasket. Place gasket on cover. Use some silicone to hold it in place. Here again I prefer to use as little silicone as possible, others prefer more. One of the techs here could tell you which way actually is best. Place cover back onto head. Replace bolts and tighten. Bolt everything back that you had to remove and if all done right leak is gone.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by gprixgtp

First thing you want to do is get a manual for your car. It will help youlearn if you can see what the steps involved. But I guess you mean the valve cover at the front of the car. That is actually the left side of the engine. Overall you need to remove the cover and replace the gasket that seals it to the cyl. head. There is something over towards the front of the engine that blocks some of the bolts.I'm sorry But I don't remember what, maybe the coil pack? Remove anything that is blocking access to the cover. Remove the bolts holding the cover to the head. Remove cover. Clean old gasket off of both surfaces, the cover and the head. Replacement gasket material varies, I always prefer rubber. But I would suggest atleast a rubber inpregnated cork gasket. Place gasket on cover. Use some silicone to hold it in place. Here again I prefer to use as little silicone as possible, others prefer more. One of the techs here could tell you which way actually is best. Place cover back onto head. Replace bolts and tighten. Bolt everything back that you had to remove and if all done right leak is gone.

Good write up. All I can add is the part blocking removal is the left engine dogbone engine mount looking in from the front of the engine. Right mount can stay in place to keep engine in position. The dogbone must be removed and the big L shaped bracket over the valve cover. Also, a good idea to mark and remove/set aside the ignition wires off the coil packs.

There are 6 - 8mm bolts holding the cover to the head and upon completion torque to 89 inch lbs.

Engine mount bolt/nut 15mm. Torque to 58 ft-lbs.

[98gpking]

Originally Posted by bnaylor3400

Good write up. All I can add is the part blocking removal is the left engine dogbone engine mount looking in from the front of the engine. Right mount can stay in place to keep engine in position. The dogbone must be removed and the big L shaped bracket over the valve cover. Also, a good idea to mark and remove/set aside the ignition wires off the coil packs.

There are 6 - 8mm bolts holding the cover to the head and upon completion torque to 89 inch lbs.

Engine mount bolt/nut 15mm. Torque to 58 ft-lbs.

ok so i got all the bolts off to the valve cover i went to go and remove it and the wires to the coil packs were under the engine mount. i removed those and it still wouildnt come out. theres noo way im gonna take that ENTIRE engione mount off that connects to pulley and the brace to my alternator andd a whole bunch of other shit. is there anyway to get the valve cover off without removing the entire ening mount bracket from the engine i did remove the dogbone bracket. if i have to remove the whole brace from the engine what the easiest way. how long shouod this project take lol.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by 98gpking

ok so i got all the bolts off to the valve cover i went to go and remove it and the wires to the coil packs were under the engine mount. i removed those and it still wouildnt come out. theres noo way im gonna take that ENTIRE engione mount off that connects to pulley and the brace to my alternator andd a whole bunch of other shit. is there anyway to get the valve cover off without removing the entire ening mount bracket from the engine i did remove the dogbone bracket. if i have to remove the whole brace from the engine what the easiest way. how long shouod this project take lol.

Are you referring to the iron bracket the ignition coil pack and ICM mounts to?

[98gpking]

Originally Posted by bnaylor3400

Are you referring to the iron bracket the ignition coil pack and ICM mounts to?

yea the one that is connected to the idler and the alternator mounting arm. its huge. im assuming it has to come off. its right above the valve cover so im guessing it does. its what connects the dog bone brace to the engine.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by 98gpking

yea the one that is connected to the idler and the alternator mounting arm. its huge. im assuming it has to come off. its right above the valve cover so im guessing it does. its what connects the dog bone brace to the engine.

Originally Posted by 98gpking

ok so i got all the bolts off to the valve cover i went to go and remove it and the wires to the coil packs were under the engine mount. i removed those and it still wouildnt come out. theres noo way im gonna take that ENTIRE engione mount off that connects to pulley and the brace to my alternator andd a whole bunch of other shit. is there anyway to get the valve cover off without removing the entire ening mount bracket from the engine i did remove the dogbone bracket. if i have to remove the whole brace from the engine what the easiest way. how long shouod this project take lol.

Needless to say yes.

1)Remove gray electrical from bottom of ignition control module.

2)Remove the black cast iron coil pack mount from engine block by removing 3 nuts and 4th nut for the alternator bracket, etc.

3)Remove entire cast iron ignition module mount with coils intact, exposing the left side of the front valve cover.

4) Now you can remove the valve cover.

The only pic I have available for explanatory purposes is for a L36 but the same is applicable to a L67. See below:

[98gpking]

Originally Posted by bnaylor3400

Needless to say yes.

1)Remove gray electrical from bottom of ignition control module.

2)Remove the black cast iron coil pack mount from engine block by removing 3 nuts and 4th nut for the alternator bracket, etc.

3)Remove entire cast iron ignition module mount with coils intact, exposing the left side of the front valve cover.

4) Now you can remove the valve cover.

The only pic I have available for explanatory purposes is for a L36 but the same is applicable to a L67. See below:

so i dont have to remove the serpentine belt or anything. or any of the pulleys. it looks like the bracket connects to the idler. no?

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by 98gpking

so i dont have to remove the serpentine belt or anything. or any of the pulleys. it looks like the bracket connects to the idler. no?

Yes, you'll need to remove the SC drive belt, remove the S/C tensioner and idler pulleys that are attached to this assembly and anything else to remove the ignition coil packs and mounting bracket.

[98gpking]

Originally Posted by bnaylor3400

Yes, you'll need to remove the SC drive belt, remove the S/C tensioner and idler pulleys that are attached to this assembly and anything else to remove the ignition coil packs and mounting bracket.

im begining to think its not even worth it. it just a little oil leak and im about to ruin my entire car. lol. how many hours should this take. i dont know really know the first thing about engine work. so i dont wanna jump into something i might mess up. is this reomended for me not to try on my own.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by 98gpking

im begining to think its not even worth it. it just a little oil leak and im about to ruin my entire car. lol. how many hours should this take. i dont know really know the first thing about engine work. so i dont wanna jump into something i might mess up. is this reomended for me not to try on my own.

One thing you can do is check the tightness or torque (89 inch lbs) of whatever valve cover bolts you can access. It may help. Depending on your mileage the leaking normally gets worse. There are not too many DIY valve cover gasket procedures that I know of for the '97 - '98 L67 engine due to the complexity and tediousness, especially with that stupid alternator and pulley bracket and the way the cast iron bracket for the coil packs is mounted to the head. Nonetheless, it is a PITA just to replace valve cover gaskets, especially the rear one because the engine has to be tiltled forward. The Pros supposedly do the total job in 2 - 3 hours. DIY can take the better part of a day. You might consider taking it to a general mechanic (not dealer) and get a quote.

In contrast I did the front valve cover gasket in a '99 Regal LS in one hour. It was easier because GM redesigned the way the coils are mounted on the '99 and up Series II 3800 and they no longer have that iron bracket.

[98gpking]

Originally Posted by bnaylor3400

One thing you can do is check the tightness or torque (89 inch lbs) of whatever valve cover bolts you can access. It may help. Depending on your mileage the leaking normally gets worse. There are not too many DIY valve cover gasket procedures that I know of for the '97 - '98 L67 engine due to the complexity and tediousness, especially with that stupid alternator and pulley bracket and the way the cast iron bracket for the coil packs is mounted to the head. Nonetheless, it is a PITA just to replace valve cover gaskets, especially the rear one because the engine has to be tiltled forward. The Pros supposedly do the total job in 2 - 3 hours. DIY can take the better part of a day. You might consider taking it to a general mechanic (not dealer) and get a quote.

In contrast I did the front valve cover gasket in a '99 Regal LS in one hour. It was easier because GM redesigned the way the coils are mounted on the '99 and up Series II 3800 and they no longer have that iron bracket.

hey thank you so much for all of your help bnaylor. you were really a great help i finlay finished it. i said you know what im gonna finish this damn thing if i have to stay up till 3am. so heres the story. iget most of it off but i didnt know i needed an 8mm reversed torque socket. so i had to put everything back together and go out and buy one. after i got the tool i need i did the job in about an hour and 45 mins. so it was a good experience. the one thing i had problems with was the bolt that goes through the tensions sytem into the block...it came out really rough so i had to switch the one from the lower bracket bolt wiht that one. it all worked out good in the end i had a reeally hard time pushing down on the idler to get the slack for the belt over the charger pulley. but i managed. of course i took some pictures along the way so i can help out others when they need the help. thanks again.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by 98gpking

hey thank you so much for all of your help bnaylor. you were really a great help i finlay finished it. i said you know what im gonna finish this damn thing if i have to stay up till 3am. so heres the story. iget most of it off but i didnt know i needed an 8mm reversed torque socket. so i had to put everything back together and go out and buy one. after i got the tool i need i did the job in about an hour and 45 mins. so it was a good experience. the one thing i had problems with was the bolt that goes through the tensions sytem into the block...it came out really rough so i had to switch the one from the lower bracket bolt wiht that one. it all worked out good in the end i had a reeally hard time pushing down on the idler to get the slack for the belt over the charger pulley. but i managed. of course i took some pictures along the way so i can help out others when they need the help. thanks again.

No problem and you are welcome. My hats off to you. I have a lot of respect for fellow GP owners that DIY and never give up. In the end you are the one to benefit and think of all the money you save. And if you share that experience and information a lot of others will benefit. You get a lot of advice from all of us willing to help but this is one job that is easier said than done.