DIY: Spark Plug Tube Seal Replacement




1. Disconnect battery Ground (-).
2. Remove the engine cover.
3. Disconnect the MAF sensor and vacuum hose connected to the intake tube.
4. Remove the air intake from the throttle body to the air filter.



5. Remove the upper plenum in reverse order from 18 to 1.
6. Remove the vacuum hose near bolt #13.



7. Lift up and tilt back the upper plenum and hold it up with bungee cords, twine, etc.
8. Remove the vacuum hose from the front of the lower plenum and rear of the upper plenum near the throttle body.



9. Remove the lower plenum in reverse order from 8 to 1.



10. After removing the lower plenum immediately plug the intake holes with paper towels and cover with shop rags to keep debris out of the cylinders.
11. Remove the wire harness bolts to give yourself space to remove the valve covers.
12. Label and remove the coil packs. They must go back exactly where they came from.
13. Remove the vacuum hose in the top front that connects both valve covers together.
14. Start with either the driver side or passenger side valve cover by removing perimeter bolts.
15. After removing all 10 bolts lift up on the valve cover to clear the cam shafts, push back and work out carefully.



16. Once all covers removed, carefully remove gasket material from heads and intake manifold.



17. There's 3 seals per valve cover as seen above, secured by the baffle plate. WARNING!!! DO NOT REMOVE THE BAFFLE PLATES.



18. Secure the valve cover to your drill press and and cover area arounfd the hole your drilling with shop rags to prevent debris from getting behind the baffle plate.
19. Using a 1 7/8in hole saw, drill out a few millimeters deep through the baffle plate.
20. Once the seal is exposed, you may have to drill just slightly larger than 1 7/8in, pop out the seals by flipping the cover over and tapping out.



21. After seals have been removed thoroughly clean the area where the new seals will go, rtv will not stick to oil/debris.
22. Run a small bead of black rtv around the outer groove of the rings and pop in the new seals.



23. After new seals have been inserted run another bead of black rtv around the top of the seal and allow plenty of time to cure.
24. Once cured; Re-assemble valve covers with new gaskets, lower plenum with a new gasket, and upper plenum with a new gasket, air intake and battery Ground (-).


***Be sure all vacuum/coolant lines are reconnected.
***Be very careful when re-attaching the upper plenum not to pinch the oil cap rubber between the upper and lower plenums.
***If you encounter a Check Engine Light, disconnect battery Ground (-) an check all sensors/hoses are properly connected. To reset the CEL, while Ground is disconnected tap the brakes a few times, reconnect Ground and retry.


Send a pm if you need some spark plug tube seals.

Good Luck,
Joe

 

Here's a cool alternative for the Do It Yourselfers! Thanks!

 

op u went with the r&d/l-fab seals?

 

Thanks for the pics. Which seals did you use?

 

Where did you get the seals? Thanks.

 

Hi Turbo, I have the seals, plenty of them. Send me a pm and I can help you out.

Have Friday,
-Joe

 

wat do u mean u have the seals?

 

Please send me a private message for further inquiries.

Thank you,
Joe

 

I am curious does anyone know how to remove the spark plug tubes themselves? i have some carbon built up from a misfire in #3 that i am having trouble removing. I was told to use an impact socket inside of the tube and a vicegrip on the outside to grip the tube and work it off but with how firm it seems im afraid it will damage the tube. Im trying to solve the oil leaking into my spark plug tubes problem that i've heard quite a bit about as well got new gasket for the valve covers but my VC's are still in perfect condition aside from the tube seals that im assuming are the culprits of my leak. I noticed a ring-shaped gap in the middle of the tube seals and im curious couldn't you just clean them up and run a thick bead of RTV in that groove to seal the tubes up without the drilling and new rubber rings? I apologize if thats a dumb question im just having trouble understanding how those seals would allow oil over and into the plug tubes. I really dont want to drop hundreds of dollars on new vc's over a rediculous design flaw and what should be a 10$ seal.

 

My driver side valve cover seals are leaking as well.
Didn't know this could be done.
Send a price on the seals if you still have any.
Thanks

 

Anyone have the original pics of this how to?

 

Do you still have any seals?

 

I could use some of these seals for factory valve cover. rickwatts9@gmail.com