Finally got around to replacing the driver's side valve cover gasket. [1990-1996 Infiniti Q45]

[Jeff Williams]

I got Layla back from my firend, and had some tires put on the front. When I drove he home, she smelled like oil. I had forgotten that the driver's side valve cover was starting to leak. I have been driving Lola for about 2 months now.

I replaced the passenger side valve cover gasket last summer, but was too chicken to tackle the driver's side.

I started at 1:15, and had th ecar running again, at 4:30. It was a pain in the but. I am getting too old to be bending over the hood of a car for 3 hours straight.

The removal was a pain in the but. The EGR tubes are such a pain to bend. I was careful, not to kink them. I bet there wer 100 bolts and screws I had to remove.

I will be glad when the oil is all burned off the exhaust manifold.

[Jeff Williams]

Look at that gunk!

[Jeff Williams]

Here is step 1. Remove the FSTB and filter box

[Jeff Williams]

Step 2. Then remove the plastic covers and disconnect the wiring harness & vacuum lines.

[Jeff Williams]

Step 3. Remove the spark plug cover.

[Jeff Williams]

Step 4. Remove the Coil Packs, Throttle Body and EGR.

[Jeff Williams]

Step 5. Bend the EGR tubs out of the way, remove all the acorn nuts, and snake the valve cover out of the engine bay.

[Jeff Williams]

Step 6. Remove all the oil and dirt from the face of the head. Be sure to remove the RTV around the crank sensor.

[Jeff Williams]

Step 7. Remove the old dried crusty valve cover gasket and clean up the valve cover.

[Jeff Williams]

Install the new gasket. Put the engine back together, and test drive her. It is much easier to put back together, than to take apart. It is a good idea to put some NISSAN black RTV on the half moons, and around the crank sensor.

It took me a little over 3 hours, from start to finish.

[redmanfx]

Nice!!! This will help alot of people!! My valve cover gasket replacement was a pain in the back too! Two days and 4 percocet latter I recovered!!

red

[3rd Q]

Jeff- Great post! I will have to do the same sometime - miniscule leak- but it bugs me.

Off the subject, did you happen to see where the idiot light oil pressure sensor screws in. I'm installing an electric op gauge and haven't been seen where it is near the exhaust manifolds. Any help appreciated.

Thanks again for the FSTB!Paul

[911/Q45]

Oil pressure sensor is mid block below the exhaust headers. Access is from the bottom.

[elwesso]

Oil pressure sensor is mid block below the exhaust headers. Access is from the bottom.

yes, i was unsure on how to get it out though.. is it best to go thru the manifold runners? Or can you wedge a socket and wrench in between the block and that.

Jeff im impressed to see how clean your engine is, especially after all those miles... what oil were you running, durablend?

[gniknave]

Jeff, I love you man. I was just about to search for a thread on this subject and BAM right here. I wanna send you some flowers and candy!

[DAEDALUS]

yes, i was unsure on how to get it out though.. is it best to go thru the manifold runners? Or can you wedge a socket and wrench in between the block and that.

zerothread?id=50050

Just get a crow's foot socket on it and undo it by hand.

[Q451990]

Nice write-up! I think your three hours is about book time, so you're pretty speedy! I remember my first time of replacing the gaskets on Q1 taking two days. The rubber gasket vs. RTV has something to do with that. I also removed the EGR tube from the exhaust, which took a while to figure out... had to find a special wrench for that.

Heath

[maxnix]

Great article and pictures, Jeff. Good to see Tangalora has some competition for best article author.

[3Q Jay]

great pix and write up, Jeff.

my first thought was also that your engine looks clean for >200k.

second thought [off topic], i see the upper [cam] chain guide in place. The ka24de [4 cyl-altima, 240sx] no longer uses these, in fact most owners end up removing them because the chain slaps the guide and clatters, and in a few cases these upper guides have actually broken on the KA.is this ever an issue on the VH45 or VH41?

[DAEDALUS]

No, they're metal.

[3rd Q]

Thanks for the info guys.

(Jeff, didn't mean to jack your thread)

Awsome job and pics!

Paul

[3rd Q]

Daedulus,Thanks for the link!Paul

[3Q Jay]

No, they're metal.

the ones on the ka24 also are metal backed [at least mine were]. most that I've seen including mine have a non mettalic face that contacts the chain.since no one seems to bring it up here, indeed i suspect that it is not a problem, just tryiing to understand if the upper chains start to rattle as the miles go up and the tnsioners can't 100% keep up with the stretch.

[Jesda]

Never heard of it ever being a problem on the VH engines.

[Jeff Williams]

yes, i was unsure on how to get it out though.. is it best to go thru the manifold runners? Or can you wedge a socket and wrench in between the block and that.

Jeff im impressed to see how clean your engine is, especially after all those miles... what oil were you running, durablend?

Since 105K, I ahve been using Castrol GTX 10-W-30, and changin it every 2,500 miles, or 3 weeks. Sometimes, I go as long as 4K, but it makes me nervous. I put about a tablespoon of Lucas oil treatment in each time, just for fun.

The previous owner took it to Jiffy lube every 3K. He bought the car in 1997, with 30K on it. It was dealer serviced from the first leasee.

Thanks for the compliments. I doubt I will ever be as detailed as Tangalora, but it is something to strive for.

[94 Q45]

Hi, Thank you for the valve cover gasket removal direction, it help me a lot when I try to DIY on it, but after taking all the EGR, Throttle body and wiring harness out, when I tried to pull the cover off, there is a long big tube that is underneath the throttle body which is in the way and also the EGR tube too. Does anybody know how to pull cover off and do I have to remove the tube underneath the throttle body and the EGR tube? Thank you very much for your help. My car is a 94 Q45 and I am changing the driver's side valve cover gasket.

[Damicci]

I thought I would give this a bump as I will be doing this same thing on the 1994 Q45 I just bought. Would it be a good idea to do the passenger side as well? I don't want to have to get back under there any time soon. It is currently not leaking though.

Once again thx for the great write up.

[Jeff Williams]

I did mine in 2 different sessions. By the time I had done the first one, I didn't have time for the second. I waitied a long time to do the driver's side. I wanted 4 good hours of sunlight and no rain.

There is little that is common to both valve covers. It all depends on your way of doing things. I usually like to dig in and not stop until I am completely done, but we had a dinner engagement the night I did the passenger side, and I didnlt want to leave the car incomplete over night.

As it was, I waited a long time to do the driver's side. The passenger side was the one that smoked after driving around. I was embarrased, when the daughter of a friend ran back into the house and said "Your car is on fire!". We had drived 140 miles to visit them. That was the weekend before I did the first one.

[94 Q45]

Hi, I did the driver's side valve cover gasket recently and now the smoke start to come from the passenger side cylinder head area, I need to do the passenger side again. Does anyone know if I have to remove anything like the A/C part(container) near the firewall to take out the cover or there is enought clearance once I take out all the vacuum hose. I hope I don't have to take out as much part as the driver's side to reach the valve cover. Thank you for the help.

[maxnix]

Good question about the AC plumbing on the passenger side.

Besides that, I would like to know how the two clips holding the wiring harness on the driver's side are released as it would really help to get them out of the way. OK, here's the answer! Using a long small single bit screwdriver, as you look down into the clip, you well see a tab with a valley in the middle. Press this tab towards teh out side of the car and it will release and you can pull the clip up to release it. As an alternative, there are two 10mm headed bolts on the underside that go into the block.

Lots of grit and dirt around my fastener holes.
Modified by maxnix at 5:29 PM 3/17/2007