Valve cover gaskets? RTV also?

[elwesso]

I was perusing through the service manual, and on page EM-20, it says at the top to use a CONTINUOUS BEAD OF LIQUID GASKET, but I have a full rubber gasket sitting here right next to me.... What gives, do you need to use the RTV and the gasket too.....?

Also, is there any trick to putting it on?? I dont wanna mess it up, is everything self obvious?

[DAEDALUS]

No RTV needed. I think this has been brought up before as an error--they carried over the manual from the '90-'93 and forgot to make the change.

What I've been taught about RTV bonds would imply that using it on your covers would make the joint more likely to leak, since you'll have too thin a layer of the stuff (decreasing it's durability), and because you'll have 4 interfaces instead of just 2.

It helps to fashion handles of some sort to work the covers in place. I tie lengths of strong twine to the front and back coil screws.

[elwesso]

Thanks.... Ill try that.....

Robert.... Did you get my email I responded to?

[Qdemption]

But for the 90-93's you still have to use the RTV??

I am almost ready for reassembly on my pass side valve cover. There was no gasket on there other than the old RTV and unless I can somehow find or fabricate a solid gasket I was just going to RTV it.

Good Idea with the twine Daedalus, I hadn't thought of that. Any other tricks or tips that you used when you put that puppy back on?

[DAEDALUS]

The '90-'93 covers were designed for RTV--note the groove along the perimeter of the cover. It guarantees that the RTV will have a proper bondline. I've been told by a factory tech that the '94 solid gaskets won't work, so it sounds like you're stuck scraping and cleaning.

[Qdemption]

Cool, cool. Hey Daed (or anyone else for that matter) this is off topic but my father bought me a oil filter part no. 15208-55Y00 from the local dealer. Is that correct? Even on the box it doesn't list a Q45. And I checked on the Scottsdale site but the numbers were too small to compare.

Do you know what the part number is for an oil filter for a '92 Q45 is by chance?

[Q45tech]

The made in Japan oil filter has been discontinued as the 90-96 Q45 engine is obsolete [it hasn't been made in 8 years].

Mobil 1 and Pure 1 are still available and reasonable equivalents to the oem filter.

Nissan is selling the J30 filter now as it will fit...........designed for much less oil capacity so it may fill up and need changing more frequently.

Any filter is fine if you change every 90 days!

[maxnix]

The made in Japan oil filter has been discontinued as the 90-96 Q45 engine is obsolete [it hasn't been made in 8 years].

But the President with the VH45DE was still sold up to 2002. I wonder if there is a black market opportunity here?

[911/Q45]

Another trick for the passenger side is to loosen the A/C line brackets by the firewall and remove any spacers that you can. That will give you a bit more clearance to work with.