Need advice on getting valve cover off

[Daves1940Buick56S]

All:

As I said in an earlier thread, the guy in northern CA who overhauled the engine went on the cheap and used gray goo rather than real gaskets. :mad: This stuff does not harden but it is like the parts are glued together. Unfortunately the valve cover is down very solid and I can't get it removed without destroying it. I have tried chisels, screwdrivers, pry bars. I cannot get under the cover lip at all to get any force on it. I also tried a pry bar inside the oil fill port but it became obvious real fast that it would bend and destroy the cover beyond all recognition. Pity as well since this part he actually repainted and put on the red fireball 8 decal.

Any ideas? I am stumped here. :confused:

Cheers, Dave

[1939_Buick]

A little heat from a hot air gun or hair dryer ?

But brute force may be the only way

[Bleach]

X2 and use a sharp putty knife.

[jscheib]

I am far from an expert, but if there is any way you can slip a strong wire, like piano wire between the valve cover and head, and this stuff is somewhat movable, then rig a sort of large coping saw so it can be slid along the cover. If you can determine exactly what the stuff is, perhaps some chemical can be found to disolve it a bit at a time. Keep us innnformed. Good luck.

John

[1939_Buick]

The thin wire idea is good and works. A hot thin wire is even better.

[smithbrother]

Have you taken a hard rubber mallet, and smacked it at the corners where the strength is? I recall my father when he was service manager for Buick doing such.

He would smack one corner, then jump to the other corner, I'm not making any promises, but if you haven't tried, it's worth a try.

I wish you well,

Dale in Indy

[Guest]

x2 on the mallet, you can also use a 5 lb. sledgehammer to hit a piece of 2x4 lumber placed parallel with the side of the cover to keep from denting/marking up the cover. I don't like prying with anything, too easy to deform the cover.

[FLYER15015]

Dave,

When I pulled mine for the first time, it had a lot of RTV / Permatex (?) holding it down too.

I used a fine toothed hack saw blade to get a slot under the right front corner to put a big screw driver in. I then used a heat gun to soften the dist side while keeping pressure on the screw driver. She did pop loose after a bit.

I ended up stripping and repainting the cover. Got new decals and used a cork gasket ( with no stickum) on it, and so far it seems to be fine.

Just my $ .02.......and worth every penny.......

Mike in Colordo

[Daves1940Buick56S]

All:

I got it off! Had to use heat and a sharp putty knif to get it started. I am out of town this week, but will provide full details and pix when I return.

Cheers, Dave

[FLYER15015]

All:

I got it off! Had to use heat and a sharp putty knif to get it started. I am out of town this week, but will provide full details and pix when I return.

Cheers, Dave

HOOORAY............

That'll work too........

Mike in Colorado

[Daves1940Buick56S]

OK, so after gathering the advice here I went back to it last Sunday. I have 500W and 1200W heat guns so I started with the 500W. I took a small putty knife and tried to find a spot on the right side where I could work the corner of the knife in, then applied the heat and eventually I could start "working" the blade back and forth and start enlarging the area with the gasket material cut. I shifted to 1200W and it went a bit faster. After about 15 mins I had the whole right side done. I knew I could not do this on the left side due to the head bolts and so was hoping I would get enough mechanical advantage on that side to pop it loose.

Then I started concentrating on the front corner and then the entire front part (still working with the putty knife). Then I started getting more purchase on the corner and was able to put in larger tools (eg chisel and then screwdriver). Finally I was able to get my 4 ft pry bar in (first photo). I thought at this point it would pop, but no. I continued to put more force on the front with the majority of the pressure staying on the corner to limit damage to the cover. Now, keep in mind that the right side is free, only the gasket-glue on the left is still holding it down. At this point I had so much force on the cover it was actually distorted and curved. Hopefully this can be seen in the second photo.

Finally it came loose and shot up in the air about a foot, but it was free! After it was out I also saw that the rear stud was bent somewhat towards the rear and this was adding to the resistance (no, I didn't do it, I was careful). I have straightened it since and the cover fits nicely. Needless to say, I am going to use the proper cork gasket when I reassemble. I really cannot believe that a mechanic would use the adhesive gasket material knowing that they were in effect giving "the shaft" to those coming after.

Anyhow, I now an getting ready to adjust the valves and have a few questions:

1. When the book says "no go" at 0.018, does that mean you absolutely cannot get the feeler gauge under the tappet? How about if you can barely get it under the tappet and it is pretty tight, i.e. difficult to pull out?

2. How much oil should I expect out of the weep holes when running? It appears to be a slow ooze.

3. Also, I am only getting about 1/2 the tappets oozing at all. Is there a relatively easy way to clean out these passages, like with a pipe cleaner or similar?

4. When running, I notice that many of the push rods are rotating, which is what I was expecting. However, some do not. Is this a potential problem for cam wear?

Cheers, Dave

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Dave, glad you prevailed. Someone really did not want it to leak!

? # 1, no go should be no go. However, a little "go" does not hurt, just leaves a little noisier.

#2 amount of oil sounds right.

#3 the only way I know how to clean is to take it all apart. If you do, keep all the rockers in order.

#4 some of mine do not turn, either.

Ben

[danhar1960]

Dave,

They should do as you say "ooze" a little but they should all be oozing.

Every rocker shaft I have pulled apart has had some of the oil passage holes blocked or at least partially blocked with hardened crud.

This more so with older engines that have never been rebuilt.

I'd agree with Ben, the only way to be sure all is good is to pull it apart.

it's no big deal to do but you do need to be methodical to ensure it all goes back together with the rockers in the same position that they came from.

I knocked out the end plugs in the shaft to get rid of all the old hardened gunk accumulated in the shaft.

Then I use a drill bit in my hand to remove the crud from the oil holes both in the shaft and the rocker arms.

Reassemble with plenty using oil on the shaft.

You should also check that the oil supply to the shaft is not blocked in any way.

There is also probably a screen in the head that may be partially blocked so it would be wise to check that out also while you're there.

Danny

[Daves1940Buick56S]

Danny:

Yeah, I decided to go ahead and pull the rocker - pretty easy. No oil screen and the oil passages from the head into the rocker are clear. But I have a couple of other questions so I will start a new thread.

Cheers, Dave