5.8 valve cover gasket replacement

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2NDTOUR89

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On my 89 5.8 I have one valve cover gasket leaking badly and need to replace it however it is on the passenger side where the intake plenum goes over the top of it. Has anyone had any experience replacing these gaskets and is the intake plenum more intimidating looking than it really is to pull off?

I am starting the project tonight but dont want to have the Bronco down for longer than I need to.

If you have any tricks, please turn them my way.

Thanks in advance.

 

madmax

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the intake plenum isnt too bad, you'll need a torx set and a LONG extension to get to one of the bolts. hardest part is often disconnecting the pipe goin into the EGR, gets rusted on sometimes.

 

bidibronco

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He want's to take off the valve cover not the plenum (I think). The valve cover isn't to bad just take you time and don't get frusterated with it, you have to lift up and twist and manuver the thing for a little to get it off.

 
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2NDTOUR89

2NDTOUR89

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From what I understand to get that valve cover off you have to take the plenum off. I have had the egr tube off before when I replaced it but that was years ago so hopefully it wont break. I might be able to just unbolt the egr valve and and manuver the plenum out of the way. I got under the bronco last night to make sure the leak was coming from the valve cover before I get too far into it and am pretty convinced that it is the problem however I see that part of my oil pan gasket is sticking out on the opposite side and am afraid that when I get done with the upper reseal, I will have to get started on the oil pan, oh yeah, when I pulled into the driveway last night, I tried to roll up the rear window and it quit 2/3 up. I just replaced both door window motors and now this one gives up.. When it rains, it pours...

Thanks for all the help, any other tricks will be greatly appreciated...

 

bidibronco

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I take my valve cover's off all the time (new rockers people give me) and I've never taken off the plenum. Just takes a little patients.

 
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2NDTOUR89

2NDTOUR89

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I think I will try that first, obviously I would have to pull that egr tube off then to get it out right? And can you get to the upper valve cover bolts through the plenum? Any tricks involved? By the way how do you like your Edelbrock intake? Is it worth the money?

 
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bidibronco

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I like the intake, it came with the truck though so I can't say if it's worth the money. It looks good and with the twin 56mm TB I'm guessing it's what gives me a lot of my grunt untill about 1500 RPM and then the cam takes over most of it. Nope, I never took the EGR tube off either and the top bolts I just used a wrench (7/16 I think?). I do have the "billet" bolts on the top and the regular flat ones on the bottom. The top middle one I used a 1/4 inch drive socket with a little extension and the baby ratchet the time it didn't have the longer headed bolt on it. When you get it off, tilt the top to you and pull it away from the block that way, then you have to lean it back without putting it to far down in the back, more up in the front and a little more twisting and some elbow grease and you'll have it. when you put the gasket on I would recomend the top to have valve cover studs if you can get them for cheap in your area so the gasket will stay in place while you maneuver the cover back on. I hope this made since to you. Let us know how it goes!

 
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2NDTOUR89

2NDTOUR89

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Good news and bad news, I found the leak and it is not the valve cover gaskets (good meaning I dont have to battle the valve covers but I have a set of polished aluminum covers I wanted to put on, oh well maybe later) the bad being it was the oil pan. I pulled the starter to make sure I could see the leak above the starter and saw the oil pan gasket puked out the side right behind the starter. Anyway I tore into it yesterday and got it done in about 90 minutes and everything is holding for now, only time will tell. 90 minutes not bad considering I was on the floor of my garage and mitchell calls for 5.9 hours to replace it at a shop. Anyways, thanks for all the help and maybe this weekend I will tear into the valve covers to put my new ones on. I am intrigued by all the stuff you have done to yours (intake, cam etc.) and am thinking of building a motor for mine with all the trick stuff on it. My motor only has about 80k on it and runs great with the stuff I have done to it but I have nothing internal and only stock manifolds. Anyways, there I go daydreaming again, thanks again for all the help and tips.

 

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