llcoolpass

Replace them with new one, and put RTV in the correct spots making sure to follow all rules to the T [like cleaning the surfaces of oil with appropriate cleaner]

But here's the clincher that you are actually looking for: ditch the little rubber spacer things, and put washers[about 2 per bolt]! I was thinking about how I long suspected the rubber things as being the reason they get 'loose' over time. Then when I did my head gasket, I really saw how loose my rear VCG has gotten. [ i knew this had to be happening because I was smelling burning oil all the time from it leaking on my exhaust manifold only since last time I worked back there where i replaced the VCG and replaced all the little rubber things] then i knew the rubber things sucked a..

So, I suspected I could chuck them and use some washers and put a dab of RTV at the bottom washer. By accident, trying to see pictures of other people's head gasket failures [hard to find picz so far], then i read others had already thought of using washers [not sure of the RTV part, seems more like just my idea and not what others have done] and had great success, on the Toyota forum.

By the way, increase the torque you put on there to somewhere around 14 ftlbs since you have the washers now and supposedly that will not only help seal the gasket, but the bolts are designed to handle that torque.

Just trying to spread the theory around. Haven't used it myself, but I will in the future. Post if you tried it and it worked.... and any thoughts you have

capnfred

rather than using the oem washers, I went to the local hardware store and bought faucet washers that were about the same size, they were significantly less $$$$$$ and apear to be working fine, (been about 2 months now) not a drop......

GEORGE_JET

I'm not sure why toyota bothered with those stupid little rubber gaskets. I just installed regular bolts where needed on mine. As I remember the bolts are outside the valve cover gasket, and the bolt holes do not open up into the camshaft area. It's been awhile since I replaced my gasket, and it isn't leaking so far. You probably are right about the little gaskets letting the bolts loosen up over time. I seem to remember the bolts being a little loose when I took them off.

mmatheny

Nissan uses a rubber hat shaped grommet with a steel cupped washer on top, and the bolt has a non-threaded section, so you can't over tighten - seems to work very well.

llcoolpass

It's good to hear that others have attempted similar modifications to great success

"Nissan uses a rubber hat shaped grommet with a steel cupped washer on top, and the bolt has a non-threaded section, so you can't over tighten - seems to work very well."

that description sounds A LOT like the ones on this car

also they are similar to the ones on the mazda 2.5 KL

but they don't WORK the same on the 'yota/lex..... maybe they could have used more of them or something, who knows.... i mean, i would have designed it to have a lot more on the back head [RH Head]. plus there's the whole torque thing, more force seems better to seal the gasket

carlover

Well - I have a different experience. Someone had performed this mod on my 2000 ES300 using metal washers instead of rubber ones which give you some forgiveness when tightening the valve cover bolts. They need some play because the heat from the valve covers and block need room to expand and contract. The lack of this made the bolts weak and most of them had backed out causing leaks and burning oil. I thought the gasket was bad, but it was fine - my cover was just loose. I made my first mistake being in a hurry and didn't notice the mod, so I hand tightened the bolts with a small wrench after replacing the gasket and broke a couple of them off easily before noticing someone had put metal washers in. I don't see how this is a good idea at all. The rubber is not there to seal the valve, its there to give room for normal expansion and contraction so the bolts don't crack or get backed out.

now I've gotta get these broken bolts out cuz of this pointless mod.