salimshah

Nothing wrong with the top picture. Newer engines run hotter and the golden color on metal from oil is fairly normal .. I call it 'patina'.

Salim

Finn

I used Total Quartz 9000 Energy 0W30 at that point. Stash ran out and I now use Shell Helix Ultra 5W40. What you see in picture is as it was when valve cover came off, no manual cleaning of any sort.

salimshah

There is a difference in rating and constitution of oils in Europe-vs-USA.

The other is what is marketed where.

Salim

hsmac

anyone know what material oem valve cover gaskets are? does this part eventually dry out over time or does it depend on material (seems like many people do replace them)? i am going to open valve cover and was going to change gasket while i was at it, but not if old oem gasket is still good and superior to a rubber one like felpro that i just bought.

also i got permatex ultra black rtv but with so many options i'm not sure if that's the best. some people years ago also said toyota fipg is far superior is that still the case today?

TIA

hypervish

Definitely replace the valve cover gasket if you're opening it up. These 1MZ-FE are notorious for valve cover leaks, particularly the bank closest to the firewall, but I doubt you will be opening that one up just to check for sludge. But, it's because T/L thought it was smart to use bolts that have tapers and crush washers, so basically the bolt bottoms out before even securing the gasket as the car gets older. On other forums, people tend to replace these valve cover bolts/washers when replacing the gasket. I'll be doing that on my ES300 later this week.

Toyota fipg is good stuff (& highly superior to the alternatives), but since you only need a few dabs for the valve cover gasket near the cams and corners, i think the permatex stuff will work just fine.

fastnoypi

I believe the OEM valve cover gaskets are just rubber by the way they shrink and crack, maybe they have a little bit of silicone content. The Felpro appear to have more silicone content to prevent shrinkage and be more heat resistant.

As long as you use an oil resistant gasket sealer and prep the surfaces clean, you will be fine. Permatex black is ok. Any of the OEM gasket makers are excellent with some variances in comparison with cure time and smoothness in application. Toyota FIPG, Subaru Fujibond, Hondabond are all great.

Derrick71

I just replaced the valve cover gaskets this weekend and used the Felpro kit with the tube seals. The gaskets were blue and did seem to be a better material than standard rubber.

hsmac

you guys are seriously awesome.

is this job pretty simple and straightforward? like hypervish noticed, i'm only doing the front for now. spark plugs should be easy but i'm more worried about the gasket and tube seals. the seals may or may not be easy to get off but at least i'll get them off eventually. i did some research about putting them back in, which mentioned how they can't be pushed too far in or something, but it was not clear how to ascertain that. it will be my first time doing plugs, gaskets and seals and gotta say i'm excited just don't want to do something wrong or mess up with the rtv and create problems. thanks again.

fastnoypi

take a stab at your front valve cover, everything will be straight forward and apparent. To remove the tube seals, pry them out from under the cover with a med size flat head screwdriver with a twisting motion. Lube up your new seal with a little oil and press them in and bend back the metal ears to keep them locked in place.

salimshah

Few tips:

To gain access to the back (right cover) you have to dismantle things in the way. Keep track of the piping. If you remove the cowl and the wipers you will have more room but it is not necessary. [I would do it].

Common concern

Twist the hose to break the bond before pulling it off.
Using the the right torque.
Mixing up hoses. Worst is routing the coolant into the vacuum line at IACV
Not cleaning the place where RTV goes .. use rubbing alcohol.
Letting the RTV cure before adding starting/adding oil ,,, check the setting time on the rtv.



Salim

Derrick71

It's not the easiest but it's doable. There are some tricky to reach bolts on the back of the plenum. Having a good selection of tools helps.

Use your phone to take pics along the way. Helps to remember how things go back together.

RTV only goes in a few places. It's not hard to do. Just follow where the original RTV was.

The tube seals are easy. If they don't want to come out just use a screwdriver and hammer from the inside to chisel them out. Don't be afraid to hit it and mess them up. They'll be brittle and crack. When replacing them bend one of the little tabs up so you don't cut the seal. You'll see. Tap the new ones in with a flat punch or socket.

MAKE SURE you cover the six holes in the intake when you remove the plenum. If you drop anything in there and you're screwed. There's still a lot of work between removing it and replacing it so don't try to "save time" by leaving it open. I clean them well (so the tape sticks) and tape them up with masking tape. This habit has saved me countless times over the years.

Tighten the covers down in a cross pattern going around several times till they stop. The bolts will stop dead when they're in all the way. You'll feel it.

hsmac

finally pulled off the front valve cover today and you guys won't believe this... aside from being red (varnish?) it is clean with absolutely no sludge. i had a feeling it would not be bad for some reason, although I know that doesn't mean anything in reality. i know i'll get huge blowback for saying this, but it really makes me question oil changes. i know sludge is only one factor and that lubricating properties diminish in used oil, but how used is too used...

but i digress... i could only take a peek inside (i'll post a picture when I can) and couldn't completely remove the cover thanks to those stupid torx bolts attached to the ignition wires. it took me half an hour to remove, or should i say get loose, that hex bolt underneath the wiring box,and i wont be able to torque it down let alone tighten it with the box in the way. i really don't understand why they need to use a million different screws and bolts that most people don't have the tools to remove and what was supposed to be an easy job has once again turned into a little PITA. i'll have to locate that E socket to finish the job but it seems like everything is in really good condition: spark plug tubs have no oil, tube seals seem pliable, and i'm guessing the vc gasket is good too but i'll probably change them anyway. i noticed some of the 10mm vc cover bolts were extrememly loose and might be the reason for the oil seepage. a little disappointed i went through this trouble but of course am glad about the result.

i also could not remove the giant hose that runs over the left side of the valve cover. do i just need to wiggle/yank on it really hard?

thomas1

I might point out that after using Castrol Oil European synthetic 0-30 weight my engine was cleaner. The crust even disappeared in the filler area. This was a long time ago, and I am not sure if that oil is still available. The engine ran smoother also. just my old RX300 experience. LexMex I believe used this same oil at one point.

Derrick71

I'm with you on questioning the oil change intervals. I have two Nissan Maximas. A 2000 with the 3.0 and a 2002 with the 3.5 and 6-speed. The 00 gets changed every 15,000 miles and the 2002 gets changed every 10,000 since it's modded and gets driven harder. Both get Mobile1 10W/30 extended performance synthetic.

I believe the E-torx is an E6 size. It's a good idea to get a small set of E-torx sockets. A seven piece set from E6 to E16 is cheap and handy. You could probably get it at the auto parts store. I don't use them often but when I need them...

If you're removing the plenum to do the rear, be prepared to fight with the two 10mm allen bolts on the plenum. I HATE those type of bolts as they tend to strip. If you use an allen socket instead of the bent allen key it's better. If it STARTS to strip, stop right there and grab a ball peen hammer. Set the round part of the hammer on the bolt and give it a couple good wacks with another hammer. This will deform the head and shrink the hole. Put your allen socket on it and hammer it into the hole. It should come out after that. I replaced those two with some regular 6 point bolts but I had to grind the plenum a little to make room for the socket to slip over the wider bolt head.

It's not uncommon for valve cover gaskets to shrink and have some of the bolts feel loose. The bolts will only tighten so far even without the gasket in place. Even if the gasket is pliable, it has still shrunk to a point where it wont compress all the way. Tightening them may temporarily slow the leak but it would return. Leaking oil does a lot of damage to rubber components and wiring so it's not worth doing a half repair. I'd swap the tube seals too. Just chisel them out with a screwdriver.

The big hose gets stiff. Just pull/twist it. You can also pry it back with a screwdriver if you're careful.

salimshah

Siff hoses:
They should be replaced.

Oil change interval:
Follow the manufacturer's recommendation. Why? You can't prove them wrong and you can't prove any other number to be right,

Castrol european formula ... I too cant find them any more.

Salim