texas_stang02

i'm swapping cams in my '02 GT, and i decided to get started tonight, at least get the valve covers off so i can cover everything up and then get back at it tomorrow. my question: is there any trick or secret to getting the driver's side valve cover off? i've heard that it's "more difficult" than the passenger side (which came off easily) but this thing is a pain in the a$$. i can lift the front of the valve cover up high enough to clear everything, but the back of the cover just won't clear the cam, and i've tried wiggling it and manuevering it every way i can think of. the valve cover keeps hitting the little black tube near the brake master cylinder that says "warning, gas under pressure" (it says something to that effect).

72MachOne99GT

I'm not sure how much different the set up is between my 99 and your 02, but when I took the valve covers off, they came off pretty easily.

That is, once we finially loosened all of the bolts completely..lol..

I do recall wriggling it a bit, but hell, it's a hard plastic. As longas you arent banging it against things, you should be able to pull on it pretty good to get it free and around or over things.

cisurfer

do you have lift engine at all to get bolts off?

72MachOne99GT

Definately no need to life the engine if you're just taking off the valve covers. The right size wratchet will take care of all that mess.

I don't know about the drivers side head itself, but even the passenger side head comes off w/o too much hassle.

texas_stang02

yeah all the bolts are out lol, that's the first thing i checked cause it wouldn't be the first time i've stressed oversomething not coming out, only to find out i had another bolt barely holding it on there. i can get the front of the cover up high enough to be able to rotate the entire valve cover about 90 degrees to try to get more room to maneuver, but the damn thing still won't come off. when i get back to work on it i'll get some pics to try to illustrate what my problem is.

StangEatsRice

Its very easy. The driverside is a little tricky with the clutch cable in the way and other **** gets in the way. Be careful not to rip the gasket, unless you buying new ones.

rbstang

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/344858/8

72MachOne99GT

Hey, just checked out that cardomain, and it hit me that you might have more trouble taking your covers off than I did.....

I had nothing on top of the motor when I did it.

Nothing...so I guess it does take a bit more manuevering than I had to do. I was staring at the top of the block when my covers came off.

Wonder if it'd be worth it to paint mine at all since they're already off? Hmmz...

texas_stang02

i'm thinking there must be at least a LITTLE bit of a difference between your car and mine. i can think of a million words to describe it, but "easy" wouldn't be one of them. i can get the passenger side valve cover off real easily, but the driver's side just won't come off. here's the problem... when i lift the valve cover, the back side hits the large metal thing that the brake master cylinder is bolted to (i think it's called the brake booster, not real sure though). there's a little black cylinder that comes out, on the end it says "caution compressed gas". the valve cover is hitting the back side of that, and i literally need only about 1/4" of extra clearance and the thing will come off. i've got a picture of it, but i just went to photobucket and it says the site is under maintenance so i'll have to try to upload it later. the valve cover is not clearing the two back bolts that hold the cam to the head. i can rotate it and get it to clear 1 of the bolts, but it still won't clear the other, and i have NO room to lift any higher because the top of the valve cover is hitting the brake doohickey. i've rotated it every way i can think of, even took the coils and fuel rail off to try to get a little extra clearance, but it's still held back by the backcam boltsand the brake thing. i'm seriously just thinking about giving up on it. i had a friend come over last night and try to help, he's built 4.6s before, and even he said he's never seen one that's such a PITA. i could get it off if i could hoist the driver's side of the engine up a few inches, but that's not an option because i don't have an engine hoist.

racpace

You are probably hitting the "BOO Switch coming out of the side of your brake master cylinder. Take this sensor out of the master cylinder first, and that will allow the valve cover the clearance to make it past the brake master cylinder. If you force it you will break this flimsy plastic sensor and end up with a "Brake" light illuminated on your dash until you by a replacement. To remove this sensor, simply squeeze the retaining clip located on the outboard side of the BOO Sensor (Brake On/Off) it will then slide out of the Master Cylinder inwards towards the engine. It has a connector on the engine side, so remove that first. Try this and see if you have enough room to clear the cover. DON'T force anything - you're dealing with plastic everything, and it gets expensive. Hope this helps you out.