Valve cover gasket replacement (Must decide on finishing project or pay!)

[TjCool]

Hi Jeepers, I'm coming to a conclusion on whether to continue with replacing my valve cover gasket project on my 2.4l 2003 Tj, or put back what I taken off and pay for it to get done. It started out replacing my coil ignition because I started my Jeep one morning and It ran very rough so I immediately turned it off and I have a Blue Driver OBD II and error code said it was my coil ignition (and it was). So I replaced it myself (no biggy) and everything was cool again and it ran better with some noticeable pickup. But for some reason as I had read other related issues about spark plugs and wires etc.... I decided after a couple of days to check the spark plugs for a piece of mind. Dang! That just ruined my day. I found oil in my spark plugs. So again I read up on it and it looks like I needed to replace my gasket (hence, oil on spark plugs and that's why I'm writing this Hope you can help with advice). So I did a lot of reading and looking on YouTube on how to replace gasket but to my surprise or not, there is no how to for a 2.4l engine. It looks easy enough on the 4.0 or even the 2.5l but none on 2.4l. I thought maybe I can do it off of the other videos but found out I can't. The reason is on my 2.4l I have a intake manifold that goes from the side and curves to just over the top of the valve cover a couple of inches right over the middle bolt of the cover! That's the only Freakin' bolt that I can not get to unless I take Everything else off - All the connectors and injectors and other stuff (it seems like half the engine on the drivers side) just so I can take off the intake manifold so I can unscrew one tiny 8mm bolt! I had bought the FelPro VS 50518 Pro gasket, new spark plugs AP5263 Platinum, NKG spark plug wires, Gearwrench 5/8 magnetic swivel spark plug socket, etc... for the job and now kind of run in to a decision (since this is my first time doing all of this myself). So after all I've said, before I make my decision in the next 24 hrs., is there anything anybody can let me know that can help with my decision to maybe finish the job. I am the kind of person to finish what I started but this seems kind of overwhelming. I really would appreciate all info or suggestions. And thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

[hear]

Have you looked at the factory service manual (found here under the Resources sub forum) to see what the procedure is for this repair? It might give you some insight as to how to get that bolt off. Or maybe you have to take everything off. For my money, it's all just unbolting crap, which is ultimately pretty easy. I would just power through.

However, you say you've got oil in your spark plugs, but I don't think a valve cover gasket would cause that. But it also sounds like maybe you're doing the head gasket which is a bigger job, but also not usually a cause of oil on your plugs afaik. Usually that's a piston ring problem, right? I'll defer to the more knowledgeable on that one. Happy to be wrong & educated.

Either way, you got this. Film yourself & put it on youtube. There are no videos of it because nobody who has done it has filmed it. You could be that hero.

 

[TjCool]

Hey TJ Addict, Yes I also looked at the manual and it says to take everything out just to take off the intake manifold. That's crazy to think about just for 1 screw. I have also googled a lot about symptoms of oil on spark plugs and they mention a few things which one of them would be pistons rings but most of the info I gathered that is the most common one from different mechanics is a gasket leak mainly from the spark plug ring gaskets worn. I do appreciate the reply and your time. For now, it looks like I'm going to power through and take everything out! I was just hoping someone would know how to get that one screw out without doing that. I also have to figure out if I'm going to tag everything so I know how to put it all back.

 

[hear]

I also have to figure out if I'm going to tag everything so I know how to put it all back.

Let me save you the trouble. You won't. Then you'll get sidetracked and when you get back to it you won't remember which bolt went where and why this one bolt is longer than the rest and so on.

Or you can ask yourself if I'm from the future and I've come back to tell you what's going to happen only to leave you wondering if causality is a thing, and can you change a future that has already happened?

(I watched Tenet a couple of days ago [in your time line].)

 

[f22beaver]

Let me save you the trouble. You won't. Then you'll get sidetracked and when you get back to it you won't remember which bolt went where and why this one bolt is longer than the rest and so on.

Or you can ask yourself if I'm from the future and I've come back to tell you what's going to happen only to leave you wondering if causality is a thing, and can you change a future that has already happened?

(I watched Tenet a couple of days ago [in your time line].)

This reply is just wonderful.

OP, what's your general car mechanic experience? Personally I don't think what your describing sounds all that bad. TJ's are so easy to work on. You need to weigh the impact of being down if something happens. Is this your only car? Will you be able to tow it to a shop if need be? Do you have a buddy that can come help?

IMO there's only one way to learn how to work on cars and it's to commit and to do it. I remember the first job I ever did was a water pump on my LS1 T/A. Looking back that would be a 15 minute job for me now but at the time it felt like I was doing a cam swap. Take ziploc bags with you and write the name of the fasteners on the bag that they belong to and keep organized.

 

[BlueC]

I found oil in my spark plugs.

What do you mean by this? Are you saying the plugs looked to be oil-fouled? Like this:

Or was it external and in the tube? Very different problems.

 

[hear]

IMO there's only one way to learn how to work on cars and it's to commit and to do it. I remember the first job I ever did was a water pump on my LS1 T/A. Looking back that would be a 15 minute job for me now but at the time it felt like I was doing a cam swap. Take ziploc bags with you and write the name of the fasteners on the bag that they belong to and keep organized.

for things like that have several bolts, taking a piece of cardboard and sketching out the shape of it and then actually putting each bolt though the cardboard in the corresponding place on the sketch can help too. Sometimes it's not enough to know "these are the valve body bolts" you need to know that this ONE valve body bolt is a 1/4" longer and needs to go in this one spot.

 

[f22beaver]

for things like that have several bolts, taking a piece of cardboard and sketching out the shape of it and then actually putting each bolt though the cardboard in the corresponding place on the sketch can help too. Sometimes it's not enough to know "these are the valve body bolts" you need to know that this ONE valve body bolt is a 1/4" longer and needs to go in this one spot.

Yeah, that's a really good point. Oil pan bolts are definitely this way as another example.

 

[BlueC]

for things like that have several bolts, taking a piece of cardboard and sketching out the shape of it and then actually putting each bolt though the cardboard in the corresponding place on the sketch can help too.

That's a good way to keep track, or you can simply put the fasteners back in the parts when removed. Either way works well.

 

[hear]

That's a good way to keep track, or you can simply put the fasteners back in the parts when removed. Either way works well.

Sometimes the bolts don’t thread into the part you took off (like a starter)