Removing Valve covers without bending - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Bill72BB · 08-13-2003, 06:16 PM

Anyone have a trick for removing the valve covers without bending them ,just replaced the header gaskets and was going to replace the valve cover gasket also but the suckers wont budge and I'm bending the metal.
Thanks

Longhorn Man · 08-13-2003, 06:18 PM

I take a real thin paint scraper and tap it through the gasket with a small hammer, then just go around the cover till I'm done.

**COBALT** · 08-13-2003, 07:03 PM

The thinnest putty knife you have. If you have valve covers like me they have a pretty deep ridge that prevents anything stiff from getting in there.

I quit using gaskets with tack because of this. The idiot who owned my truck before me glued his valve covers down, and since he didn't have hold-downs he used a screw-driver and a hammer and dimpled the ridges down all around the valve cover. They leaked like crazy.

JimKshortstep4x4 · 08-13-2003, 09:09 PM

I use a soft rubber hammer and smack the covers on the corner. It works everytime.

Jim

Bill72BB · 08-13-2003, 09:29 PM

Thanks ;
I gave up for today ,still have to replace the header gasket on the AC side tomorrow ,
There just aint that much room to manuver a putty knife and hammer on the BB .These covers are on good but they leak and I was going to replace the gaskets .

**old Rusty C10** · 08-13-2003, 09:34 PM

ive used a rubber mallet and whacked em a couple times and they seem to fall off

Longhorn Man · 08-13-2003, 11:06 PM

I've done tha rubber mallet too, but I have also fubared a rather nice chevrolet script cover with that same mallet.

barn9 · 08-13-2003, 11:33 PM

Any cusssin' goin' on Bill? Sounds like a good time for some new valve covers with O-ring type gaskets. I sure don't miss the old ones after changing over, and not a drop has leaked.

Bill72BB · 08-14-2003, 12:38 AM

LB ; Wish you were right around the block could have used some help today with the headers.

barn9 · 08-14-2003, 12:56 AM

I couldn't have made it, I was in Wichita with Yukon Jack doing important stuff! Well, it was kinda important. OK, we were goofing off for a while, hehee! It was a hell of a lot more fun than fighting headers and valve covers, I guarantee that! And we had some primo mexican food for lunch, man was it delicious! Yukon's favorite mexican food restaurant is now my favorite also. Good luck with the gaskets man, hope things go better tomorrow.

jimfulco · 08-15-2003, 06:30 PM

Sears sells a scraper that looks like a putty knife but it has a full-length metal body (hammer-friendly) with wood slabs like a knife and it's way stiffer. When you put the new ones on, give the bottom side a thorough slathering with Permatex Super 300 (brush on stuff, formerly #3 Aviation Permatex). I changed mine last year & after 26 years, they pulled right off, all except a 2" section of gasket that I had to use my thumb & forefinger on.

casey · 08-15-2003, 08:30 PM

Bill heres your chance, bend them and show the wife how cheap they are and tell her your going to need an aluminium pair with chevrolet inscripted on them, you want them just so your not replacing them all the time, you don't want me spending money on valve covers all the time do you honey LOL

PanelDeland · 08-16-2003, 04:58 PM

Try a utility knife. Angle it up under the lip and cut the gasket.Once it's off you can clean both halves.

08-13-2003, 06:16 PM	#1
Bill72BB Thats the Hillbilly way Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Torrance,Ca Posts: 5,980	Removing Valve covers without bending Anyone have a trick for removing the valve covers without bending them ,just replaced the header gaskets and was going to replace the valve cover gasket also but the suckers wont budge and I'm bending the metal. Thanks __________________ BILL Torrance Calif 90504 Member DUF Club Member Old Farts Club 72 3/4ton Custom Camper BB402/400 trans Dynomax Cerama-coat headers , Hei distributor ,Edelbrock 1411 air,ps,pb,leafsprings ,98 chevy 60/40 seat,S10 shoulder belts tilt,3.54 Dana 60 rear. 16" Eagle wheels with LT265/75 16 tires,Gaylord Lid,H4 headlights with 100W relay conversion. " If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself " Marriage changes passion...suddenly you're in bed with a relative. A GUY'S PRAYER.... Lord, I pray for a nympho with huge boobs who owns a liquor store and likes to fish and hunt and has a Harley .Amen ,

08-13-2003, 09:29 PM	#5
Bill72BB Thats the Hillbilly way Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Torrance,Ca Posts: 5,980	Thanks ; I gave up for today ,still have to replace the header gasket on the AC side tomorrow , There just aint that much room to manuver a putty knife and hammer on the BB .These covers are on good but they leak and I was going to replace the gaskets . __________________ BILL Torrance Calif 90504 Member DUF Club Member Old Farts Club 72 3/4ton Custom Camper BB402/400 trans Dynomax Cerama-coat headers , Hei distributor ,Edelbrock 1411 air,ps,pb,leafsprings ,98 chevy 60/40 seat,S10 shoulder belts tilt,3.54 Dana 60 rear. 16" Eagle wheels with LT265/75 16 tires,Gaylord Lid,H4 headlights with 100W relay conversion. " If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself " Marriage changes passion...suddenly you're in bed with a relative. A GUY'S PRAYER.... Lord, I pray for a nympho with huge boobs who owns a liquor store and likes to fish and hunt and has a Harley .Amen ,

08-13-2003, 09:34 PM	#6
old Rusty C10 Robert Olson Transport Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: recent transplant to NC USA Posts: 20,277	ive used a rubber mallet and whacked em a couple times and they seem to fall off __________________ Bob 1951 International running on a squarebody chassis "If a man's worth is judged by the people he associates himself with, then i am the richest man in the world knowing some of the fine people of this board" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...t.php?f=25&a=9 (you can review the site rules here!) PM Me for your vehicle/parts hauling needs in the North East US or see my Facebook page Robert Olson Transport Live each day to the fullest.. you never know when fate is going to pull the rug out from under you... I hate cancer!!

08-13-2003, 11:33 PM	#8
barn9 Half a bubble off! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Winfield, Ks, USA Posts: 5,588	Any cusssin' goin' on Bill? Sounds like a good time for some new valve covers with O-ring type gaskets. I sure don't miss the old ones after changing over, and not a drop has leaked. __________________ Just call me LB. '71 Cheyenne, 402BB, hauls blondes, brunettes, or redheads.

08-14-2003, 12:38 AM	#9
Bill72BB Thats the Hillbilly way Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Torrance,Ca Posts: 5,980	LB ; Wish you were right around the block could have used some help today with the headers. __________________ BILL Torrance Calif 90504 Member DUF Club Member Old Farts Club 72 3/4ton Custom Camper BB402/400 trans Dynomax Cerama-coat headers , Hei distributor ,Edelbrock 1411 air,ps,pb,leafsprings ,98 chevy 60/40 seat,S10 shoulder belts tilt,3.54 Dana 60 rear. 16" Eagle wheels with LT265/75 16 tires,Gaylord Lid,H4 headlights with 100W relay conversion. " If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself " Marriage changes passion...suddenly you're in bed with a relative. A GUY'S PRAYER.... Lord, I pray for a nympho with huge boobs who owns a liquor store and likes to fish and hunt and has a Harley .Amen ,

08-13-2003, 06:18 PM	#2
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	I take a real thin paint scraper and tap it through the gasket with a small hammer, then just go around the cover till I'm done.

08-13-2003, 07:03 PM	#3
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	The thinnest putty knife you have. If you have valve covers like me they have a pretty deep ridge that prevents anything stiff from getting in there. I quit using gaskets with tack because of this. The idiot who owned my truck before me glued his valve covers down, and since he didn't have hold-downs he used a screw-driver and a hammer and dimpled the ridges down all around the valve cover. They leaked like crazy. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

08-13-2003, 09:09 PM	#4
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	I use a soft rubber hammer and smack the covers on the corner. It works everytime. Jim

08-13-2003, 11:06 PM	#7
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	I've done tha rubber mallet too, but I have also fubared a rather nice chevrolet script cover with that same mallet.

08-14-2003, 12:56 AM	#10
barn9 Half a bubble off! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Winfield, Ks, USA Posts: 5,588	I couldn't have made it, I was in Wichita with Yukon Jack doing important stuff! Well, it was kinda important. OK, we were goofing off for a while, hehee! It was a hell of a lot more fun than fighting headers and valve covers, I guarantee that! And we had some primo mexican food for lunch, man was it delicious! Yukon's favorite mexican food restaurant is now my favorite also. Good luck with the gaskets man, hope things go better tomorrow. __________________ Just call me LB. '71 Cheyenne, 402BB, hauls blondes, brunettes, or redheads.

08-15-2003, 06:30 PM	#11
jimfulco Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Shreveport LA Posts: 3,170	Sears sells a scraper that looks like a putty knife but it has a full-length metal body (hammer-friendly) with wood slabs like a knife and it's way stiffer. When you put the new ones on, give the bottom side a thorough slathering with Permatex Super 300 (brush on stuff, formerly #3 Aviation Permatex). I changed mine last year & after 26 years, they pulled right off, all except a 2" section of gasket that I had to use my thumb & forefinger on.

08-15-2003, 08:30 PM	#12
casey Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kelowna B.C. Canada Posts: 2,048	Bill heres your chance, bend them and show the wife how cheap they are and tell her your going to need an aluminium pair with chevrolet inscripted on them, you want them just so your not replacing them all the time, you don't want me spending money on valve covers all the time do you honey LOL

08-16-2003, 04:58 PM	#13
PanelDeland I am a Referee of life. Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Greensboro N.C. Posts: 13,993	Try a utility knife. Angle it up under the lip and cut the gasket.Once it's off you can clean both halves. __________________ The 47-present Chevrolet and GMC Truck Message Board Network,it's owners,moderators,members,and associates of any type should not be held responsible for my opinion. You can't fix stupid,not even with duct tape. "My appearance is due to the fact that "GOD" does punish you for having too much fun!" Barrett-Jackson has perfected alchemy,they make rust into gold! "You can lead a horse to water but you can't saddle a duck" "Cleverly disguised as a 'Responsible Adult' "Sometimes your Knight in shining armor is just a retard in tinfoil"



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.