So i was thinking of buying some chrome valve covers to put on my 86' Camaro (5.0 4bbl) while i was replacing my air cleaner with a chrome open element. My question is, is how to replace the valve covers? Do i just take them off, scrape the old seal put the new seals on and put the new covers on? is there anything else required? I am only asking because my dad told me to take it to a shop to have this done, but if it is not too difficult i would really like to do it myself!
Thank you- Collin

 

that's all there is to it.

 

Dude, by all means- just do it! That's what it's all about, fixing your car up and after you work on it it either runs or looks better, or both. And it becomes more your own. This is how you learn and get some enjoyment out of it.

Yes, if there is any of the old valve cover gasket left on the head, scrape and clean it off. You might want to put some rags or paper towels down in the head to help keep dirt and old gasket material from getting down into the head. Make sure to remember to remove them later! Or even use a shop vac on the head when you are all done to get any debris that might have fallen into the inside of the valve cover area on the head.
I like to use some gasket tack, permatex or even clear silicone adhesive sealant on the new or newly cleaned valve cover rail (plan ahead and let it cure out while you work on the other side of the engine) to hold the gasket on the valve cover securely during reassembly. I also try to put some bolts in the open holes on the valve cover so that when the goo sets up, I know the holes in the gasket line up with the bolt holes on the valve cover so that the bolts don't tear the glued on gasket when you run them down on the head during reassembly if the gasket is mis-aligned.

Good luck and enjoy!