Hi guys im kinda new here ( i joined up a long time ago to find a Trans Am but I haven't started really working on it til now ) and need a little help.

I have a 82 Trans Am CFI that i bought off of a member in the fall of 08. I have not had the money to do anything with it til recently and am trying to get it back on the road. The thing does feel like it needs a major tune up but im getting a good amount of smoke coming off the Valve covers. Is there a quick how-to on here anywhere for the best way to go about replacing them? I did a search and couldnt find what i was looking for.

Im a bit of a beginner on cars as the only thing i have ever really done to my cars was oil changes n what not.

 

Valve cover gaskets are pretty self-explanatory. You just unbolt the valve covers, remover/scrape gasket as needed, and replace.

 

It really is that simple. Get yourself some Rubber Fel Pro Gaskets and you'll never have to replace them again, unless you fudge them up somehow.

Have fun.

 

ok , i didnt know if there was a procedure to it like draining the oil first or what is safe to remove and what isnt. The drivers side looks straight forward and easy enough but the passenger side........not as much.


Drivers side




Passenger side

 

good luck getting those garbage fel-pro rubber gaskets to stay in the cover while you fool with putting it back on the head!!!

 

Hello Knight83!!

You can leave the passenger side alone, if it's not leaking!!

If you do decide to tackle it, just take lots of pictures so that you know where things go, and in what order, and just be gentle, don't force things beyond their limits!!

Take your time......it's easily done!!

 

Hello lordmetalz28!!

A little bit of prep work (clean up the oil with a good degreaser) on the valve cover lip, and some gasket adhesive does the trick!!

The secret is to wait until the adhesive actually sets up, before you try to put the valve cover back on!!