first time taking off valve covers. i have the gaskets, new bolts, valve cover clamps, engine primer/paint. i just want to make sure that i dont do something stupid like get crap into my engine that would harm it... any suggestions for a first time valve cover painter?

 

Do a good cleaning and degreasing before you take it apart. When it's all clean and dry use and airgun and get in a the nooks around the covers. Take your time and just be careful. I like to glue the gaskets to the cover with RTV black and let it cure before reassembly.

 

The aforementioned applies. If you want to be extra cautious you can use one of those black trash bags to cover the engine to keep anything from getting into it.

 

right on thanks for the tips.. right now i have the bolts and clamps off but i cant get the valve covers loose and i dont wana distort em by prying em off (wouldnt be easy to do on the passenger side anyway) and i have to run to the parts store to get the studs out which look like i have to use a reverse torx bit type thing, i vacuumed the thing out with an attachment that gets in real good to the tight spots and degreased as much as i could.... still kinda puzzled by how to get these off without warping em... i have re-usable fel-pro gaskets btw so i dont think i need to use the rtv... right?

 

I would recommend you buy new gaskets. Valve cover gaskets are cheap enough. Secondly, in order to get them off, your gaskets are probably just pretty stuck to the heads. You can use like a flat paint scraper and lift up a little on the edges of the covers till you break the seal/suction. You won't bend them that easily by doing this.

 

If you have studs in the heads its not totaly necessary, but still recommended. Especially if you plan on taking them off again. The gasket will stay on the cover. While it's curing set them gasket down on a good flat surface with some weight on top so theyre nice and tight to the cover. Just careful not to knock it loose when wiggling them in around hoses and bracketry.

 

my fel-pro gaskets are the orange rubber (or poly?) and i havent used them ever before... and the passenger side i dont think has nearly enough room to get a paint scraper in... i'll try though.- thanks