Thanks for the awesome, in depth video. It took about 4 hours with a trip to the auto parts store. As soon as I got the cover off, I pressure washed it so it'd have time to dry. I took my time, used hand tools, and had a beer while cleaning the surface. The only problem I ran into was replacing the cover, my radiator hose was being a pain. Other than that, easy install, time will tell if I did good enough lol. 2005 Jeep Wrangler TJ 4.0.
Great video, but no part numbers in description. Here is what I bought for my 2003 Wrangler 4.0L: Gasket: Fel-Pro VS 50458 R PCV Grommet: (need 2) Dorman 42344 Front PCV Elbow: Dorman 47079 Rear PCV Elbow: Dorman 47057 PCV Hose: Mopar 53030615 CRANKCASE VENT Valve Tube Rear PCV Tube ends: Dorman 47128 PCV Hose 85 in lbs - 10Nm. @ 29:04 I think I will have the slowest time...2 days over 2 weekends cleaning slowly and fighting the plastic wiring harness bridge in the back (Thanks to Richard Gilliam in comments below!)
Just did mine first time, took a good four hours, but I put on a fresh coat of paint as well. Over torqued my bolts and had to do it again with another replacement seal. Don't over do your torque. Replaced the front breather grommet and valve a week later when I saw a slow leak on the clean valve cover. Always look at your work a few days later.
I’m a rundown aircraft mechanic... over 30 years. I have never used the customer’s painted surfaces as a workbench or tool holder. That’s what a table or tool box is for - not the fenders. I was impressed by the mechanic being able to work like that with the constant chatter and the camera rolling Thank you for the very informative video ... Nice work
Welp update 2hrs and 37 mins roughly I’m done. Was relatively easy just time consuming as you all stated scraping the residue off from the old gasket. Thanks for the video guidance as I’m cheap and would rather do work myself than pay someone an arm and a leg to do it. Every penny counts and adds up quick when you do things on a 97 Tj yourself. Lol. Plus these vehicles I have found out of the 5 I’ve owned this one is by far the EASIEST to work on. SOOOOO MUCH ROOM TO WORK! Every other vehicle has only like 1/16 of an inch of space to work around every single cotton picking bolt and hose. Lol. Thank y’all again for the videos I greatly appreciate it and DO NOT FORGET THE GROUND WIRE I will not confirm nor deny if I forgot the first time around….lol
Man you just put more in perspective & understanding for the most part, in the first two minutes of this video that I have been trying to myself for a couple days now. I have a pretty good leak going on down in the back somewhere. I'm currently doing a valve cover replacement or checking it anyway, and I was thinking that my rear seal was blown praying the whole time doing this job that its only in fact, the valve gasket. 🤞🙏
I just removed the cover from my 89 xj this afternoon. I spent the day polishing the cover to satisfy my obsessive / compulsive side, and thankfully the longer day allowed me to watch your video and hear your comment about the directionality of the Fel Pro gasket when used with the XJ alloy valve cover. So....you probably just saved me a day doing a re-do! I also am now ordering a "wobbly" extension. Thanks for the great tips, and cheers from Northern California/Klamath River
First timer... took about 4 hours which included a trip to the car wash and parts store. I had “help” from my 6 year old, too. Not sure if that sped things up or added time! 😆 Definitely something most hands-on jeepers can do in their driveway on a Saturday afternoon. Now on to the pan gasket and main seal!
Cary Brewer , Thank you for your commitment. Pan gasket and rear main seal is about twice as much work. You have to remove the starter and separate the exhaust from the exhaust manifold. Sometimes when the valve cover is leaking from the back it looks like a rear main seal leak. Wait a few weeks and check the back of the oil pan to see if it looks the same or better. Good luck!
I just changed out the valve cover gasket on my 1999 Jeep XJ, biggest pain like you said was scraping the surface clean, the valve cover cleaned up quick. The other issue I had was replacing the breather elbow, pvc elbow and the rubber gourmets, they were cooked on there, and had to break both of them off literally to get them off, I went ahead and painted the valve cover while I had it off, and cleaned it up Dawn dish washing soap works really good cleaning the grease and oil up. But I also used Purple power as well. The whole thing took about 6 hours, only because I painted the valve cover, would had been done otherwise in about 4 hours from start to finish. Thanks for your video
Sounds like you did a great job. Only chance of getting the elbows off without breaking is to get the grommets really warm. You can use a heat gun or run the engine for 20 min with the hood down. Sometimes the grommets just break no matter what.
Great video, very helpful. Just did this for the first time ever on my 2003 X. Took about 8 hours total and 2 of those hours were spent cursing the wiring harness bracket that sits on the back of the valve cover. That harness would not let me remove the valve cover so I removed the harness, zip tied it closer to the firewall and the valve cover came right off. Cleaning took a couple hours and putting it back together about an hour. Of course I broke the real plastic elbow on top of the cover and spent 30 mins replacing that also. Well explained video, thanks guys!
First of all. Great, detailed video. Thanks to all here. From the camera man, to the commenter and mechanics, as well, in this repair video. Awesome presentation and delivery. The attention to the details were excellent. A few things, call them, "constructive obsevations" that I would suggest, that were not specifically covered. 1st, it wasnt specifically mentioned but, in my opinion and experience, before you do ANY type of repair, always put safety first and remove the NEGATIVE battery terminal so their is no chance of an arc from tools being used around the engine compartment which can be a hair raising experience, to saythe least or to avoid any electrical or computer malfuctions later. Ask me how I know..... 2nd, on the topic of aluminum valve covers.On some 4.0L engines, specifically in my case, for a 1995 Jeep GCL ZJ, the Felpro gasket DOES NOT have the alignment slots nor does it have support brackets between the gasket as was shown in this video, specifically the 1995 model year for the Grand Cherokee Laredo ZJ, there may be others. Also, on this year, 1995 4.0L Inline 6 cylinder engine, as well as possibly, other 1995 Cherokees and Wranglers as well!? NOTE! -Their are NO grommets or metal sleeves for the bolts on my aluminum valve cover, and were not included, in my Felpro gasket kit, as shown here, and in most other UA-cam videos on this topic. In my case and possibly other 1995 model years, the gasket is metal and silicone like this one shown in this video, yet in my gasket, the silicone and metal gasket is molded into and around, all 15 of the 11mm bolts and the grommets are NOT required, as all of the sealant is integrated into the felpro valve cover gasket for the 1995 model so DONT STRESS folks, if their is no grommet kit with your gasket for this model year. As far as I know, this info has not been covered in ANY other Jeep 4.0L valve cover gasket replacement video on UA-cam and had me stumped and concerned as to why my gasket was different from all the others. I hope this added info helps someone.Good luck to all and stay dirty :)
Very nice. I am about to do an almost total replacement of my cooling system on an '03 and figured I'd look into replacing the valve cover gasket at the same time since I'll have most of the innards out of the way. Pretty sure that's where my leak is. No performance issues, no milky fluids, just a very slow drip
Fantastic tutorial! I've replaced many gaskets on small block Chevys, but never on a TJ. Night and day different. Took me 4 hours with most of that in cleaning up the valve cover and surface of the engine. The biggest challenge was manipulating that damn plastic housing where the geniuses decided to route the wiring harness through on the 2005 TJ. Even after disconnecting it from the two valve cover bolts in the back, it was extremely difficult to maneuver it enough to get the valve cover off. Also, the 18mm nut holding the ground strap on MUST be removed to get the valve cover free. All the original grommets were hard as rock, which is where most of the oil leaking was occurring. Like many factory OEM parts, the original gasket doesn't compare to the quality of the aftermarket Fel-Pro I installed. Well worth the $35 and 4 hours of my time.
Hey Guys! That was a great tutorial. I am looking to doing this job for sure. Next task will be the dreaded oil pan gasket. I hope you have a good video on that too.
Just wanted to say thanks for the video. I'm not exactly an amateur but far from a pro so I just watched this on break at the day job for any pointers. With your tips I was able to knock this out in 1hr 58 minutes and 24 seconds. Hood up to hood down. With the oil change and spark plug change. Mine is the 04 with the wire harness in the way found it easiest to just pop the plastic guard off the wires and get it out of the way.
Glad you like it. I think the 05 has a plastic wiring harness in the back that makes it a little harder. May take an extra 15 minutes or so to deal with it.
GREAT VIDEO 2006 4.O LWB THE COMPLICATION CAME FROM THAT PLASTIC WIRE ARCH NEAR THE FIREWALL THAT ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF THE OF THE VALVE COVER . ****REMOVE THE GROUND WIRE NUT IN THE REAR. MAKES LIFE EASY REMOVING VALVE COVER****** TOOK ABOUT 5 HOURS TOTAL TIME. CLEANING THE HEAD TOOK THE MOST TIME.... AGAIN GREAT VIDEO
+JD Pauley, Thank you for the comment and posting your time. I needed some realistic time for first timers. This will help people decide how they want to spend their weekend. You are right. Cleaning it takes most of the time.
Just completed my 2006 TJ X. About 6 hours, not including painting. My Jeep had a plastic bridge for the wiring bundle going over the back of the valve cover along the fire wall. I spent an hour researching this. Once I found I could remove it, the rest of the project went quickly.
nice helpful video ! When I'm at it I'd also replace the PCV/CCV grommets, the valves eventually as well. Where is the PCV and CCV - front/back ? Thanks for your advice !
Great video! I have a leak but not sure it’s the valve cover or rear main. There is gunk all over the sides of the cover going down under the Jeep so that’s why I assume it’s the valve cover gasket. This doesn’t look like something I would be able to do myself, however. Probably will have to take to a shop but I just changed my oil, so it will continue to leak until next oil change lol.
Great video. Your recommendation was to start at the top with leaks. I have a smalleak and will follow that advice but was wondering if you had any guidance on determining if I have a rear main seal leak. I have a 2002 4.0. Thanks
Rear Main Seal leaks look like they come from the very back of the oil pan. Valve Cover Gasket leaks also start in the back and runs down the back of the engine making it look like a rear main seal. Clean the whole area with CRC Brake Clean in the red bottle (Napa sells it for about $2.60 per bottle). Switch back and forth between brake clean and compressed air in a well ventilated area. Drive for a few days and the location of the leak should be very clear.
We recently changed a valve cover gasket on a 2004 Jeep Wrangler. There is a large wiring harnesses that is in cased in a black plastic bridge that goes across the back of the valve cover. It needs to be removed by unbolting it first then separating it in half by uncoupling the tabs on each side with a flat screwdriver. Good luck!
This is such a great tutorial, thank you! Question...any harm to tourqing the rockers while I have the valve cover off? Do i need to rotate the engine or just tighten as they are?
Does the or should the valve cover be removed to replace the grommets on the top of the valve cover? Or can those be done later of found to be bad after the valve cover gasket is completed? I'll be doing the valve cover gasket on a 2005 tj 4.0l next week. Sou is pretty straight forward. Just keep my cool and look things over. Sounds like the wire harness will be a bit of a fuss... Hope that the leaking valve cover gasket is the culprit of the oil showing up between the motor and the trans. Gasket is leaking pretty good, that and the o ring for the distributor or timing shaft.
They can be done later. The PCV and the breather will break apart when trying to remove them if the grommets are not warm. You can use a heat gun or just run the engine to get the grommets warm.
Its taking me a few days. Had to order a part for the pcv valve connection. The pcv valve and breather both broke. They were extremely brittle and the grommets were very very very hard. Like hard pistol plastic. I had to take the cover off and drill a bunch of holes in them to get them out. Ended up having to find gaskets for the INNER part where the breather and pcv valves go. Scraping that part... omg. What's crazy is, the previous owner didn't even have the valve cover tightened. I could tighten them with my hand. I'm not done yet............ waiting on parts.
Love the channel been a big fan since the early days keep up the great work! I had a quick question I know this is off topic but I need help, if anyone here or you can point me in the right direction it would help me a lot. Heres whats going on, I have a 1991 jeep cherokee 4.0. 217,000 k miles on it, it was burning oil so I had no choice but open it up and see what is going inside. Took off the head saw bad burnt values so I started with the head took them all out cleanded them up and did value job with compound and that rubber tool to re seat them everything looked perfect after that seat was perfect also value steams where changed few months before this so they looked OK. After the head I saw the block walls where smooth with no cross patterns left, so I took all the pistons out rings where not stuck or brunt they moved freely, next I re hoaned the walls to make the crisscross pattern I removed all the rings and cleaned all pistons up everything was super clean and rings where moving like they where new I also replaced the piston bearings cause they showed sign of wear. Before I put everything back I did a simple test put one piston in and poured oil on top of it to see if oil would drop through the rings left it for 2 days no oil went through I did the same test before I did the hoan and clean up of piston rings and oil fell through within hours. So I thought this was a good sign. after hoaning and ring clean up I believed rings where tight and no blow by was going to happen. Then I put everything back in. the car stared perfect and I thought everything was great then I did compression test each read same reading 125.125.125.125.124 126. So I drove it about 100 miles and oil was below safe line, OKi though maybe the rings need time to set in new block walls but no 1000 miles later I'm burning even more oil then before almost a whole quart every 70 miles that's really really bad. My mistake I feel is because I didn't replace the piston rings ? But they looked totally fine and where moving with ease. Please what do you think I did wrong here? I don't want to give up on this jeep but this is crzy how much oil it's going through I'm willing to take it apart again trying to fix it, currently it has good power no blue smoke but the oil I just disappearing. Sorry this is so long but I'm so lost and any help would be greatly appreciated.
So the big question is how is the oil getting through the engine. A few questions: 1) Is any leaking on the ground? Test this by starting the engine and letting it run for about 15 min in a clean place where new leaks are easy to see. 2) How is the Breather and PCV Valve? Are you loosing oil through them? Is there a lot of oil in the intake? 3) With 1 quart in 70 miles I assume your exhaust is burning grey smoke? 3) What is you best guess on how you are loosing oil? 4) What about pulling a Spark Plug to see if one of the cylinders are more problematic than others?
Great video it’s definitely appreciated! You mention changing the oil after it is done. Is there a certain amount of time one should run the engine before the change so that any particles up top end up in the oil filter or wherever we want them to end up for the change?
Clean up or pick any visible particles. We have ran these engines with the valve covers off. It’s pretty cool to watch but there much less flow than you would think. I would just change the oil while you are in there and use a good filter to pick up anything missed. We have cut many open and our favorite that can be purchased easily is a WIX.
Super informative video! Looking to purchase a 2004 4.0 I6 that needs a valve cover gasket and wanted to know what I was getting myself into before making my decision, but this doesn't look bad at all! If I end up buying it, I'll let you know how long it takes!
Thanks for the comment. Climb under the Jeep and check the rear main seal as well. It looks like a leak between the engine and transmission. When the valve cover leaks in the back it can look like a rear main seal leak too so you have to follow the oil trail. Hope to do a video on that shortly.
Great video. Do you happen to have an extra set of the part you say not to lose at 17:24? Or know where to get them? The grommets or what i have learned are called torque limiter sleeves. I accidentally threw mine away thinking new ones would be included but only the rubber washers were included with the new gasket. Wish I hadn't skipped over that key detail and this is a good note to others. Thanks
No mention of '03+ and the difficulty of getting to the ground and far rear valve cover bolt due to them being recessed under the firewall and covered by an almost completely immovable wiring bridle. No mention of ft/lb torque either.
power tools break off bolts, if you use hand tools you can feel what the bolt is doing, always start all bolts by hand, you are less likely to cross thread the bolt .power tools have there use, but use them right.taking off bolts if the bolt is getting hard to turn, run it back in, put so wd40 or pb baster on it, work the bolt in and out,to keep from breaking the bolt off. power tools will break a bolt off fast then you have a problem .take your time, work smart not fast, because getting a broken bolt out may take days.
Great advice. Especially on things like exhaust bolts. When you have a valve cover gasket that has lost its seal the valve cover bolts get oil soaked (sometimes for years). Because of the light torque and many if not all of the bolts have oil on them we have not had an issue with seized bolts on a valve cover gasket. Other places on the engine yes. The worst places on Jeeps tend to be exhaust bolts and belly pans on YJs. Thank you for your comment and thorough explanation. Mike.
No need. It won’t spill out. As long as you keep the debris you are scraping off the surfaces out of the engine no need to change the oil. For peace of mind you can do the oil change after.
+Chucks, my daughter finished putting this together for me befor I got her the info. What is your year make model and where you want to purchase the valve cover and gromets and I will get yoy the part numbers. Thanks for watching!!
+Chucks Sandman , I didnt get the parts list ti my editor fast enough. What is the year, make, model, and engine size and I will get the part numbers for you.
Very similar but slightly more difficult. On the Grand Cherokee you don’t have as much room to work at the back of the engine. The windshield cowl/windshield wiper tray is in the way more than on the Wrangler where you have more room to work. It takes about 20% longer than what it would take to do a Wrangler. Good luck!
Help!!! I replaced my valve cover gasket .. took about 6 hours.. somehow I can’t find the tv cable.. where does it lead to so I can find it. I took it off and laid it to the side and I’ll be damned if I can find it
Good clarification. Not rare but not likely to be in a standard socket set. Got to buy it separately. I still don’t own one. I borrow one from one of my mechanic. Thanks for sourcing them. Now that Sears is gone good to know Harbor Freight has them.
@@jeepfix5815 Yeah they just don't have impact wobble sockets so keep that in mind when using them. Harbour Freight is great for hand tools but if you use any non impact for impact purposes you're gonna break em regardless of brand. Thankfully tho Pittsburgh(hfts brand) has a lifetime warranty.
Thanks Ryan. Can you give me an example of what should have been cut out and how to be more effective speaking to a broad audience? Your feedback would be appreciated.
Ok, did it this weekend. Took about 3.5 hours total. 1st time and did it with my 18 year old son. Great experience for both of us.
Thanks for reporting back in.
Thanks for the awesome, in depth video. It took about 4 hours with a trip to the auto parts store. As soon as I got the cover off, I pressure washed it so it'd have time to dry. I took my time, used hand tools, and had a beer while cleaning the surface. The only problem I ran into was replacing the cover, my radiator hose was being a pain. Other than that, easy install, time will tell if I did good enough lol. 2005 Jeep Wrangler TJ 4.0.
Thanks for reporting in. The radiator hose and the clamp can be such a pain.
Great video, but no part numbers in description. Here is what I bought for my 2003 Wrangler 4.0L:
Gasket: Fel-Pro VS 50458 R
PCV Grommet: (need 2) Dorman 42344
Front PCV Elbow: Dorman 47079
Rear PCV Elbow: Dorman 47057
PCV Hose: Mopar 53030615 CRANKCASE VENT Valve Tube
Rear PCV Tube ends: Dorman 47128 PCV Hose
85 in lbs - 10Nm. @ 29:04
I think I will have the slowest time...2 days over 2 weekends cleaning slowly and fighting the plastic wiring harness bridge in the back (Thanks to Richard Gilliam in comments below!)
Just did mine first time, took a good four hours, but I put on a fresh coat of paint as well. Over torqued my bolts and had to do it again with another replacement seal. Don't over do your torque. Replaced the front breather grommet and valve a week later when I saw a slow leak on the clean valve cover. Always look at your work a few days later.
Good stuff. Just did mine. Took my time.... 2.5 hours. My Felpro came with new rubber grommets. The old ones in the cover where rock hard.
Thanks guys. One of, if not, the best I've seen on UA-cam to date. Super informative and excellent camera work.
I’m a rundown aircraft mechanic... over 30 years. I have never used the customer’s painted surfaces as a workbench or tool holder. That’s what a table or tool box is for - not the fenders. I was impressed by the mechanic being able to work like that with the constant chatter and the camera rolling
Thank you for the very informative video ... Nice work
Thank you for the feedback. We got that feedback from another client in the past. We will do better in the future.
Welp update 2hrs and 37 mins roughly I’m done. Was relatively easy just time consuming as you all stated scraping the residue off from the old gasket. Thanks for the video guidance as I’m cheap and would rather do work myself than pay someone an arm and a leg to do it. Every penny counts and adds up quick when you do things on a 97 Tj yourself. Lol. Plus these vehicles I have found out of the 5 I’ve owned this one is by far the EASIEST to work on. SOOOOO MUCH ROOM TO WORK! Every other vehicle has only like 1/16 of an inch of space to work around every single cotton picking bolt and hose. Lol. Thank y’all again for the videos I greatly appreciate it and DO NOT FORGET THE GROUND WIRE I will not confirm nor deny if I forgot the first time around….lol
Thanks for the positive feedback. You did excellent on time. I’m not sure we can do it much faster and we do this job frequently.
Man you just put more in perspective & understanding for the most part, in the first two minutes of this video that I have been trying to myself for a couple days now. I have a pretty good leak going on down in the back somewhere. I'm currently doing a valve cover replacement or checking it anyway, and I was thinking that my rear seal was blown praying the whole time doing this job that its only in fact, the valve gasket. 🤞🙏
Thank your for your comment. Oil leaking between the engine and transmission can be the Valve Cover Gasket or/and Rear Main Seal.
I just removed the cover from my 89 xj this afternoon. I spent the day polishing the cover to satisfy my obsessive / compulsive side, and thankfully the longer day allowed me to watch your video and hear your comment about the directionality of the Fel Pro gasket when used with the XJ alloy valve cover. So....you probably just saved me a day doing a re-do! I also am now ordering a "wobbly" extension. Thanks for the great tips, and cheers from Northern California/Klamath River
Thank you for your great comments! It’s nice to hear where you are viewing from.
First timer... took about 4 hours which included a trip to the car wash and parts store. I had “help” from my 6 year old, too. Not sure if that sped things up or added time! 😆 Definitely something most hands-on jeepers can do in their driveway on a Saturday afternoon. Now on to the pan gasket and main seal!
Cary Brewer , Thank you for your commitment. Pan gasket and rear main seal is about twice as much work. You have to remove the starter and separate the exhaust from the exhaust manifold. Sometimes when the valve cover is leaking from the back it looks like a rear main seal leak. Wait a few weeks and check the back of the oil pan to see if it looks the same or better. Good luck!
Would have loved to see parts list
Thank you for your feedback. We will work on that going forward.
I just changed out the valve cover gasket on my 1999 Jeep XJ, biggest pain like you said was scraping the surface clean, the valve cover cleaned up quick. The other issue I had was replacing the breather elbow, pvc elbow and the rubber gourmets, they were cooked on there, and had to break both of them off literally to get them off, I went ahead and painted the valve cover while I had it off, and cleaned it up Dawn dish washing soap works really good cleaning the grease and oil up. But I also used Purple power as well. The whole thing took about 6 hours, only because I painted the valve cover, would had been done otherwise in about 4 hours from start to finish. Thanks for your video
Sounds like you did a great job. Only chance of getting the elbows off without breaking is to get the grommets really warm. You can use a heat gun or run the engine for 20 min with the hood down. Sometimes the grommets just break no matter what.
Very good walk through. Thanks.
Great video, very helpful. Just did this for the first time ever on my 2003 X. Took about 8 hours total and 2 of those hours were spent cursing the wiring harness bracket that sits on the back of the valve cover. That harness would not let me remove the valve cover so I removed the harness, zip tied it closer to the firewall and the valve cover came right off. Cleaning took a couple hours and putting it back together about an hour. Of course I broke the real plastic elbow on top of the cover and spent 30 mins replacing that also. Well explained video, thanks guys!
+Jay Massie, Thanks for your comment! Glad you found us.
Jay Massie...How did you get that pesky wiring harness bracket off the back of the valve cover..(husband is swearing so much haha)..
yeah trying to get it off now!
Struggling with mine the plastic piece will not come off any advice
First of all. Great, detailed video. Thanks to all here. From the camera man, to the commenter and mechanics, as well, in this repair video. Awesome presentation and delivery. The attention to the details were excellent. A few things, call them, "constructive obsevations" that I would suggest, that were not specifically covered. 1st, it wasnt specifically mentioned but, in my opinion and experience, before you do ANY type of repair, always put safety first and remove the NEGATIVE battery terminal so their is no chance of an arc from tools being used around the engine compartment which can be a hair raising experience, to saythe least or to avoid any electrical or computer malfuctions later. Ask me how I know..... 2nd, on the topic of aluminum valve covers.On some 4.0L engines, specifically in my case, for a 1995 Jeep GCL ZJ, the Felpro gasket DOES NOT have the alignment slots nor does it have support brackets between the gasket as was shown in this video, specifically the 1995 model year for the Grand Cherokee Laredo ZJ, there may be others. Also, on this year, 1995 4.0L Inline 6 cylinder engine, as well as possibly, other 1995 Cherokees and Wranglers as well!?
NOTE! -Their are NO grommets or metal sleeves for the bolts on my aluminum valve cover, and were not included, in my Felpro gasket kit, as shown here, and in most other UA-cam videos on this topic. In my case and possibly other 1995 model years, the gasket is metal and silicone like this one shown in this video, yet in my gasket, the silicone and metal gasket is molded into and around, all 15 of the 11mm bolts and the grommets are NOT required, as all of the sealant is integrated into the felpro valve cover gasket for the 1995 model so DONT STRESS folks, if their is no grommet kit with your gasket for this model year. As far as I know, this info has not been covered in ANY other Jeep 4.0L valve cover gasket replacement video on UA-cam and had me stumped and concerned as to why my gasket was different from all the others. I hope this added info helps someone.Good luck to all and stay dirty :)
Thank you for your excellent feedback! I can’t take credit for the camera work. That is my daughter.
Took me about 5 hours on my first try. I did go very slow and was very meticulous. I also had to fish out the CCV and PCV since both of them cracked.
Very nice. I am about to do an almost total replacement of my cooling system on an '03 and figured I'd look into replacing the valve cover gasket at the same time since I'll have most of the innards out of the way. Pretty sure that's where my leak is. No performance issues, no milky fluids, just a very slow drip
Thanks! Great info in this video. Very well done and good description and tips on the way.
Fantastic tutorial! I've replaced many gaskets on small block Chevys, but never on a TJ. Night and day different. Took me 4 hours with most of that in cleaning up the valve cover and surface of the engine. The biggest challenge was manipulating that damn plastic housing where the geniuses decided to route the wiring harness through on the 2005 TJ. Even after disconnecting it from the two valve cover bolts in the back, it was extremely difficult to maneuver it enough to get the valve cover off. Also, the 18mm nut holding the ground strap on MUST be removed to get the valve cover free. All the original grommets were hard as rock, which is where most of the oil leaking was occurring. Like many factory OEM parts, the original gasket doesn't compare to the quality of the aftermarket Fel-Pro I installed. Well worth the $35 and 4 hours of my time.
Hey Guys! That was a great tutorial. I am looking to doing this job for sure. Next task will be the dreaded oil pan gasket. I hope you have a good video on that too.
Thanks, the most thorough video I have found on this yet. Well explained.
+Zatara, Thats how we roll. Thank you for the comment! Looking forward to many future videos. What would you like to see next?
Just wanted to say thanks for the video. I'm not exactly an amateur but far from a pro so I just watched this on break at the day job for any pointers.
With your tips I was able to knock this out in 1hr 58 minutes and 24 seconds. Hood up to hood down. With the oil change and spark plug change. Mine is the 04 with the wire harness in the way found it easiest to just pop the plastic guard off the wires and get it out of the way.
Thank you for your feedback!
Stanley. You did great. I need a mechanic that is proficient like you are. Come apply.
Excellent video... Keep them coming fellas, good job
Thanks for you positive feedback. We just posted our latest video and a bunch of shorts.
Great video. Ordering the parts. Now I have to look for your oil pan / rear main video 🤟
Appreciate you taking the time to video this, I am about to tackle it on an 05 TJ.
Glad you like it. I think the 05 has a plastic wiring harness in the back that makes it a little harder. May take an extra 15 minutes or so to deal with it.
Great Video, Very thorough. Tons of helpful information.
Thanks for the great feedback David!
Awesome video man, super good tips. Shooting to knock this out one afternoon this weekend!
Thank you for the positive feedback!
With the average mechanic hourly rate at $148.
An hour in California this is a lifesaver
About to do mine. I'm a perfectionist, so this is gonna take me a good while.
Excellent video! Extremely helpful.
GREAT VIDEO 2006 4.O LWB THE COMPLICATION CAME FROM THAT PLASTIC WIRE ARCH NEAR THE FIREWALL THAT ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF THE OF THE VALVE COVER . ****REMOVE THE GROUND WIRE NUT IN THE REAR. MAKES LIFE EASY REMOVING VALVE COVER****** TOOK ABOUT 5 HOURS TOTAL TIME. CLEANING THE HEAD TOOK THE MOST TIME.... AGAIN GREAT VIDEO
+JD Pauley, Thank you for the comment and posting your time. I needed some realistic time for first timers. This will help people decide how they want to spend their weekend. You are right. Cleaning it takes most of the time.
I’ll be letting you know later tonight I’ll be tackling this on my 97tj never done it before so will be an honest evaluation. Lol
parts numbers for rubber grommets great vid just did mine last night no torque wrench
hoping i didnt over torque my bolts
Just completed my 2006 TJ X. About 6 hours, not including painting. My Jeep had a plastic bridge for the wiring bundle going over the back of the valve cover along the fire wall. I spent an hour researching this. Once I found I could remove it, the rest of the project went quickly.
Good job. The plastic harness holder in the back on the newer TJs definitely add time.
@jeepfix are the part numbers going to be added?
Great Job!
nice helpful video ! When I'm at it I'd also replace the PCV/CCV grommets, the valves eventually as well. Where is the PCV and CCV - front/back ? Thanks for your advice !
Great video! I have a leak but not sure it’s the valve cover or rear main. There is gunk all over the sides of the cover going down under the Jeep so that’s why I assume it’s the valve cover gasket.
This doesn’t look like something I would be able to do myself, however. Probably will have to take to a shop but I just changed my oil, so it will continue to leak until next oil change lol.
this was super helpful thanks for the video
Great Video, thanks for making it, it helped a lot
Great video. My manual says 55 inch pound torque.... Not 85 inch pound
Great video. Your recommendation was to start at the top with leaks. I have a smalleak and will follow that advice but was wondering if you had any guidance on determining if I have a rear main seal leak. I have a 2002 4.0. Thanks
Rear Main Seal leaks look like they come from the very back of the oil pan. Valve Cover Gasket leaks also start in the back and runs down the back of the engine making it look like a rear main seal. Clean the whole area with CRC Brake Clean in the red bottle (Napa sells it for about $2.60 per bottle). Switch back and forth between brake clean and compressed air in a well ventilated area. Drive for a few days and the location of the leak should be very clear.
Fantastic tutorial. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
on the 2006 you have more wire in your way. it will save time to remove the top water hose to get the cover out
We recently changed a valve cover gasket on a 2004 Jeep Wrangler. There is a large wiring harnesses that is in cased in a black plastic bridge that goes across the back of the valve cover. It needs to be removed by unbolting it first then separating it in half by uncoupling the tabs on each side with a flat screwdriver. Good luck!
This is such a great tutorial, thank you! Question...any harm to tourqing the rockers while I have the valve cover off? Do i need to rotate the engine or just tighten as they are?
Not a bad idea checking for loose rocker arm bolts.
Does the or should the valve cover be removed to replace the grommets on the top of the valve cover? Or can those be done later of found to be bad after the valve cover gasket is completed?
I'll be doing the valve cover gasket on a 2005 tj 4.0l next week. Sou is pretty straight forward. Just keep my cool and look things over. Sounds like the wire harness will be a bit of a fuss...
Hope that the leaking valve cover gasket is the culprit of the oil showing up between the motor and the trans. Gasket is leaking pretty good, that and the o ring for the distributor or timing shaft.
They can be done later. The PCV and the breather will break apart when trying to remove them if the grommets are not warm. You can use a heat gun or just run the engine to get the grommets warm.
Great Video. Thx
@jeepfix. Where is your shop located at?
West Jordan, UT Google us. We should come right up.
Its taking me a few days. Had to order a part for the pcv valve connection. The pcv valve and breather both broke. They were extremely brittle and the grommets were very very very hard. Like hard pistol plastic. I had to take the cover off and drill a bunch of holes in them to get them out. Ended up having to find gaskets for the INNER part where the breather and pcv valves go. Scraping that part... omg. What's crazy is, the previous owner didn't even have the valve cover tightened. I could tighten them with my hand. I'm not done yet............ waiting on parts.
Love the channel been a big fan since the early days keep up the great work! I had a quick question I know this is off topic but I need help, if anyone here or you can point me in the right direction it would help me a lot.
Heres whats going on, I have a 1991 jeep cherokee 4.0. 217,000 k miles on it, it was burning oil so I had no choice but open it up and see what is going inside.
Took off the head saw bad burnt values so I started with the head took them all out cleanded them up and did value job with compound and that rubber tool to re seat them everything looked perfect after that seat was perfect also value steams where changed few months before this so they looked OK. After the head I saw the block walls where smooth with no cross patterns left, so I took all the pistons out rings where not stuck or brunt they moved freely, next I re hoaned the walls to make the crisscross pattern I removed all the rings and cleaned all pistons up everything was super clean and rings where moving like they where new I also replaced the piston bearings cause they showed sign of wear. Before I put everything back I did a simple test put one piston in and poured oil on top of it to see if oil would drop through the rings left it for 2 days no oil went through I did the same test before I did the hoan and clean up of piston rings and oil fell through within hours. So I thought this was a good sign. after hoaning and ring clean up I believed rings where tight and no blow by was going to happen. Then I put everything back in. the car stared perfect and I thought everything was great then I did compression test each read same reading 125.125.125.125.124 126.
So I drove it about 100 miles and oil was below safe line, OKi though maybe the rings need time to set in new block walls but no 1000 miles later I'm burning even more oil then before almost a whole quart every 70 miles that's really really bad.
My mistake I feel is because I didn't replace the piston rings ? But they looked totally fine and where moving with ease.
Please what do you think I did wrong here? I don't want to give up on this jeep but this is crzy how much oil it's going through I'm willing to take it apart again trying to fix it, currently it has good power no blue smoke but the oil I just disappearing. Sorry this is so long but I'm so lost and any help would be greatly appreciated.
So the big question is how is the oil getting through the engine.
A few questions:
1) Is any leaking on the ground? Test this by starting the engine and letting it run for about 15 min in a clean place where new leaks are easy to see.
2) How is the Breather and PCV Valve? Are you loosing oil through them? Is there a lot of oil in the intake?
3) With 1 quart in 70 miles I assume your exhaust is burning grey smoke?
3) What is you best guess on how you are loosing oil?
4) What about pulling a Spark Plug to see if one of the cylinders are more problematic than others?
Great video it’s definitely appreciated! You mention changing the oil after it is done. Is there a certain amount of time one should run the engine before the change so that any particles up top end up in the oil filter or wherever we want them to end up for the change?
Clean up or pick any visible particles. We have ran these engines with the valve covers off. It’s pretty cool to watch but there much less flow than you would think. I would just change the oil while you are in there and use a good filter to pick up anything missed. We have cut many open and our favorite that can be purchased easily is a WIX.
Hello, I own a 1989 comanche p/u 4.0 some videos show them making holes on ccv ports what is your take ? Mj comanche
I have not ran across that yet. Sorry.
Super informative video! Looking to purchase a 2004 4.0 I6 that needs a valve cover gasket and wanted to know what I was getting myself into before making my decision, but this doesn't look bad at all! If I end up buying it, I'll let you know how long it takes!
Thanks for the comment. Climb under the Jeep and check the rear main seal as well. It looks like a leak between the engine and transmission. When the valve cover leaks in the back it can look like a rear main seal leak too so you have to follow the oil trail. Hope to do a video on that shortly.
So you don’t have to use any kind of liquid sealant? Just clean surface and gasket only?
I just saw this. NO Sealant. The best thing is having clean surfaces.
Great video. But guys, it's April 2020 and still no parts listed as promised. How hard is it to add?
Sorry I have been so lazy.
Wow this really helped thanks
+Jofif Da krill
Thanks for the feedback! Was the video too long?
Ok I’m going to repair my Jeep next week! I’m driving in the Veterans Day Parade! Thank you for the video!
You can double that time if you plan to paint that cover correctly
great video
I must be missing something... can't find the part numbers. looking for the top vent and pcv grommets?
I’ll see if I can get that at those part number added.
I didnt take off the ground bolt or the cooling hose. It will maneuver out and back in.
@ 6:30 - “There’s an 18 back there.” 18mm? Why would one bolt be different? First times question. Thanks.
Yup and UT get worse the newer the Jeeps get.
Great video. Do you happen to have an extra set of the part you say not to lose at 17:24? Or know where to get them? The grommets or what i have learned are called torque limiter sleeves. I accidentally threw mine away thinking new ones would be included but only the rubber washers were included with the new gasket. Wish I hadn't skipped over that key detail and this is a good note to others. Thanks
Try a Jeep Dealership or any 4.0 in the Junk Yard should fit. Good Luck!
One more thing. First step is get the part number. Once you have the part number you will be able to find it on the web as well.
JeepFix m
Thorottle body cable that hooks up to transmission need to see how to do it
2004grand cherokee throttle body cable how to put it on
No mention of '03+ and the difficulty of getting to the ground and far rear valve cover bolt due to them being recessed under the firewall and covered by an almost completely immovable wiring bridle.
No mention of ft/lb torque either.
power tools break off bolts, if you use hand tools you can feel what the bolt is doing, always start all bolts by hand, you are less likely to cross thread the bolt .power tools have there use, but use them right.taking off bolts if the bolt is getting hard to turn, run it back in, put so wd40 or pb baster on it, work the bolt in and out,to keep from breaking the bolt off. power tools will break a bolt off fast then you have a problem .take your time, work smart not fast, because getting a broken bolt out may take days.
Great advice. Especially on things like exhaust bolts. When you have a valve cover gasket that has lost its seal the valve cover bolts get oil soaked (sometimes for years). Because of the light torque and many if not all of the bolts have oil on them we have not had an issue with seized bolts on a valve cover gasket. Other places on the engine yes. The worst places on Jeeps tend to be exhaust bolts and belly pans on YJs. Thank you for your comment and thorough explanation. Mike.
Doing my 2005 Wrangler x valve cover and have a piece I can't get off covering the bolt with the ground wire need assistance
That bolt is the hardest to remove of all of them. Good luck!
Valve cover bolts are 1/4×20×1, 10mm
Do you have a video doing this dealing with the plastic bridge on the back of the valve cover? My 2006 wrangler has it.
We just ran into that same issue. I think it was an 2004. Unbolt then I clip using a flat screwdriver. Definitely adds time.
I chickened out and paid a 30 year man on a saturday. He put a fan to cool it down, he was done in a bout two hours. Cork and a epoxy. both sides
Next time try the rubber gasket. The dealer gasket is even better but much more expensive.
Its actually called PCV valve not PVC, that’s something you used for plumbing pipes etc...
I’ve done plumbing work so I switch those two up. Poly Vinyl Chloride vs. Positive Crank Ventilation. Good catch.
Do you need to drain the motor oil before removing the Valve Cover??
No need. It won’t spill out. As long as you keep the debris you are scraping off the surfaces out of the engine no need to change the oil. For peace of mind you can do the oil change after.
Great video, I will be taking care of this in a few weeks, but where is the parts list?
+Chucks, my daughter finished putting this together for me befor I got her the info. What is your year make model and where you want to purchase the valve cover and gromets and I will get yoy the part numbers. Thanks for watching!!
JeepFix it's a 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sahara, I'll be going to Oreilly for the parts. Thank you for the help.
+Chucks Sandman , Ill work on that. Thanks for the reminder. Comment with your year make model and I will reply with the part numbers.
+Chucks Sandman , I didnt get the parts list ti my editor fast enough. What is the year, make, model, and engine size and I will get the part numbers for you.
Do you have part #'s for 2004 4.0 Wrangler. Gasket,bolt grommets,ccv,pcv, and grommets for those on top of cover?
I see JJ has a Honda emblem tattoo on his right wrist. Does he have Jeep on his left ?
Not yet. I asked about the Honda tattoo and why he as it. It’s a good story. Ask him sometime.
Yep, doing this as we speak. there are three bolts that are a ***** to take off. Getting to the ground wire is not the easiest move either...
Yes the plastic wiring harness in the back definitely adds time.
is this the same 4.0 I would find in my 2000 grand cheroki larado, it's a straight six
Very similar but slightly more difficult. On the Grand Cherokee you don’t have as much room to work at the back of the engine. The windshield cowl/windshield wiper tray is in the way more than on the Wrangler where you have more room to work. It takes about 20% longer than what it would take to do a Wrangler. Good luck!
Help!!! I replaced my valve cover gasket .. took about 6 hours.. somehow I can’t find the tv cable.. where does it lead to so I can find it. I took it off and laid it to the side and I’ll be damned if I can find it
TV Cable? What is the year make model of what you are working on?
First time I broke another piece so a days time worth
Thank you for your feedback!
You mean PCV not PVC... positive crankcase ventilation 😉👍
I alway switch those around. Poly Vinyl Chloride. I did some plumbing growing up.
first time 2006 tj 4.0l 4hrs
Good time for the first time.
Where's the pain in the arse wiring harness at the back of the valve cover? That think was/is a nightmare
Yes that harness covered in the plastic bridge definitely adds time. That is in the later models like 05 and after?
Parts numbers??
Still have not got them added yet. Thanks for the reminder.
Part numbers promised on video never got added talk is cheap for this guy
Thanks for the reminder. I’ll see if that can get added.
First time it took me 4 hrs took it off and on 6 times
Not bad. Faster than expected for a first time?
Hate to tell ya but wobble socket extenders aint too rare. I mean Harbor Freight sells em after all.
Good clarification. Not rare but not likely to be in a standard socket set. Got to buy it separately. I still don’t own one. I borrow one from one of my mechanic. Thanks for sourcing them. Now that Sears is gone good to know Harbor Freight has them.
@@jeepfix5815 Yeah they just don't have impact wobble sockets so keep that in mind when using them. Harbour Freight is great for hand tools but if you use any non impact for impact purposes you're gonna break em regardless of brand. Thankfully tho Pittsburgh(hfts brand) has a lifetime warranty.
PCV
2.5 hours just to get cover off.
5 hrs
Good job!
This video is a perfect example of anyone being able to pick up a camera and “teaching” others. Dude is just babbling about anything.
wtf lol this was very informative
Thanks Ryan. Can you give me an example of what should have been cut out and how to be more effective speaking to a broad audience? Your feedback would be appreciated.