valve cover gaskets are leaking
 

I brought my car in to get a checkup and they told me

valve cover gaskets are leaking
$348.63 to fix.

What are they, is that too much to pay, can i do it myself, what risks do i run right now?

In addition they tell me that soon my drive belts will need replacing. Again, can I do that myself, what risks do i run, what parts will i need, etc.

$150 for them to do it.

:eek3: Thats a lot of money to fix valve cover gaskets.

Get these, call toyota and get the valve cover gaskets and do that yourself. It's not hard. Just remember where all the vacuum hoses go.

The belts arent that hard either. Just get the correct sizes and replace them. Everything should be around $150 if you do it yourself. Belts are probably gonna be $25-30 (3 of them) each, i think the gaskets are $20 each, and those bolts are $32.

Now keep in mind i've never done anything like this before. I have changed oil and spark plugs and flushed the radiator and changed lightbulbs, but no engine work like this. If I have the supra manual and some elbow grease I should be able to do it? I don't need another person or anything?

Any word on the risks I run right now?

Well if you've changed the spark plugs, that means you've taken off part of the intake. Its not hard getting the valve covers off. Just do the same like you were going to change the spark plugs. There are 6 screws that hold each valve cover on. Not much room to screw anything up until you start putting things back on and forget where things go. But there are millions of pictures out there of these engines.

The belts are pretty straight forward also. Theres one that goes around the power steering pump and crank pulley. One that goes around the a/c compressor and crank pulley. And one that goes around the alternator, fan, and crank pulley. Which ever one you need to replace, just loosen either the a/c compressor, power steering pump, or the alternator. Problem is they are in a line. I don't remember the order of them but it would be best to replace them all. Again, you wont have any trouble unless you don't remember which belt goes where on the crank pulley. But you'll get it because they wont fit right if one is in the wrong place.

lucky for me i only got one belt :)

be sure to clean the surface where the valve cover goes on the head. can used a razor blade or something of that nature. just try not to get any of the old shit in the valve train.

its not that hard. and +1 to remembering where vacuum lines go

I'll try to see if I can get a friend to help me. If anyone knows the order of the belts let me know. But just to make doubly sure i'm not biting off more than I can chew?

and Actually i feel like such a nubbie that if anyone could post a list of parts that I would need for the repair that would be AMAZING. I hope that my requests aren't ludacris, i don't mean to be a weenie.

hey man i got a complete picture set of what to do when replacing valve cover gaskets, it's simple. PM me your email and i'll send you the tutorial. Or you might be able to save this to your comp and zoom it in or something.. http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...er_gaskets.jpglet me know if you have any questions, i just did it like a month ago.

List of parts.. hmmm well for the gaskets, all you need are the gaskets. There are 2 of them that come in the box to take care of the valve covers. You also may need a new throttle body to intake manifold gasket if you cant get the old one off in one piece. but you said you did plugs before so you know what gasket im talking about, and it'll prob come off alright. And for the belts i havent personally replaced all my belts but i did have to replace my power steering belt twice thus far, and it is in the back behind the other belts so basically just loosened the belts then put them all back on, pretty simple there to. you should check the belt play with either the SST or a straight edge and measuring device, they are all supposed to be ... here's a link to the spot in the TSRM about the SST and tension. i couldnt find the other method in there, but i believe the tension with thumb pressure left a 3/8 to 5/8 gap, dont quote me though. look it up in your tsrm. hope this helpshttp://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Librar...tion=MA&Page=6

what pages in the TSRM should I concern myself with?

for the parts do i just walk into an auto parts store and buy everything or do i order stuff online? :-\ sorry for the nubby-ness

you dont have to order anything online for the gasket job. just walk into store.

Are the gaskets..gaskets or are they ruber seals and are they different on the turbos and n/a's

they are rubber seals, and not sure on the difference between n/a and turbo.

Oh my fucking god.

Valve cover gaskets are $20 from any cheap ass autoparts store. And I can bet that they aren't the reason why you have oil on top of your spark plugs.

The throttle body y-pipe gaskets you need to gain access to the valve covers are about $10 each from the dealer.

Alternator/waterpump belt is $10 from the same cheap ass parts store. Same for the power steering pump belt. Ditch that A/C belt, tensioner and compressor, I doubt yours even works anymore and are you going to get it recharged? I doubt it.

The order of the belts goes, A/C compressor belt first (closest to the radiator) then the Alt./waterpump belt (the one in the middle), then the power steering belt (closest to the engine/timing belt cover).

Now if they were charging $150 to replace all the belts AND the timing belt that would be resonable. But I bet this same ripoff shop would charge you $800-$1000 to do the timing belt, and thats about the only belt that really matters. And would they replace the timing belt tensioner and spring, Nope! That would be another $500, and they STILL probably wouldn't replace them they would just say they did, because how are YOU going to know if they did or not....

Replacing belts and valve cover gaskets are about the easiest thing you are going to do to a MK3 supra unless you count replacing the air filter or doing an oil change, but that shit don't count, thats retard work. If you don't think you can handle it then don't risk it, all it takes is one brain fart moment and you'll snap a bolt or strip threads in the aluminum intake or cylinder head, then you'll be up shit's creek without a paddle unless you know how to install helicoils......

YA buy their books and send them to school.

They grow up and still want to be coddled.

What's up D ??????

The only way you will learn this shit is to do it and if you stop leaning on everyone here and do it yourself...., you'll find that even if someone doesn't like you they wil atleast respect the fact that you're doing it.

Everyone needs help from time to time. I'm sure you don't want to screw anything up. But at this point you just need to get your wrenches greasy,
and your fingernails need to look like you could grow tomatoes under them.

Suck it up and get to work. If you worked as much as you posted you could have had the engine pulled out already.

I'm glad HH chided you because someone needs to help you stand on your own 2 feet here.

If you don't get this auto, it may be time for you to find something you can work on. But this engine isn't rough to re-work.

Smoke one, slow down and focus on everything. You'll have it fixed in no time, stop posting and go to work.

p.s.


Kicking the jack holding the car up while you are under it is a bad thing.

I'm only kidding dude.

Read this thread that's above yours.

: Got oil on top of your spark plugs??

dude where do you live in miltown? Seriously if you dont know that much, just give me a ring, ill source your parts for you, and do the work for a case of beer or something. Let me know if your interested.

Valve Cover Bolts
 

I'm actually missing bolts for my valve covers anyone know where to find some?

I ask because cant order from auto parts stores and online I'm having no luck



thanks


7M GTE 1989