Valve cover removal with exhaust on?
 

I need to replace a valve cover gasket on one motor, anyone ever tried to remove a valve cover without taking the manifold off. It has stainless marine exhaust on it. Looks like it may work with a 1/4 drive universal socket just not sure if the cover will clear the rockers. Thanks in advance.

I've managed to remove the valve cover without pulling the exhaust, BUT you need to loosen the manifold and remove the riser. I would remove all the bolts except the first and last. This allows you to pull the exhaust away from the engine, and makes installation way easier as everything is still lined up. Good luck!

I put 4" long bolts in end holes of manifold, if needed us Mr.Gasket gasket w/ sloted end holes Ken

I have removed the valve covers on my 502's with stainless marine exhaust without loosening the manifold bolts. As stated , with a 1/4" drive u joint and extension. My covers have allen heads tho , not sure if it would clear with hex head bolts.

Depends on what heads and what valve covers. I've gotten at some and others no way

Stock 088's and stock valve covers. I'm gonna try it. If everyone said fook no I wasn't going to waist time trying.

Better to just pull exhaust man.TONS of room then to get the job done right......

You should be able to do it then. 1/4" long extension and univ wobble.

Swapped most of my valve cover bolts over to allen head bolts, I to have SM exhaust, the allens let you use the ball socket style drivers. That seams to be a little better than playing with a socket on a wobble. I put the bottom bolts in first (valve cover side) and get them snugged then the top ones, that will get the bottom of the valve cover tighter.

IMO, this is the best method and the way we do it. Works great.
Eddie

Dam!! That would be so easy!!!! I can't believe i didn't think of that!!! I have valve tick I want to check out but have not wanted to pull the manifold again. It sucks ass. The 4" bolts would work perfect and no more humpping the manifold in and out! I will be inspecting that tick this weekend now! Thank you for the tip!!

I dont know how the hell these other guys are removing them with the manifolds on.... I tryed and it dose not work for me (502 mag efi). There is zero room to get to the middle bottom 2 bolts. I tryed and failed. Manifolds came off and was a *****. 78 lbs to hold up, then with your 3rd hand put the gasket in place and hold it. Then with your 4th hand getting a bolt started wile standing on you head.... It just sucked.

I installed two 3/8" studs in each head where there is room for a nut. It makes it much easier to install a heavy manifold or header without having to fumble around for bolt holes, and it also holds the gaskets in place. For headers that always seem to have the tight bolt that needs to be started first, I locate the header with the stud and install the nut a couple threads in. This holds it in place and allows you to wiggle the header while you get that tough bolt started. I can R&R a set of headers in about 2 minutes per side now! (Although I have been getting way too much practice with it lately. :snide:)

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...e69/header.jpg

I put all stainless allen bolts in mine. I use a 3/16" 6" T-handle allen wrench with a ball end. I have never had an issue removing my valve covers with the manifolds on. (I run solid lifters so I need easy access to my rockers to verify lash)

The other thing that we do is we cut the heads off of a couple of 4" long bolts. We rounded over the cut end to almost a point. When installing exhaust, we screw those in the ends of the head. They will guide the exhaust right in place, allowing you to start another bolt to hold it up. It makes it so much easier to start the exhaust on the bolts when they are sticking out a few inches. You can see what you are doing with it away from the head several inches.
Eddie