Can a set of valve covers be removed from a stock 454 carb motor without having to remove the exhaust manifolds?

maybe if you had soem kind of flexible extension for your wrench. As i recall you can't get to two of the nuts that hold them on.

I removed the stock steel covers without removing the exhaust (EMI) by using what is called a "universal socket" of the correct size and a lot of cussing and throwing stuff. These are available in sets from 3/8 to 3/4 in 3/8 drive. I replaced the bolts with studs for ease of putting back together.

Get your hands on a set of 1/4 drive sockets and extensions and use a swivel/universal. It should be no problem. Make sure you have a small magnet handy in case a bolt drops somewhere. I take mine off twice a year to check rockers etc. and I have IMCO Powerflow manifolds and have no problem.

Good luck,
Dave

Snap-on has a nice 1/4" swivel socket combo thats the thinnest i have found and fits nicely inbetween the cover and the exhaust! I little bit of greese to hold the nut and whala!!

Yes, they can be removed. I used a 8" 1/4 inch drive socket extension and a universal nuckle. Then attached it to my cordless drill. Worked pretty easily. Getting them back in is a little tougher, but still not that bad.

Anybody have any luck doing that with Gil headers? I didnt think it was even possible with them.

Formula, I'd love to know if you find out a way. I was just out looking at mine and I didn't see a way to even get a wobble in there, its really tight.


I imagine there HAS to be a way... It would be SICK to have to remove those manifolds just to check lash or something, and thats something Gil would have had to know people would need to do.

Sorry I couldn't be any help...

--Adam

If you used the steel backed exhaust gasket (I hope you did!!), you should be able to loosen the manifold from the block a bit to get at those nuts for the covers. I've done this several times and have experienced NO exhaust leaks when I re-tightened the manifold bolts. I'm running EMI's and can, with some effort, get them off without doing this. But I have had to do this when I didn't have my thin set of wrenches with me. Bear in mind that you don't have to loosen them very much to get this done. If you don't have the steel backed gasket, don't try it. But I believe even Merc. used these.

Just got done doing it with GIL manifolds on HP500's. I had to loosen the manifolds and move them away from the heads to get at the two hidden nuts. WIth the GIL's I don't see how it is possible otherwise.