so i am getting ready to finally replace my valve cover gasket as it came in mail today. i was wondering if i need to get some kind of sealant or something to put on the gasket? also i will be doing an oil change so i bought a new filter but it seems kinda big for a small car like that. my dads nissan frontier v6 4L has a smaller filter than my 2.8L!

 

as a 2.8 we do have a large filter! I didnt use a seal when we did mine. It actually fits around and snug to the valve cover. Make sure to scrub the hell out of the covers and if you havent run seafoam its a good time to give it a go

 

i will have to look into seafoaming, i heard it will increase my gas millage?

 

it will clear most of the crap out. have you ever done it in any of your cars?

 

Which 2.8 do you have, the 12v or the 30v? Like Brie said, hers fit snugly into a channel on the cover on her 12v. On the 30v the gaskets will actually seem too big by about an inch (that's the way they're made), so be careful when you install them so that you don't loop a corner out of the seam and create a leak.

You'll want to use 1/4" drive ratchet and sockets. You'll need a 6" extension and a swivel too. And like she said, scrub/sand the mating surfaces for a good seal.

If you have a 12v there's an additional thing you can do. Some 12v covers have pcv scrubbers on the underside - they look like cheese graters. Take them off and soak them in a bowl of seafoam, and then scrub them with a wire brush. Clean the inside of the covers out as well as you can too.

Finally, if you have a 30v, there's a vacuum line running from the solenoids on top of the engine, down along the front edge of the driver cover and down to the evap canister below the headlight. It's roughly 1/8" o.d. Get a piece of vacuum line with that inside diameter to repair it when you break the line (which you will do).

And no you won't need a sealant.

 

ok thanks guys and i have the 30v. i hope that everything goes by smoothly

 

hey guys i am stuck! please help me
i got everything off but i believe its a power steering line or something? (the fat one on the top of the picture) it is in the way and i dont know if i can remove it? the valve cover is ready to come off but the line is like right there!

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

Mess with it where it's secured at the secondary firewall. You should get a little wiggle room there. You may still have to force the cover past the line but it will come out. You do NOT need to disconnect it.

 

+1 I recently did this. There is another nut holding it down on the firewall side. It's below the plastic intake tube connected to the throttle body. Just get a long extension, take the nut off then pop it up and off the stud and you'll have enough room.

 

aghhhhhhh! now that i got it past that fat line, it still wont come out without either removing the deepstick thing or the other 2 lines that are in the top left corner of the picture. i could probably get by with removing only 1 line (the one on the right side) what to do?!