4.0L OHV Valve covers

[backroad101]

My valve cover(s) are leaking slightly because they are slightly warped. Here are my questions.

1. OEM replacements are the only options? Nothing cool in the aftermarket?
2. Would a leaky valve cover cause a (at times) jumpy oil pressure gauge?
3. What are the part numbers? All I could find online was F5TZ-6582-E
4. Those who purchased off eBay, is the quality good? Are they OEM parts and do they come with the gaskets? If my valve cover gaskets are only 3 months old from a January head gasket job, are they reusable? I am guessing better to replace as well
5. Does this require an oil change or just a top off?

Shop wants $500 parts and labor, I figure how hard can it be to do myself?

 

[daniel3507]

I don't think there are any aftermarket ones. You can paint up your replacement ones though. I did a wrinkle black. I would not reuse the gaskets. Using new would just be cheap insurance. I would also do a complete oil change in case it got contaminated. Again, cheap insurance. You should be able to find some in a salvage yard. I have my old ones still. They never leaked, I just got another set to paint before I tore it apart.

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk

 

[97RangerXLT]

What Daniel said. I did exactly what he did. I found out that my valve covers were rusted through. I did a write up in the tech section on how to do this job if you dont want to reinvent the wheel when youdo yours.

It is not a hard job but there is quite a few things to keep track of and you will need to remove most of theupper engine compartment to do it.

AJ

 

[97RangerXLT]

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94437

here ya go if you want to know what you are getting into,

AJ

 

[backroad101]

Saw that and involves service more than just the valve covers. Does major stuff need to come off if just doing valve covers? I see the upper intake has to come off. Why is that (just curious)?

I ordered a dye kit to see for myself where the leak is before I attack this, may even take to Ford if i have to. Dont really trust the people that did my head gaskets anymore and if Ford tells me, in writing, the issue is related to the head gasket job, I will force them to resolve the issue.

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[97RangerXLT]

You don't have to remove the lower intake or the fuel rails. I just did those because of common issues in the 97 model year, and it wasn't much more labor to do. the bulk of the labor will be in the upper intake and removing the stuff to get to the valve cover bolts. without removing the intake/ a/c compressor, alternator etc.. you can only reach about 3 bolts for the valve covers... Ford seriously burried them. if you have noodle arms and can bend around stuff, you might be able to get away with leaving one or two items...but I can't think of what they would be.

AJ

 

[backroad101]

Are the valve covers the same part on both sides? I can only seem to find one part number, #F5TZ-6582-E

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-F...Ford|Model:Ranger&vxp=mtr&hash=item4163fae17e

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[4.0B2]

personally, i'd go to a junkyard... clean them up, paint them, use a good RUBBER gasket (not cork crap on valve covers!!!!! EVER!)... that'd be my approach.

 

[4.0B2]

and they are different... one has the pvc hole.. the other has the filler neck

 

[white trash]

"Glue" them on with RTV.

 

[spraymonkey]

So thought it was questionable that the shop that did my head gaskets in January said last month my valve covers were warped and leaking without taking them off the truck. I said screw it and took it to the dealership to have them diagnosis. They cleaned the mess the oil leak made and added dye to the oil. Before the dye could even do it's job they saw the rear of the intake leaking. Said their was normal seepage from the valve covers but problem is rear of intake. Now I have to fight with the people that did the head gaskets to fix their work (got a feeling they are going to try and weasel out of it)

I hear ya there man, i used to go to shops and dealers but i always got ripped off and had crappy work, so i finally decided to do all my own work ( cheaper and i know its done right.) As for the valve covers im in the same pickle, thinking about hitting up the junkyard and find me some diamonds in the rough . Good luck

 

[97RangerXLT]

yeah, see if they will honor their work. if not, the job is not too horrible to do yourself, just time consuming and a lot of stuff to keep track of.

Get the OEM lower intake gasket from ford tho... it costs 2 dollars more than the felpro one, and is better quality.

AJ

 

[backroad101]

For future reference or when using the search engine for valve cover part numbers

COVER - CYLINDER HEAD - [F5TZ6582E]
COVER - CYLINDER HEAD - [F3TZ6582A]

 

[shane96ranger]

Any luck getting the shop to repair it properly?

 

[backroad101]

Taking it in Monday. They said if the lower intake is leaking that he would def. warranty it, but he still thinks it is the valve covers.

Before I could ask how he knew the valve covers were warped without taking them off, he said that they remember thinking they might be warped when they had it apart last. To which I asked why this was not brought up to me so I could make a decision about it rather than taking a chance of them leaking then having to incur another labor charge to fix the problem. He said they werent sure and didnt want to add another cost to the job. I said I would have gone to the junkyard and gotten covers .

Anyway, I am going to the jy tomorrow to pick up some covers just in case and will see what happens.
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