2.3L ('83-'97) valve cover bolts

[97ranger22bronco]

After much cursing and banging my fists, I got six of the valve cover bolts off, lost one which is par for the course, and got one that I can't even get to. It's back right, right by the firewall on the driver's side. Anyone have any ideas on how to get it out? The way the firewall and wiring harnesses are ran I can't get a deep well in with an extension and deep well by itself isn't long enough :cry

 

[SenorNoob]

Short socket and longer extension? Wobble extension? If it's not super tight maybe one of those flexible extensions for a drill?

Worst case scenario, take the nuts off the transmission mount and put a jack under it to tilt the engine forward...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Are you trying to pull them with the upper intake manifold installed? With the intake out of the way it shouldn't be too bad but I just looked at my '97 and I can't even see that bolt... Does it have one of those posts on the top of it that Ford likes to use? Doing the valve cover gasket is on my list for mine since that's the biggest oil leak on the stupid thing... I've had the upper intake off before and I remember that I tightened the bolts but that was like 3 years ago so don't remember details...

My only ideas are a U joint or a wobble socket...

 

[97ranger22bronco]

Are you trying to pull them with the upper intake manifold installed? With the intake out of the way it shouldn't be too bad but I just looked at my '97 and I can't even see that bolt... Does it have one of those posts on the top of it that Ford likes to use? Doing the valve cover gasket is on my list for mine since that's the biggest oil leak on the stupid thing... I've had the upper intake off before and I remember that I tightened the bolts but that was like 3 years ago so don't remember details...

My only ideas are a U joint or a wobble socket...

I don't have the intake manifold off, that's the next thing to try I guess. The bolt is right behind a post so that makes things so much fun.

The video I watched made it look super easy. BUT he already had it loosened, so of course it was easy to screw out by hand

 

[97ranger22bronco]

UPDATE: I was able to get it out of there with a wobble and an extension. Came out like a charm and I didn't have to take the intake off