head gasket swap after P0301 code

[Odyssey USA]

Looks like the coolant hose standoff that mounts on top of the valve cover.

That’s what I’m thinking too.

Sponsored

 

[Graphite JL]

Passenger side valve cover, towards the front.

 

[RenegadeT]

Today I put new spark plugs in. When did the price jump to $12 per plug, wtf?!

Online sources said the gap should've been 0.043" and the plugs would be pre-gapped. Some of mine were over 045, some were under 040, so I tweaked them to 043.

Plugs torqued to 13ft-lbs in the head. Had to duct tape my 6" extension to the plug socket.

On to the valve covers, cleanup and knocked out the old seals. Each valve cover has 3 spark plug seals and 2 other grommets, 2 cam phasers on the ends and of course the cover to head seal. Replacing with Mopar OEM parts.

I'm stuck on installing the driver rear seal. The locking lip of the seal is below the rigid upper section. The center part is flimsy and just collapses when I press from above. I can't seem to push/pull the lower lip to lock in. Ill give it another go tomorrow, but am tempted.to ignore this and hope whatever cam actuator goes in there seals it up when tightened down.

 

[Graphite JL]

Today I put new spark plugs in. When did the price jump to $12 per plug, wtf?!

Online sources said the gap should've been 0.043" and the plugs would be pre-gapped. Some of mine were over 045, some were under 040, so I tweaked them to 043.

Plugs torqued to 13ft-lbs in the head. Had to duct tape my 6" extension to the plug socket.

On to the valve covers, cleanup and knocked out the old seals. Each valve cover has 3 spark plug seals and 2 other grommets, 2 cam phasers on the ends and of course the cover to head seal. Replacing with Mopar OEM parts.

I'm stuck on installing the driver rear seal. The locking lip of the seal is below the rigid upper section. The center part is flimsy and just collapses when I press from above. I can't seem to push/pull the lower lip to lock in. Ill give it another go tomorrow, but am tempted.to ignore this and hope whatever cam actuator goes in there seals it up when tightened down.

Grab the Gearwrench sparkplug socket for next time. I bought one for doing plugs on my Hemi, it works on the 3.6. Plugs snap in, and has a wobble extension built in.

 

[mwilk012]

$12 each is cheap compared to some. OEM Honda are closer to $40.

 

[RenegadeT]

Cam position sensor seal.
My plan was to drop the seal in boiling water to make the rubber more pliable and maybe slide down where it's supposed to go. While the water heated up, I found a video that confirmed I was on the right track using a socket.of.the right diameter.
I had failed the day before with a chrome 1-1/16.socket Seemed.to fit great, but possibly a half a hair too small. The edge of the socket seemed to be wearing the inner lip of.the seal. I was pressing pretty hard.
So after the seal sat in hot water for a few minutes, I tried again. Same result, but i had another idea. While I pressed the inner lip with the 1-1/16 socket, I added a 36mm impact socket to help press upper top hat section of the seal into the valve cover, hoping to reduce any tension in the central portion that may be working against the lower lip from moving down. I also slid a 6" extension thru the 36mm socket into the other socket so I could force.both down. Seemed to work, so that was a good start of the day.

YouTube link
MotorCity Mechanic installing cam position sensor seal

 

[RenegadeT]

Any idea what these seals are? They came in the same bag as the valve cover seals, both upper & lower intake seals, and possibly the spark plug tube seals.

 

[HHGadget]

Just guessing but is the big one for the PCV on the back side of the passenger valve cover?

 

[RenegadeT]

Nope. Hard to see in my bad pic, but these 2 mystery seals are flat with some bumps to center them in a groove, like the valve cover seals, or the ones in the timing cover/coolant ports.

PCV is a true O-ring. It was included with the new PCV valve.
Interesting to see the smaller hole in the new one

 

[alphawolff]

$12 each is cheap compared to some. OEM Honda are closer to $40.

Plugs in my stelvio QV are 50 bucks a pop.

Reminds me when I had my RX8. I thought 28 a plug was insanity back then.

 

[HHGadget]

Nope. Hard to see in my bad pic, but these 2 mystery seals are flat with some bumps to center them in a groove, like the valve cover seals, or the ones in the timing cover/coolant ports.

PCV is a true O-ring. It was included with the new PCV valve.
Interesting to see the smaller hole in the new one

Don’t worry you will stretch out that hole once installed

 

[RenegadeT]

I bet the big diameter mystery seal goes between thrilottle body and upper intake. I did not, and don't plan to break these apart.

Here it is, easily slid over the TB input.
Maybe the smaller one goes in there too, on some solemoid/actuator.

 

[HHGadget]

I bet the big diameter mystery seal goes between thrilottle body and upper intake. I did not, and don't plan to break these apart.

Here it is, easily slid over the TB input.
Maybe the smaller one goes in there too, on some solemoid/actuator.

No i think you were right the first time as the nubs on it make me think it sits inside a groove on a piece. Like the other gaskets that came in that bag.
I seem to remember the intake manifold gaskets having those nubs no?

 

[RenegadeT]

Don’t worry you will stretch out that hole once installed

Oh....that explains why the new PCV valve didn't just "slide" in the back of the cover. That was a WTF moment yesterday.

Now that I look closer at the old one, I do see that the hole got rolled inward

 

[HHGadget]

I bet the big diameter mystery seal goes between thrilottle body and upper intake. I did not, and don't plan to break these apart.

Here it is, easily slid over the TB input.
Maybe the smaller one goes in there too, on some solemoid/actuator.

Maybe it goes where the oil fill hole tube attaches to the valve cover?
(If that part is even removable?)

Sponsored