Valve cover gaskets replacement

[ciaka]

A little while back I noticed some small amt of oil under the valve cover gasket area (under the cover and below gasket area). Also saw some oil spot near the valve cover gasket (when looking from front of car into Engine compartment, where the gasket is facing front of car).

So looks like the valve cover aging.

I am interested in replacing and want to know if anyone has one this, how hard is it to replace valve cover gaskets, etc.

Thanks for any help you can give.

[the head]

It's a pain. I'm doing this right now. On the turbo (and I'd imagine on the S) I've pulled the air injection pumps and brackets and also removing the airbox cover, such as replacing the filter, have helped and quite frankly I'm stunned that isn't in the Porsche service manual. My symptoms were smoke from burning oil coming up from the passenger side. I've had to run the heater on recirc to keep from sniffing fumes from the burnt oil. Anyway, the gasket I removed broke and is very stiff. I have to give credit to the person who designed it. The rubber getting old and brittle is about the only way for this gasket to fail. Oh and I had to cut down a t-40 bit to fit a bit driver (1/4") with a universal joint and extension to reach and be able to loosen/tighten the lower back corner bolt off of the cover. The service manual warns about this. I'll post pics of that "tool" when I finish up.

[the head]

Pics as promised to get the rear, lower corner bolts off the covers. I also had to use it on the left (driver's) second-to-the-rearmost bolt as well. In the process of doing the valve covers I broke both sides of the crankcase vent tube(s). You can cut off the hard pieces with a razor and use 3/4" heater hose to re-plumb it. The fitings are already barbed to accept the hose. Some hints along the way: if it looks like something will be in the way, it will be so just remove it so you don't fight it later. Remove the lower engine cover just like you would if replacing the oil filter. That way if (when) you drop something you can get to it quickly. It's also necessary to remove the AC harness plug on the left side. I couldn't get it off without unplugging it. The trick with it is the tabs that hold it together are facing into the freon fitting. You need to slide the connector off the mounting boss (grooved) to get to the tab. Once you get it off, rotate it 180 degrees as shown in the pic so the tab will be on the "visible" side and be easier to get to. I did have to route the wiring differently putting it all back together but with a couple of zip ties it fit just fine.

Of interest after taking the covers off, it appears that Porsche put the silicone RTV on the valve cover side of the gasket where the front cover and head meet. In the manual you put the RTV on that seam to make sure it seals and there was nothing there when I pulled them off. Weird. I did this over two separate weekend days. It takes a lot of time just to remove and bolt things back on.

[the head]

Just to clarify, the heater hose in the pic above is for the Moroso catch can I have installed. You can see the broken end of the PCV tube laying next to the intake manifold at the top of the pic - that's what i replaced with heater hose.

[seankrider]

Wish I'd seen this a few weeks ago... great writeup.  The a/c harness plug had me so baffled the first time I buttoned it all back up until I could lift it and figure out where that line ended up.  That was harder than removing the valve cover!

 

Any issues replacing the PCV tubing with heater hose?  I'm very tempted to do this with may of those old brittle vent lines... they break every time and cost ~$100 each. 

[paulwu]

cosmoracing they made the silicone breather hoses for Cayenne-S and turbo in replacing the brittle PVC vent hoses!

[GSpence2]

yup. seems like every 2 years I'm replacing mine. last time was December 2014, left bank was leaking so replaced both.. Guess what? gotta leak again this time from right bank. 

[foxteca]

On 1/21/2014 at 6:03 AM, the head said:

Pics as promised to get the rear, lower corner bolts off the covers. I also had to use it on the left (driver's) second-to-the-rearmost bolt as well. In the process of doing the valve covers I broke both sides of the crankcase vent tube(s). You can cut off the hard pieces with a razor and use 3/4" heater hose to re-plumb it. The fitings are already barbed to accept the hose. Some hints along the way: if it looks like something will be in the way, it will be so just remove it so you don't fight it later. Remove the lower engine cover just like you would if replacing the oil filter. That way if (when) you drop something you can get to it quickly. It's also necessary to remove the AC harness plug on the left side. I couldn't get it off without unplugging it. The trick with it is the tabs that hold it together are facing into the freon fitting. You need to slide the connector off the mounting boss (grooved) to get to the tab. Once you get it off, rotate it 180 degrees as shown in the pic so the tab will be on the "visible" side and be easier to get to. I did have to route the wiring differently putting it all back together but with a couple of zip ties it fit just fine.

Of interest after taking the covers off, it appears that Porsche put the silicone RTV on the valve cover side of the gasket where the front cover and head meet. In the manual you put the RTV on that seam to make sure it seals and there was nothing there when I pulled them off. Weird. I did this over two separate weekend days. It takes a lot of time just to remove and bolt things back on.

I just started replacing my valve cover gaskets and have one done already.   

I know your post is from 2 years ago but I would like to thank you. The pictures you posted of the cut down torx bit and the A/C plug were instrumental in me keeping my sanity during this project. 

[the head]

Glad it helped!

[just1n7]

I just replaced the gasket on my car. It's a bit PITA, but good thing my friend helped me.

[coolbronco]

Hi Guys,

Im in the middle of doing the valve cover gaskets.  I started with the passenger side.  When I took the cover off, there were these brass looking bolts with holes in the middle.  cyl. 1-3 had them cyl. 4 was odd duck and did not have it.  I looked on pelican and the picture of the valvetrain looked the same with the odd duck brass fitting.  It doesnt look right.  cyl 4 had a misfire.  Im just wondering if any of you might have an hd picture of the passenger side, or even know what im talking about.  The picture above shows the drivers side and all the brass fittings are missing.  It looks like those, but only one.  the rest have brass fittings.

  Please help.  I have to have my car.

Edited July 30, 2018 by coolbronco
I saw the hd picture above but it was drivers side and missing brass

[Steve Nielsen]

I'm about to order new valve cover gaskets for my 04 CTT. Are there any other gaskets I should replace while doing this repair? Thank you!

[ciaka]

I believe the valve cover gasket kit will come with 2 valve cover gaskets, 2 spark plug gasket sets (one set for 4 plugs, total two gaskets for 8 plugs), plus two seals for camshaft adjuster caps.  Will cost about 100 bucks total for oem.

[koolkat1973]

I just did the valve cover gasket job on my 2006 Cayenne Turbo S.  The information I found online were invaluable along with this one.  It was a real big job and having the proper tools as everyone stated is essential.  Be patient and it can be done.  I spent 5 hours on the driver's side and about 3-4 hours on the passenger side.  So far so good but I haven't put much miles on yet.  Keeping my fingers crossed.  As someone stated on another forum, this tools was invaluable for removing the back bolts on either side.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TSMQWU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[voodoocat]

Hello my car start to smoke a little under hood, because the valve cover gasket gave out and oil leaks down to exhaust manifold. I first suspected was coolant expansion tank leaking (the plastic weld gives out) but it was valve cover gasket.

After 130K+ miles it became hardened and could not maintain a seal. 

Thank you for the VIM tools link, that tool is essential to remove/install the 3 T40 screws in back, especially the lower one. 

Be sure to dab RTV gasket maker where cylinder head and timing chain cover meet, 2 per side.