How to Replace Valve Cover Gasket Set 2001-05 Honda Civic
Created on: 2016-05-18
If the valve cover gaskets are leaking or are old and need to be replaced, watch this video and learn how to do it yourself
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step 1 :Removing the Valve Cover
- Loosen the two plastic flat head screws from the engine cover
- Remove the engine cover
- Disconnect the ignition coil electrical connectors
- Remove the three 10mm bolts holding the wiring harness to the valve cover
- Pull the cable hold-down off the stud
- Pry the wiring harness off of the valve cover with a flat blade screwdriver
- Remove the four 10mm nuts from the ignition coils
- Pull out the ignition coils
- Remove the 10mm nuts from the throttle cable
- Remove the oil dipstick
- Twist off the oil cap
- Disconnect the PVC breather hose
- Loosen the five 10mm studs from the valve cover
- Pry the wiring harness retainer from its studs with the flat blade screwdriver
- Disconnect the A/C line hold-down with a flat blade screwdriver
- Pull the power steering line off the valve cover bracket
- Pull the A/C line off the valve cover bracket
- Lift the valve cover up and off
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step 2 :Removing the Valve Cover Gaskets
- Pull up the valve cover gasket with a pick
- Peel off the valve cover gasket
- Pull up the ignition coil gaskets with a pick
- Peel off the ignition coil gaskets
- Pry the studs off the top of the valve cover
- Cut off the valve cover stud gaskets with wire cutters or a razor
- Slide the washer off the stud
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step 3 :Installing the Valve Cover Gaskets
- Slide the washers onto the valve cover stems
- Slide on the valve cover stud gaskets
- Put the studs into place on the valve cover
- Install the valve cover gasket with the tabs on the timing cover side
- Firmly press in the gasket
- Push in the ignition coil gaskets with the bezel facing the engine side
- Firmly press in the gaskets
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step 4 :Installing the Valve Cover
- Clean the gasket sealing area with a solvent and a paper towel
- Slide the valve cover onto the timing cover side, first
- Maneuver the valve cover into place
- Put the long bolts into the intake side of the engine
- Put the shorter bolts into the exhaust side of the engine
- Tighten the 10mm bolts to 7.2 foot pounds of torque
- Put the wiring harness retainer into place
- Connect the PVC breather hose
- Push the power steering hose into the bracket
- Push the A/C hose into the bracket
- Push the ignition coils into place
- Tighten the four 10mm nuts onto the ignition coil
- Putt the wiring harness into place
- Connect the ignition coil wiring harnesses
- Insert the two 10mm bolts into the wiring harness
- Push the cable retainer onto the stud
- Fasten the two 10mm nuts onto the cable retainer
- Tighten all the 10mm nuts and bolts
- Twist on the oil cap
- Put the oil dipstick into place
- Put the engine cover into place
- Tighten the two plastic flathead screws into the engine cover
- Start the engine
- Check for leaks
Tools needed
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Socket Extensions
Flat Blade Screwdriver
Torque Wrench
Paper Towels
10mm Socket
Ratchet
Wire Cutters
Pick
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Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video we're going to show you valve cover gasket replacement. This is a 2003 Honda Civic. This is the same for a 2001 to 2005 Civic with the 1.7 liter engine. You'll need a new gasket set from 1AAuto.com, 10mm socket with a ratchet and extension, flat head screwdriver, 90 degree pick tool, and side cutters.
Undo the two quarter-turn flat heads to uncover the wire harness and coil packs. Undo the four electrical connectors on the coil packs. Remove the three 10mm bolts securing the wire harness to the valve cover. Remove the cable hold down from the stud. Use your screwdriver to pry out and lift the wire harness from the top of the valve cover.
Remove the four 10mm nuts securing the coil packs to the valve cover, the 10mm nuts securing the rest of the throttle cables to the valve cover, your oil dipstick, oil cap, and the five 10mm bolts holding the valve cover down to the top of the head.
Using a flat head screwdriver, remove the harness from the studs. Separate the hold down for the A/C line. Remove the power steering and AC lines from the bracket on the valve cover. Lift your valve cover off the head.
Here we have our new parts from 1AAuto.com. Here we have our old parts that we removed from the vehicle. We're just going to show you where exactly all these gaskets are and how they come out. First off is your valve cover gasket, probably baked in here. Use a small pick or a flat blade screwdriver to get it going, coming out a little bit. You should just be able to pull.
You can see we have our relief for where the cam bearings ride in the valve cover. See we have the same shape. This bolt hole here lines up. Very high grade gasket.
Each hole for the coil packs also has a rubber gasket. Again, you're going to want to use a pick or a small flat blade screwdriver to work that gasket out. Here we have our old gaskets removed from the valve cover, and new ones from 1AAuto.com. As you can see, these gaskets are exactly the same size. They're going to go ahead and install just like the OEM pieces, and fix any leaks you might have.
Our kit also comes with new washers and gaskets for the five bolts that hold the valve cover to the top of the head. To remove these you're going to pry them up out of the valve cover with a small flat blade screwdriver, and remove the washer from the top. Using a pair of side cutters or a razor blade, we'll go ahead and cut the old ones off of the stud to remove the washer.
Now you can see we have the exact same part in our new kit from 1A Auto. Reinstall the gasket onto the bolt by pressing it over this bezel.
Flip the valve cover gasket over. Install the gasket with the tabs facing the timing cover side for the driver side of the vehicle. Make sure that the gasket is pressed in firmly and that all the holes and grooves line up.
Reinstall your coil pack gaskets with the bezel side facing down into the motor, up facing you with the valve cover upside down this way. Make sure that the gaskets are fully seated so they don't fall out into the motor when you reinstall your coil packs.
Be sure that your gasket surface on the top of the cylinder head is clear of debris and oils by spraying some solvent on a paper towel, giving it a quick wipe down. Slide this lip onto the timing cover. You're ready to bolt your valve cover back down. Reinstall your valve cover bolts with the longest bolts on the intake side of the engine and the smaller bolts on the exhaust side of the engine. Go ahead and tighten down those 10mm bolts. Torque the valve cover bolts to 7.2 foot pounds or 10 Newton meters.
Reinstall the harness retainers. Reinstall the PCV breather clamp. Reinstall your lines into the bracket. Reinstall your four coil packs; they simply slide in. Press on. They're held in by four 10mm nuts. Just snug is fine. There's not a lot of pressure on these coil packs. Reinstall the top of your harness. Plug in your coil packs. Two 10mm bolts secure the harness to the valve cover. Your cable retainer sits over top. There's two 10mm nuts for the cable retainers. Go ahead and tighten all that down. Again, there's not any kind of pressure on this harness, so just snug is fine. Reinstall your oil cap and dipstick. Lay the harness cover back into place. Use a flat blade screwdriver for the quarter turn clips. Start your motor and check for leaks.
Thanks for tuning in. We hope this video helped you out. Next time you need parts for your car, please visit 1AAuto.com. Also, check out our other helpful how-to, as well as, diagnosis videos.
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