take valve covers off?

[jsandy]

so i wanna take my valve covers off my 91 351 with the cast aluminum valve covers. has anyone done this with the manifolds still on? if so how any tips?

[mapleleaf]

not with my Mani's on.....
Paging Mr. Hunter......

[michael hunter]

I have a 89 351w when it was new I had a rocker arm problem on the left [port] side.
as I remember the left side cover can be wiggled out not sure about the right.

[wotan2525]

You should be able to loosen up the manifold bolts (or remove all but the front and back, and loosen those up) so that they lean away from the valve cover. If your bolts aren't long enough, pull a few of them and go to the hardware store and buy longer bolts just for this purpose.... install the extra long bolts in 2-3 places and then pull all the other bolts. The valve cover will hang off the side but you won't have to worry about realinging it or having the gaskets fall out. This should get you enough clearance to get to the nuts holding the valve covers off
.

[jsandy]

thats just it my manifold bolts are rusted bad and will mostlikely break off and i just dont want to deal with that till i get new manifolds

[csuggs]

jSANDY - use PB Blaster on the manifold bolts and let it soak overnight. Then spray them one more time and you should be able to remove them with a ratchet. I would not use an impact wrench.

[wotan2525]

Interesting -- an impact wrench is actually less likely to break bolt heads than a ratchet is?

[jsandy]

no the actually allen part of some of the manifold bolts is rusted out. as in smoother inside. take'n the manifolds off are just not an option right now. unless someone wants to donate some to me?