I finally got the driver's side valve cover off this morning. I noticed the front harness was loose so I did the 50 cent mod (only 25 cents). Then I changed the 4 glow-plugs. One had a crust of brown material on it. Another had a cracked electrode. Last year I bought new Motorcraft GPs but never put them in. The dentist gave me a plastic mini suction device which I used before I removed the Gps. Next I moved to the passenger side. Someone must have worked on this side because the bolts were extremely tight. My son and I used a pipe with the breaker bar to break them loose. I did get 7 of the bolts out but they were a real challenge. Toorrow I will try to get the rest out and then check the wiring.

 

Aaaaa. The valve covers i freaked out when mine started smoking lok if u need ipig tails i have spares

 

Hmm, it does indeed sound like someone has been into the passenger side. The bolts don't need to be very tight since the VC gaskets have o-ring seals in them. I usually just make them good and snug with my 3/8" ratchet.

BTW, Rob, your sig quote makes me chuckle every single time I read it.

 

I think the actual number is 8 lb-ft

 

The passenger side is proving to be a real bear. I think that the person who worked on the engine before must have used an air ratchet to tighten the bolts. I have 7 removed and hopefully can get the other 3 off.

 

Anyone try eliminating or just not replacing the rear bolts, maybe it would not leak without it. some things ya just don't know until you try.

 

Might be helpful to reinstall those seven, and tighten 'em down partway, temporarily. That might reduce the force that's presently on the remaining three. I always try to loosen all the fasteners before removing any of them with a job like this.

No direct experience in this case, but with a stamped flange like that, I would pretty-much count on it leaking any place where it's not torqued down uniformly. Seen it in enough other applications. If it were a fancy cast aluminum cover, it would be a different story. But again, I'm just speculating, based what I've seen elsewhere.