17 year old gaskets. If I R AND R valve covers, will I be safe reusing VC gaskets?

 

They are reusable but might be a good time to be proactive and change them but it's your call and money. They also could start to leak and you will be right back to where you started.

 

At the very least, I'd be looking at the UVCH. I hear good things about the Dorman VC gasket with the integrated UVCH.

 

I would also suggest you replace the the under valve cove wiring harness. Its a well known issue and if you're already in there there's not excuse not to take care of it. Save the old ones as spares if they seem to be in good shape.

 

My UVCH is attached to the gasket. Its all one piece?? What are all these pieces you guys are talking about??

 

Are they all one piece, or do they connect with a piece in the middle at the gasket? My understanding is that OEM is two pieces, the gasket and the UVCH but Dorman makes it all one piece and the only connection then would be outside of the valve cover (besides the ones at the injectors and glow plugs).

 

I'm still running my factory valve cover gaskets and UVCH wiring (with the quarter shim) on my 02. Has lasted 533,000 miles and this many years so far.

 

Its all one piece, only connection is outside, other than all the glow plugs and injectors, but the harness is attached to the gasket. Mines an 02, but I did order the stock gaskets from ford on my build.

 

Aaa so the Fords are integrated too now, sounds good to me.

 

I think all 02 ones are. I looked online first and all of them were one piece. The older trucks had a 2 piece, not sure when they changed to the one piece.

 

I can tell you my 2002 Ex did not have factory one piece VC gaskets. As far as I know ford and international sell a two piece design. The VC gasket is separate from the UVCH.

 

I wiped out today and did the easy side. Injectors were all in the 75 - 80 in-lb range.
Passenger side looks pretty scary in getting VC off. Any secrets that can be shared? I am not very excited about pulling AC compressor. Am I over thinking this or is there a easier way?
Thanks for your imput.
Oldboots

 

75-80, eh? You're really going to hear a big difference the next time you drive.

Truck: I used to hate the passenger side because of the hoses and the A/C hardware, now it's no big deal. IC tube off, dip stick tube carefully out of the way (easy to damage seal to the oil pan at this age), lift the VC a little and tuck the heater hose under the VC before manipulating it out. It still takes some contortion to get it out, but the VC comes out without forcing it.

Excursion: All is lost. Give up now. It's more of a pain to get the GPCM and heater control out of the way, and you can't get easy access to two of the lower VC bolts through the fender well. With that, I've done it while it was snowing on me in a vacation parking lot (helped a member stranded near me) - so it's doable.

 

I can confirm my 02 did not have one piece gaskets also, my connections looked good so I just added the .50 cent mod while I was in there. I'm going to go back and recheck the torque this spring as it sounds like I've either got one coming loose on the RH side or an injector going south, pretty good knock sound laying under the truck.

 

Knock sound can be air in oil or fuel. Even at idle, ICP pressure is 500 PSI - and fuel pressure is intensified to 3500 PSI in the nozzles. That kind of applied pressure without a fluid "buffer" between two metals approaching each other can give the impression Thor and Bam-Bam are playing Patty-cake under the hood.