Cylinder Head Cover

Removal

PROCEDURE

1. Disconnect the battery ground cable.

* If the car stereo is equipped with an anti-theft system, make sure you know the activation code before disconnecting the battery ground cable.

2. Disconnect the crankcase ventilation hoses from the cylinder head cover.
3. Disconnect the high-tension leads from the spark plugs by grasping the insulating boots, not the wires.

4. On 1.8 L engines, remove the two cylinder head cover bolts on the timing belt side, then remove the wiring harness cover and the wiring.

5. Remove the cover retaining nuts (indicated by arrows), then remove the cylinder head cover and gasket. (On 1.3 L engines there is an additional nut at the front.) If the cover does not come off, tap it loose with a hammer through a wooden block. If this does not help, insert a thin flexible scraper between the cylinder head and the cover to cut the seal.

* Do not pry the cover off the cylinder head forcefully with a tool, as this may damage the mating surfaces and cause oil leaks after assembly.

Installation

PROCEDURE

1. Before installation, thoroughly clean the mating surfaces of the cylinder head and cover. If the rubber gasket shows no hardening or cracking and mileage is low, it may be reused. Before installing the cylinder head cover, make sure the spark plug tube seals are in place on the inside of the cover.
2. Remove the gasket and clean the sealing surfaces with lacquer thinner or acetone. Install a new gasket, pressing it evenly into the groove around the cover. Oil contamination on the sealing surfaces during assembly may cause oil leaks from under the gasket.
3. Apply RTV sealant to the sealing areas near the rubber plug, the ignition distributor and the camshaft seal cover.
4. Install the cover and tighten the nuts.
5. Tighten the nuts evenly in three or four passes to the specified torque.
6. Install the remaining components, start the engine and check for oil leaks.