Can valve/rockers be adjusted without replacing the valve cover gasket ?

I have a 2006 Bayliner 175 that has a ticking rocker, and I'd like to attempt the rocket adjustment shown in the you tube video, but I don't have a replacement valve gasket.

I also found this video on you tube that is my EXACT same boat, with the EXACT same sound (to a tee):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUtzLsWf-b8


And after seeing the infamous HowTo rocker adjustment on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAlCVA5cCQM I'm very encouraged about getting rid of this noise (that seems to have always been there since I bought the boat new).

Boat has very little hours on it. I'm wondering: since it appears that the edge of the head that seals against the valve cover gasket is "rough", I', wondering if I could get the valve cover off without "tearing" the gasket and able to re-use it (until I can get a new gasket).

Thoughts ?

Re: Can valve/rockers be adjusted without replacing the valve cover gasket ?

mokeman3 said:

I have a 2006 Bayliner 175 that has a ticking rocker, and I'd like to attempt the rocket adjustment shown in the you tube video, but I don't have a replacement valve gasket.

I also found this video on you tube that is my EXACT same boat, with the EXACT same sound (to a tee):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUtzLsWf-b8

And after seeing the infamous HowTo rocker adjustment on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAlCVA5cCQM I'm very encouraged about getting rid of this noise (that seems to have always been there since I bought the boat new).

Boat has very little hours on it. I'm wondering: since it appears that the edge of the head that seals against the valve cover gasket is "rough", I', wondering if I could get the valve cover off without "tearing" the gasket and able to re-use it (until I can get a new gasket).

Thoughts ?

Click to expand...

Maybe, with a little Permatex gasket maker on the old gasket, but I wouldn't remove the valve cover till I had new gaskets in hand. Oil leaks suck.

Re: Can valve/rockers be adjusted without replacing the valve cover gasket ?

04fxdwgi said:

Maybe, with a little Permatex gasket maker on the old gasket, but I wouldn't remove the valve cover till I had new gaskets in hand. Oil leaks suck.

Click to expand...

Dang, that's what I was hoping not to hear...

Tomorrow's the 4th, and I'm supposed to drive the boat from Seattle over to Eastern Washington on Wednesday to meet up with the GF and the family. I guess that would sux if I created a oil leak where there wasn't before.

Does anyone know what the gasket is made of ? If its rubber, I was thinking that if I removed the bolts and lightly tap the cover with a rubber mallet to see if it wants to give on its own, then there's a good chance that it's not stuck to the head and I could get it off without destroying it (and able to re-use it with a smear of Permatex).

The chances of the boat place being open tomorrow (the 4th) i probably slim to none, but I'll call them in the morning.

If not, maybe you're right, - just hold off. I doubt the loose rocker is gonna hurt anything. It's been like that for a while now, and it runs great. It's just more of annoyance at this point.

Re: Can valve/rockers be adjusted without replacing the valve cover gasket ?

mokeman3 said:

Dang, that's what I was hoping not to hear...

Tomorrow's the 4th, and I'm supposed to drive the boat from Seattle over to Eastern Washington on Wednesday to meet up with the GF and the family. I guess that would sux if I created a oil leak where there wasn't before.

Does anyone know what the gasket is made of ? If its rubber, I was thinking that if I removed the bolts and lightly tap the cover with a rubber mallet to see if it wants to give on its own, then there's a good chance that it's not stuck to the head and I could get it off without destroying it (and able to re-use it with a smear of Permatex).

The chances of the boat place being open tomorrow (the 4th) i probably slim to none, but I'll call them in the morning.

If not, maybe you're right, - just hold off. I doubt the loose rocker is gonna hurt anything. It's been like that for a while now, and it runs great. It's just more of annoyance at this point.

Click to expand...

I doubt it's rubber, but "may be" re-usable type of cork / rubber composition. You may luck out. Rubber gaskets usually require too much torque to get to seal and wind up warping covers, then you have a whole new set of problems. Some mfgr's don't even use gaskets these days, just the permatex type sealer stuff.

You can try it with the permatex if the gasket doesn't self destruct when you take the cover off. Just clean it up nice and clean, put the permatex on, snug it down, let her sit for a while, then re-torque the bolts. Probably will be fine (if gasket is in one piece), but plan on doing it right soon..

Or just live with the tick-tick-tick for now and get it when you get back. Have seen engines with a ticking lifter go like that for years. But then again, they aren't pushed like marine engines.

Re: Can valve/rockers be adjusted without replacing the valve cover gasket ?

If it is a neoprene gasket, yes. If it's not, no.

Re: Can valve/rockers be adjusted without replacing the valve cover gasket ?

TilliamWe said:

If it is a neoprene gasket, yes. If it's not, no.

Click to expand...

I wonder if there's any way to know that they used in 2006 ? I don't remember if there are any "tabs" sticking out of the corners of the valve cover, but I'm not out there right now.

I do think that I "might" just see if I can take the bolts out and hit the top of the valve cover with my palm to see if I can break it loose. I can't see trying to break it loose with a palm shot tearing/destroying the gasket if it's really stuck to edge of the head. What I remember seeing from the you tube video that I posted is seeing a non-machined edge, and that the edge being rounded, and "rough" (i.e. casting grade finish). I think this would lessen the chance that the gasket really glued/stuck itself to the head surface.

If it's "not" neopreme, what would it be, cork? Also, I'm thinking/hoping that since this engine is so cold-blooded most of the time, I'm thinking that it never really saw enough long-term heat to really dry out the gasket and "cooked" itself to the sealing surface of the head. As risky as it is (with my trip coming up), I'd at least like to look at it, and try it. Worse case is that I'd get n oil leak. Not like there is a hot exhaust manifold on these things to smoke me out if oil starts to leak (like you'd have on a car).

Re: Can valve/rockers be adjusted without replacing the valve cover gasket ?

UPDATE:

Ok, well, I decided to dive in and give it a go. Took a little bit of careful persuading, but I got the cover off without tearing the gasket, which is indeed cork. Looks like it was glued to the block with gray RTV silcone rubber. Most of it stayed on the head side, but I did manage to pull some of it up off of the head on one of the long sides.

I followed the instructions in the video, but I gotta say, finding the TDC notch was a chore, and "bumping" the starter to get the TDC notch anywhere near the indicator plate was impossible. I handed up just putting a big socket on the alternator pulley nut, and squeezing the fan belt and turning the engine that way (with the spark plugs removed).

Seemed that all of my rockers were a bit loose, with the exception of #4 Exhaust which was exceptionally loose. This concerns me.

I did run the engine and got it up to normal operating temperature before starting, so the lifters shouldn't have been bled down all that much. And I did do the "crank engine until oil pressure registered on the gauge" this as well.

Most valves only needed a ever so slight tightening just to get them to the zero-lash point. From there I did the + 3/4 turn thing. #4 exhaust on the other hand, took at least 3/4 turn (maybe a tad more) just to get to zero lash. From there I went the + 3/4 turn.

When I turned it over after wards, and really standing on the starter, I noticed that #4 exhaust wasn't getting quite as much oil up thru the push rod hole as the others. In fact, at first, it looked like it wasn't getting any at all. But after sanding on the starter some more, I started to see a little, and I do mean a "little" seep up thru the hole.

My thinking is that with #4 exhaust flopping loose like that for some time, the lifter will just need to pump up, and firm up for a while (more so than what I can do with the starter). I just hope I don't have a bad lifter (crushed, smashed etc) lifter. I guess it wouldn't be all to hard to replace them, but still, seems too early for a bad lifter (with so little hours on the boat).

As you can see, there is now a bit more exposed thread on the stud for the rocker on #4 exhaust. Hopefully this will be Ok. Not sure what the risk might be if I got it too tight. I can still turn the push rod a bit in the shut position just after stopping cranking on the starter, so I know it's not overly tight.

I'm just taking a break here, and ready to re-assemble and start it on the ear muffs. I'll report back as to what it sounds like.

Here's some pics (notice more exposed threads on the rocker stud for #4 exhaust):

Re: Can valve/rockers be adjusted without replacing the valve cover gasket ?

SUCCESS !!

Get er all back together, started it up, and it ran like CRAP !!!

Turns out I forgot to put plug wires #3 & #4 back on the plugs. (surprised it even ran).

Anyways, I am estatic!, - the noise is gone. Sounds like a whole new engine. If I stick my head clean down in the engine compartment with my nose about touching the distributator cap, I can still hear some valve noise, but this may just me normal noise. Or maybe they can still use another 1/4 turn. Not gonna sweat that now, - maybe at the end of the year, or next year. Man, - I am SO happy.

I am SO glad I found that YouTube video of that guy who took the time to video document the adjusting procedure. Who, and where is he, - I want to buy him a beer.

All too many times, people making Youtube video's barely have a grasp on the English language, can't speak to save their lives, but yet this guys video was very pleasant to listen too, and he didn't shove things into the camera lens (another You tube classic).

Anyways, thanks guys!, - everyone here rocks!