Review on Fel Pro VS50592R Valve Cover Gasket by James Martin

Although these pads may vary in color from the original, they work well and are inexpensive. A few months ago the dealer offered me $699 to replace these seals - the parts were $41. I checked the service book and found that in addition to removing the electrical connections from the spark plugs, screws and coils (8) there were 9 tenmm screws to be removed on each cover. After clearing the clogs in the hoses, I grabbed my striking tool, extensions and 10mm socket and headed into town. When you remove the covers, take a small 2x4 and tap it lightly with a hammer. Remove the cover and gasket, clean the gasket surfaces with a small scraper, and then wipe with a cloth dampened with isopropyl alcohol or similar; Be careful not to allow foreign objects to fall or remain in the valve body. Then take a regular screwdriver and pry back the 4 tabs holding each spark plug gasket in place. I used a 90 degree pick to remove each spark plug gasket. Clean the mating surfaces and then install a new gasket so that the spark plug gasket slides over the spark plug tube when the valve cover is reinstalled; Note: The open edge of the gasket should be positioned so that it touches the inside surface of the valve cover and the rounded edge stays on top. The rounded edge slides easily over the spark plug tube. Before replacing the cap, place a small high-temp RTV bead in the same places you removed it with the scraper. Inspect the valve cover on the engine block and make sure there are no foreign objects inside - the tape on the spark plug leads can harden and crack over time, and when removing/installing valve covers parts can break off and fall into the valve cover. Make sure you stand on a stool and get a bird's eye view of the valve body. Reinstall the cover and star-tighten each screw to 5 ft/lbs (usually hand-tight) to apply the same torque to the cover (remember there are 9 screws per cover, not eight). Might be a good time to check the torque at the spark plugs - my 2001/2002 Tundra/Sequoia had 13 ft/lbs of torque. Reinstall the spark plug coils and screw them back on. This is also a good time to replace any stripped head screws. Install the electrical spark plug terminals in the correct locations. Each side should take about 2 hours.