Honda's V4 Interceptors
V4 Dreams
  • Home
  • Shop Blog
  • Maintenance
  • Products
  • My VFRs
  • Historical

Engine & Valve Cover Installation

11/23/2024

1 Comment

 
"Installation is the reverse of removal" — an oversimplification common to service manuals since the dawn of the industrial revolution. While completely accurate in an objective sense, there's often a few beneficial tips to help keep the gears meshing and that black gold inside the machine where it does the most good. This post shows my work on Project 41, a Gen-2 VFR, but it generally applies to all years.
Picture
(Below) ​The very first step is to prepare the gasket surfaces to ensure a leak-free mating. The covers' were done before powdercoating but the engine surfaces are more of a challenge. There's a lot of interior crevices where bits of dirt and old gasket can disappear, and we don't want that stuff circulating around our engine internals. I position paper towel around the perimeter and carefully scrape the surfaces with whatever I can make work. My favorite gasket scraper is the excellent Bahco pull tool shown here, but I also use a traditional scraper and small bits of crocus/emery cloth (sandpaper for metal). The surface needn't be virgin aluminum, but it does need to be smooth. Be careful to avoid gouging the soft aluminum surface, but if you do, fill the gouge with gasket cement during installation.
Bahco #625 gasket scraper is available on eBay: $21

Finally, I vacuum the area and go after any leftover debris with a thin cloth on a screwdriver tip wetted with a bit of grease — the debris will stick to the grease. When everything is clean, I proceed to the gasket and cover.
(Below) But first I complete any cleaning around the area, including detailing the fasteners (previous post), blowing out the threaded holes and shining up the nearby wiring and hoses, like the starter cable shown here. Check for chafing on the pulse generator wire harness where it touches the sharp edge of the gasket surface (yellow arrow).
(Below) I begin with the alternator cover using a dry gasket and tightening the bolts sequentially in a crosswise pattern. Here I'm speeding up the process with a cordless drill with a socket adapter and the drill's clutch set to a very low torque. I do the final tightening by hand — note the radiator hose support bracket. I've never found a torque setting but not much is required, maybe 8-10 Lb/Ft? "Tight but not too tight," as my Dad would say. I didn't like the look of the excess gasket peeking out at the top, so I trimmed it with a razor. 
(Below) Moving to the clutch cover, note the location of the two dowels, which are also the location of the two longer bolts — all the clutch and alternator bolts are the same length except for these two.
(Below) Before installation, make certain that the bushing holding the primary drive gear assembly is firmly seated (arrow). This is the same bushing that you hoped would not pull free when you removed the cover from the engine — if it did, you'll have a 3-handed puzzle getting those gears meshing together correctly. That bushing locates in the cover's recess shown in the second photo. I give it a light coat of oil to help the bushing slide easily in place.

I slide the dry gasket onto the engine, locating it onto the dowels; it will want to droop along the top so I add a few dabs of gasket cement along that area to hold it during assembly. Before I snug the bolts I visually verify that the gasket is in place around the entire circumference (third photo). Bottom all the bolts in a crosswise pattern and tighten incrementally. Finally, install the oil filler cap and dipstick, ensuring that their o-rings are in place. If needed, the o-rings are still available from Honda.
Valve Covers: (Below) Pretty straightforward, but first I do a final check for debris using a bright light. I've been asked many times the secret to removal/installation of the rear cover on the Gen-2 — there doesn't seem to be enough side-to-side room between the subframe rails. There is not, so the trick is to fully raise the wire harness above the frame rail, then hold the left side higher as you remove or install the cover. Finally, visually check that the rubber gasket is correctly seated all the way round. 
(Below) The front cover sets in place easily from the front side (this is one reason I remove the radiator during valve service). The bolts are seated with their gaskets then torqued sequentially to about 9 Lb/Ft, or 108 inch-pounds. Ensure that those bolt gaskets are installed right-side up; Honda thoughtfully stamped "UP" on the upward-facing side.

​At this point I blow out the spark plug holes with compressed air (spark plugs in place). Note that there's water drain holes for these cavities 90° to the outside of the engine casting, which should also be cleared with compressed air or a long wire, if clogged. I do this along with swabbing the spark plug holes clean before valve cover removal.

Finally, I refill the crankcase with oil, and with the engine buttoned up, I'll move on to the cooling system install.
Picture
1 Comment
Alex
11/27/2024 06:53:33 am

Very detailed and helpful write up here, Joe (as always). Who makes/where can I find that pull scraper you have shown?

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    THE SHOP BLOG
    •••

    An on-going account of miscellaneous information, project bikes and noteworthy VFRs for sale


    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Site powered by Weebly. Managed by HostGator