Step by step guide needed

[bendover]

I will change my rocker cover gasket on Monday.

Can somebody please give me a guide as to how to do it please.

[Cool Jesus]

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-gtv-and-916-spider/157654-alfa-gtv-2ltr-twinspark-how-change-your-cam-cover-gasket.html

I got it wrong too, there's 9 screws not 4 holding the rocker cover on 

[bendover]

Thanks for that, but i dont have a torque wrench, so how do i know how tight to go.

I suppose im fine to run down to Vic and then change when i come back.

When i said there was oil in the plugs the other day, i looked again today and there was only one, the rest were clear. Were not about gallons, but just a little bit and far less than the other day when there were 4 pots.

I have never had a torque wrench so when i put plugs in i go until i think they are tight enough, been doing it that way for 50 years.

[colcol]

If i remember rightly, the fasteners are ribe?, if they are hex head, just use a 1/4 inch drive with a 'screwdriver handle', attachment, so you can't over tighten, its important that you just 'nip down' the gasket, but not distort it, and that all the fasteners are torqued down equal, with your screwdriver handle 1/4 inch drive, your hand will slip when its tight, you may want to re tighten after about a weeks running after the gasket settles, Colin.

[Cool Jesus]

Love, your posts are worse than a mad hatters tea party! It all makes perfect sense in your head, but for someone else they are impossible to follow. Dude keep the conversation where it started. If you haven,t needed a torque wrench for 50 years, that's awesome. Yet you found them loose after having played around with them  your not mucking around with an Aussie built bombiedoor made for the Aussie bush mechanic bogan, it's (arguably) a high performance sports vehicle built to specific tolerances. If a $50 torque wrench isn't worth the insult to your half Centuary of mechanical ability, I can definately see heartache for your short term love affair with Alfas.

Yeah col is spot on with tightening the cover. They're just nipped up and the method describe by col should work for you. But, it sounds like you want to tinker with the bestie, which is great and I would highly recommend a torque wrench be placed on your Xmas list. Holy shit, me birthday is just around the corner 

[Cool Jesus]

Ps

You could get away with just nipping up the current gasket? The gaskets are rubber and they do harden and have a service life. If it's just a smidgen getting past the gasket, a nip up could resolve it for you, however it's a short term fix. I take it we don't know if and when the gasket was replaced? If it was in the last year a nip up now should be ok, any longer and I'd look at replacement. If anything for the peace of mind that it's been done.

[colcol]

If you tighten up too much you will distort the allow cam cover housing, that's why every time you take the cover off to put the cam locks on, just replace the gasket and use gasket cement to seal it as opposed to more torque on the cam cover fasteners.
If you get a torque wrench for christmas, start with one with about 5 pounds minimum, upwards, as you will be more prone to stripping low torque threads, and then as birthdays come along, get a bigger one to say 200 pounds for those suspension mounts and driveshafts, Colin.

[bendover]

Thanks for all the valuable info guys. I guess i shal have to dip inot my pension and buy one lol.

[Cool Jesus]

Love, your in luck mate, ALDI have torque wrenches with sockets for $25 in their 11/10/14 catalogue. Not sure of the settings, but it looks like a larger style say 20ft/pd to 150ft/pd??? Eithere way, thats a very cheap wrench and is similar to eBay items going for $50 (which I have).

[bendover]

Aldi, thanks mate. Im ignorant because i dont know what those figures mean, but if its cheap, its mine.

[Cool Jesus]

Just a little tip if you do grab one. If it's similar to most, it has a locking nut on the end, usually knurled with a hole through it. Make sure it's nipped up, don't just use finger strength to tighten it. I did and the torque handle moved as I was tightening a nut and stretched and snapped the bolt off. So I now nip it up with a long pick (anything that will fit the hole) and haven't had an issue since.

PS don't think I'm vouching for quality here. It is cheap and over the years I have found that you do get what you pay for. Having said that, my wrench is cheap and it will certainly do me for many years. What better about the aldi unit is you have better access to warranty replacement if it fails, so keep your receipt.

[bendover]

Thanks mate i have got one today.

Its a pretty toy, now i have to figure it out.

Once again thanks for your help.

[bendover]

I took the bloody thing back.

I didnt know my son already had a top quality one. When he saw what i bought, and this is typical, what did you get that for, he says casually, i already have one.

There is a lot to be said for capital punishment on your kids.