Valve Cover Bolts?

[nelbmahs]

Hello all! I am getting ready to do a valve cover gasket this weekend on the 91 festiva. I found one of the valve cover bolts wouldn't go in past 3/4 of the way, took it out and found it was bent. The previous owner bent it somehow. A bolt that I have screws in fine, so it's not stripped out, but this bolt does not have the flange around the head and is too long.

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement bolt? In my hours of searching, I can't find one to save my life.

Thank you,

Sham

[bravekozak]

Just get some used ones.
I bought some very wide flange, aluminum, bodywork pro-bolts that matched my silver, ceramic coated valve cover.

[WmWatt]

^^ Brave is referring to junk yard bolts or maybe someone on here has some if you ask in the buy-and-sell forum. Good luck.

[denguy]

If you can't get the valve cover off past the throttle body lip, just trim a little off of it until you can. Won't hurt and will save work and time.

[nelbmahs]

Thanks all for the responses. I will give the local salvage yard a call. I'll let you know what happens.

[1990new]

I have some.. Send a message to me with your name and address and I'll put a couple in the mail to you.

[nelbmahs]

I have some.. Send a message to me with your name and address and I'll put a couple in the mail to you.

Thank you for the offer 1990new, I called some junk yards around me. but no Festivas One, JD's Auto Ranch crushed their Festivas and sold them for scrap a few weeks ago. But I did go to Ace Hardware and picked up these:

72985-E (Flange bolt)
31344-D (Washer)

The bolt is 2mm shorter than the original, just to make sure it doesn't bottom out when bolting it down, the washer is the same size as the original flanged bolt.

Going to do it on Sunday! Also, should I remove the powder off the gasket? It's like the same powder that is on surgical gloves.

Thank you all!

[1990new]

I wouldn't worry about the power, it will be oily in no time.
Be very careful not to overtighten the cover bolts. The torque specs call for 69-95 inch pounds.
If you don't have a torque wrench for inch-lbs. I would just tighten until they are just snug and then no more that one more turn.
You don't want to crush the gasket. You can always tighten a little more later if you see any oil seep neart one or if it seems loose.
I've been very careful with them since I crushed the first gasket that I changed a long time ago.
The manual says to apply Sealant D7AZ-19B508-A (Equivalent is Loctite Gasket Maker 518) in the groove before you put the seal into the valve cover, but I've never personally put anyhthing on the ones that I have installed.

[nelbmahs]

Good news! No more leaking oil from the valve cover.
IMG_20180813_171208.jpg

Water is from the bird turds that I cleaned off.

Went for a 20 minute drive and no burning oil smell. Very nice feeling. Thanks all! I took video of the entire process, I'll have to edit/post when I get time.

[firebush357]

Am I correct to say that looks like South Florida in the picture?

[nelbmahs]

You are good, southwest!