Replacement of 01 TL valve cover gaskets (Summary)

First I want to say thanks to all who donate their time and knowledge to this forum.


After making a comment after completing the timing belt replacement on my sister's TL, I decided to replace the leaking valve cover gaskets. The whole process took about 4 hours, however that included going to the parts store for new spark plugs. Sorry no pictures.


I started by reading several threads here on regarding valve adjustment to familiarize myself with the process for disassembly. First I removed engine plastic trim pieces, followed by the air cleaner. Next I removed the throttle body and intake manifold. This allowed room to remove the ignition coils and valve covers. After removing the valve covers I noticed that the existing gaskets were hard and brittle. I used a sharp tool to help remove the old gaskets from the valve covers. I also removed the spark plug seals. I you do this, take your time so as not to damage the sealing surfaces. After installing the new gaskets and seals, I then proceeded to reinstall everything in reverse order.


So far the car runs great, and the burning oil smell is starting to dissipate.