I'm going to be replacing the spark plug seals so I have to take off the valve cover.
I see that I have to take off the PCV tube and ground wire connection. Then, unbolt the valve cover screws.
After that, I don't know how to remove the old spark plug seals and valve cover gasket. And I don't know how to install the new seals and gasket. I already bought the parts.

It's for a D15B7

Thanks.

 

once you get the valve cover off, flip it over. you will see the spark seals and the valve cover gasket. just grab them with your fingers and pull them out. make sure you clean the groove where the valve cover gasket sits and clean the area on the engine head where the gasket sits. this will ensure a good seal. some people use some hondabond to make sure you don't get any leaks especially around the cam seals but i never use it and never had a leak. good luck!!

 

Wow! The 5th generation Civic seals must be much easier to remove than the 6th generation seals. I had to carefully pry those seals out with a screwdriver and it wasn't easy.

 

^^^ Yeah, It's pretty easy on the 5th gen but not so easy on the 6th gen


Since, i'm in a good mood... I took some pics
mmm... the gas saver d15b6


Remove those four nuts and the pvc tube



Then lift the valve cover off... you might need to gently tap the valve cover with a rubber mallet or with the palm of your hand to loosen it up




The little washer gasket thingy on the valve cover might come loose... that is ok.. just pop it back in.



Pull the spark plug seals with your fingers


Clean the little grove before putting in the new seal


and just push in the new seal into the groove.



remove the old valve cover gasket.. clean the groove (I like to use carb cleaner). Then just put in the new gasket back into the groove.


Like scrapdoggydog said, If you like... you can add some gasket sealer on the four corners where valve cover seats on the engine...


Then just install back the nuts.. torque them back to 7lbs.. If you don't have a torque wrench that is fine, just make sure you don't over torque them too much... you don't want the bolt to break


pic of the crx all cover up waiting for my lazy *** to put it's engine back in ... you can see the super D in the back

 

Nice pictures and descriptions, though personally I would recommend using a torque wrench for the valve cover bolts.

 

I would too, but most don't have a torque wrench, he should be fine since those valve cover bolts are way beefier than the ones on the 6th civic....

It's the 6th gen civic bolts you have to be really careful to not over tight them if you don't have a torque wrench since they can break easily.

 

Yeah a torque wrench is recommended but if you dont have one its not horrible. Just tighten it down with a smaller socket wrench (with a big one its hard to tell how tight it is and you'll snap the bolts which would blow to get out). I took my valve cover off to paint it and didnt have a torque wrench handy so I just went by feel, you are more likely to over-torque by hand so dont worry about it not being tight enough, just go till you get some good resistance, 7lbs of torque isnt much. I checked mine after with a torque wrench from a friend and it turned out going by feel i'd torqued it to about 8.5lbs

 

it's actually not the 5th gen factor that makes it easier. The D16Z6 and D15Z1 are just as hard as the 6th gens. It's only the D15B7 and D15B8 that are easier.
The spark plug tube seals on the D15B7 and D15B8 are designed differently. You know how on the 6th gens, the spark plug tube seals are jammed into the spots that they sit and are hard to remove? well on the B7 and B8, they just sit in there spots kinda since the rubber is softer, instead of being wedged on. also, the valve cover grommets are not on the valve cover bolt on these engines, instead there is a nut on holding the valve cover on, rather than the entire bolt.

 

Thanks for the replies. I'll try to take some pictures of my repair with actual worn spark plug seals.

 

Just finished replacing the spark plug seals, valve cover seal and valve cover seal washers.
Here's some pictures I took.

Here's the gasket set that includes the seals and washers.


Here's spark plug boots 1 and 2. You can see shiny oil on boot 2.


Here's spark plug boots 3 and 4.


I cleaned up the spark plugs. This is spark plug 2 with shiny oil on the spark plug insulation.


I had to unbolt the spark plug wire harness clip after unbolting the four nuts and detaching the PCV tube.


Here's the old valve cover washers and nuts.


Here's the cylinder head. You can see oil around the spark plug seal areas.


Valve cover top


Valve cover bottom with old spark plug seals.


Here's the old spark plug seals.


Valve cover cleaned up without seals


Valve cover with new seals



I am now ready for D1 racing. Just kidding.