Rep Power: 217

I have a good DIY bookmarked, but it left a few questions unanswered about what I needed to do. I have the gist of it down, as I've replaced valve cover gaskets in the past. I plan on just buying a new kit which comes with the gasket and the new grommets for the nuts and washers. Is there an easy way to pop out the spark plug tube seal holes? I used my fingers on the Corolla just to make sure I didn't scrape anything and it took forever. Oil on the new seals just ease installation I've heard. What about when the cover is off? Should I cover up the head with anything or will it be fine just sitting in the garage with the hood open for a few hours?I don't think I would have anything to worry about since nothing happened before. Last thing I need is a fly or some bug getting into something. Although that would be a sight to see. I don't think I have any more questions in the precaution areas.
What about colors? Bay is black. I'm probably gonna go with black. If I'm feeling daring I may even go red of blue.

 
Rep Power: 214

The seals differ cause I have had some come out easy and some it takes a lot of work and pulling. You can usually pop them out wit your fingers but when they are really in there then your suppose to use a seal puller or like a screwdriver maybe if don't have seal puller. If your car is in a garage then no need to worry bout covering it up and don't need to worry bout bugs really but I say purple would look awesome on the valvecover with your black car

 
Rep Power: 285

Fck painting, polish it!

If you strip it with aircraft paint remover get the stuff you can paint on, not the aerosol cans, I've tried both the I found the paint on much better.

If you sandblast it then just go nuts with brake cleaner and get it spotless, I've heard horror stories of people slacking on the clean up after sandblasting and filling their head with bits of sand that was stuck in the corners and such.

Oh and write a DIY for the site please

 
Rep Power: 367

i think josh posted a way to do the seals easily with some sockets(?) in a timing belt+head gasket DIY - was that Tbohar one?

 
Rep Power: 217

Thanks for the input. My engines lab has a sandblaster, but it's closed during the summer . I'm gonna have to use the cans, but it shouldn't turn out bad. I'll do my best to snap some photos for you guys. All I have is a phone as my camera ATM. I should just get an actual digital camera though. Haha.