Valve Cover Gasket question

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04-09-07, 02:57 PM

marcmindte

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Valve Cover Gasket question

Im relpacing my valve cover gaskets soon on my 98 ES300 (will post the DIY) and wanted to know what brand to buy. Ive seen a few from $10 to $75.
Can someone tell me what brand, a good place, and average price I should pay to buy them?

Thanks

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04-09-07, 03:19 PM

92ES5sp

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Id go with Fel-Pro or Victor Reinz, Napa should have a set for around $50 or so. OEM is good to if you feel like getting ripped off.

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04-09-07, 05:10 PM

GrahamHill

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Will we need the intake manifold gaskets too?

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04-09-07, 05:13 PM

92ES5sp

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Youll need a new plenum gasket.

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04-09-07, 06:50 PM

Pheonix

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fel-pro in general is junk. anything else, ok.

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04-09-07, 07:04 PM

marcmindte

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Thanks, and whats a Plenum Gasket

All I know is that my front valve cover is leaking pretty steadily. Is the Plenum necessary to replace too?

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04-10-07, 05:22 AM

92ES5sp

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Quote:

Originally Posted by marcmindte

All I know is that my front valve cover is leaking pretty steadily. Is the Plenum necessary to replace too?

Yes because the upper plenum needs to removed to do both valve covers so dont take your chances and reuse the gasket baecause it will probably leak.

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04-10-07, 09:59 AM

GrahamHill

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Pheonix

fel-pro in general is junk. anything else, ok.

Not in Chevy land though...

Should I be leary of them for plentum and valve cover gaskets for this Lexus?

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04-10-07, 11:32 AM

wishihad1

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man buy oem, gaskets can't be more than $20.00 each.

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04-10-07, 01:04 PM

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Pheonix

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Fel-pro is cheap crap. They're famous for their solid cardboard head gaskets & exhaust manifold gaskets that blow in minutes.

The lower / upper intake manifold gasket itself is multi-layer steel. Unless you put a crimp in it, it should never need changing. Same as the exhaust manifold gasket.

The only thing Fel-Pro makes that's worh a **** is the over-the-counter multi-layer steel gaskets.

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04-10-07, 01:56 PM

#11

vin 78

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Buy OEM, its not that expensive. I think they were $24 pr. If I could recall (@ the toyota dealer). Like what Phoenix said you don't need the upper intake manifold gasket, since its made of metal, at least in my `97 it was

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04-10-07, 02:44 PM

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92ES5sp

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Well ok ive done valve covers on many 1mz's and used the old gasket every time and got bit one time when the pcm set a lean code after I was done. Checked vaccum lines? Yup all good. Sprayed the plenum w/ brake cleaner and it started stumbling and running like ****. Id never reuse any gasket on my car... So do what you gotta do, I just dont like doing things half-assed.

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