200Q20v

OK, For now I've swung the throttlebody up and out of the way.

I have removed 6 bolts from the valve cover but it's not budging.

Tried searching archives, but this doesn't seem to be an issue for anyone.

Is there a trick to removing the valvecover? Any hidden bolts?

200Q20v

those stand-outs for the sparkplug wire cover are actually a securing points also.

once I removed those, one light wack with a rubber mallet and it was free.

200Q20v

The previous owner of my car had the valve cover gasket replaced just before I bought the car. The gasket lasted almost 9 years.

On removal, the old neoprene gasket was hard and brittle. Why don't they make silicone gaskets?

During cleanup of the gasket surface, I found remnants of a cork gasket material most likely from the first gasket applied at the factory and not properly cleaned by the dealership that performed the 2nd gasket replacement.

On replacement, I added a layer of hightemp silicone gasket making stuff to the half circles as well as on the whole passenger side of the head since that is the lower side and more prone to leak.

If I have to do the procedure again, I suspect I will just use straight high-temp silicone and not worry about purchasing a neoprene gasket.

The short allen head bolts are definitely soft. I luckily remembered that a lister was giving these bolts away on audifans and I picked up 4 for the price of a self addressed stamped envelope many years ago. (thank you, Paul Royal.)

They've been rolling around my toolbox all these years that I completely forgot them when I went out looking for allen head bolts (wrong thread in all the stores). Found the shiny bolts as I rumaged through the toolbox for something to break the bolt on my throttle body.

Used anti-seize on all the valve cover bolts this time and hand torqued everything in a crosswise pattern.

note to all: don't tighten the valve cover bolts if your valve cover is leaking at the gasket or you'll snap a bolt like me. Luckily mine was protruding from the metal allowing me to grab it and turn it with a pipe wrench.

yodasfro

I can't imagine a way to get any type of cutting tool in there.

200Q20v

Called it quits last night after I cut my finger.

I'm going to try your small socket trick but I don't think I have any 12point sockets. After that I'll just try to drill the head off the bolt.

Since I was able to move the throttle body, I should be able to move the bolt if I can get some torque on it.

The bolt that I'm having trouble with is the upper left one. It's under somkind of protrusion so there's no way of getting a cutting tool in there.

thanks for all the answers yodasfro!