Valve cover Nuts

[MIAirhead]

Any one find a easy way to reinstall the nuts on the valve cover after you adjust the valves? It takes me twice as long to reinstall the nuts as it does to adjust the valves.
The right side stud by the exhaust is the hardest, rest are not too bad. Just no room to get the nut started, I always do that one first do you don't have the stud in as deep.

[keelerb]

Practice! The first couple times I did this, I had the exact same experience. Then a bad gasket had me taking the thing off and reinstalling it several times over as many days, and I found by the last couple times I could whip those things off and on quite easily. I don't think there's another answer. But you'll be surprised, I think, how much difference a few goes at it makes. I sure was. And believe me, I'm all thumbs, and those thumbs are the size of lobsters.

[skiteach]

A way that may work; attach the center nut, place the hard to get ats with needle nose pliers, GENTLY pry with a small putty knife or wide screwdriver( to hold nut in place) and turn nut with wrench. This procedure works in many hard to get to spots, even bolts. Care needs to be taken to keep fastener square to nut/bolt/stud to avoid stripping/cross threading. Air cooled VW techs got really good at this and it still works.

[pmdave]

...and if you have a sidecar installed, it's even harder to get at the RH front nut. You have to lie on your side and work upwards.

Suggestion 1: do this with some smooth surface under the area, rather than out on the lawn.

Suggestion 2: yep on the needlenose pliars and flat screwdriver.

Suggestion 3: put a blob of sticky-something on your finger to help hold the nut. Spin it with another finger to get it started.

Suggestion 4: hold the nut with a magnetic pickup tool, and spin (except if you've replaced with SS).

Suggestion 5: use a flashlight with an adjustable head to point up at the nut area.

I think a contest is in order at the airheads tent-Redmond, OR.

pmdave

[James.A]

I like the contest idea!

What I do is to take loose the exhaust flange and slide it down the pipe, away from the head to make room for my fingers. It's not a bad idea to loosen and re-tighten those exhaust nuts every once in a while anyway.

[crazydrummerdude]

I get the two 10mm started by hand at the same time, with the valve cover on sloppy so that I have room back in there. Then, I push it on and finger tighten them down at the same time. Finally I put the center nut on and tighten all appropriately.

Then again, I'm the dope that left the washers on the inside of the head one time and wondered why I had a large oil leak on my R90. :lol

[jamesdunn]

With the aid of a magnetic pickup tool I find this task is made easier. Loosen it 'til it is nearly falling off, then finish spinning it off the last little bit with the tool. To put back on, put the nut on the mag tool and using the tool start it enough for it to grab, use your little finger to thread it on a little further; wrench the rest of the way. Remove the small washers with the mag tool and reapply as well.

By the way that center nut should only be tightened about 14-16 ft. lbs. This is NOT very tight.

[criminaldesign]

dexterity +4

[jforgo]

I antiseize the stud, so the nut will turn easily. Then i hang the nut offa magnetic screwdriver, hang ir perpendicularly to stud, and easily thread it on with my little finger.

[88bmwJeff]

It's almost all been said, but I've noticed that it's much harding to get those 10 mm nuts started with gloves on. I usually were disposable nitrile gloves, but when it comes to getting those nuts started I take them off.

[AKBeemer]

I put a dab of grease on the end of a flat tip screw driver, place the nut on the grease, place the nut on the stud and spin with a finger tip.

[Brownie]

I have about an 8" scribe that comes to a very sharp point....first put the wave washer on the scribe, let it slide down to the first coupla threads;

then put the 10mm nut on the scribe.......hold the end of the scribe on the lug while you gently rotate the nut for the first couple threads...

No scribe????? a straight piece of wire coathanger 8-10" long work work well methinks...........:thumb

[keelerb]

Had a similar experience with the oil filter housing cover today. Took it off, replaced the filter. WOT a bitch! Anyway, done for another 5-6K miles. Oh ****! I forgot the shim! Do it over. Much easier this time. Still not easy. But helluva lot easier than the first time. So there is a learning curve, not only mental, but "muscle memory"-wise.

[ROAMRIDER]

I do what Nathan suggested and it helps. When starting, don't seat the valve cover the whole way. Put it in place so only a few threads of the studs are sticking out. This gives you more space for your fingers to maneuver the nuts into place. Once you get the nuts started, then push in the valve cover and proceed.

Having a clean "dry" (i e no oil from your just completed oil change) catch pan under the work area helps keep a dropped nut from getting lost. As has been noted, a small stick magnet helps retrieve a nut that settles into a tight spot.

Other than that, practice. Each of the four positions requires a slightly different technique.