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How-To: Replace the Valve/Camshaft Cover (1.4L Turbo)

386K views 152 replies 73 participants last post by  Cruze CTRL 
#1 · (Edited)
How-To: Replace the Valve/Camshaft Cover (1.4L Turbo)

Overview
The valve cover of the 1.4L Turbo engine houses the PCV system. Whether due to a leak in the gasket or a failure in the PCV system, this valve cover may need to be replaced. It is covered under the 5 year, 100,000 mile warranty from GM, but you may choose to perform the service yourself under certain conditions. The valve cover was at one point redesigned due to a high rate of failure. As my dealership is a significant distance away from me, it is more cost-effective given the value of my time to order this part and install it myself. In addition, I like to replace known defective parts ahead of time as preventive maintenance.

The following image compares the primary cosmetic difference between the old design and the new one. The old design is on top, new design is on the bottom. The new design has a ramped vent.

Part Number & Cost
GM part number 25198874 (Camshaft cover with bolt and seal), Available on Amazon.com. The valve cover comes as a kit, which includes gaskets and bolts pre-assembled. You will also need some RTV silicone or engine sealer.

Required Tools
Flathead screwdriver
T-30 torx screwdriver/bit
E-10 socket and ratchet (Available on Amazon.com)
In-lb torque wrench (Available on Amazon.com)

Procedure
The procedure is in fact rather simple, but I will walk you through it step by step.

The first step will be to remove the ignition coil cover. It's that piece of plastic on the top of your engine that "ECOTEC." Once you lift it off, you will see the ignition coil assembly. Remove the two torx screws with a T-30 torx bit/screwdriver.



Once you remove the screws, set them aside in a safe place. You will need to remove the coil assembly. This has to be done carefully as it can break. Do not use a screwdriver. Grab the assembly with two hands as shown, and lift evenly. Apply a very slight see-saw motion as you lift if necessary.



Once you have the coil bar removed, you will need to disconnect it from the wiring harness. To do this, you will need to slide back the connector lock. This will be an orange tab on the connector. Be careful while sliding this out as it can break easily. Once you have slid back the lock, you should be able to press down on the tab to disconnect the connector from the harness. The following image shows the connector with the lock slid back.


On the rear right of the engine, lift the harness out of its seat:



When you reach the left side, you will need to wedge a screwdriver in the snap retainer to free the harness.


Underneath the snap retainer, there is located a plastic vacuum line. Remove this as well. It will simply pop out of its retainer.


On the left side of the cover, lift the harness out of the retainers:


Below the harness, there will be a plastic bar that holds some additional wiring. You will need to use the screwdriver to hold back the retaining clips so you can remove this. It took me a little while to figure out which way to push the tab, but once you have it right, the bar should should lift up and out.


Using an E10 socket, loosen all of the bolts until they can be lifted.



Remove the oil fill cap and dipstick:
 
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#108 · (Edited)
FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU..... I snapped a bolt. Got some spares from the Chevy dealer on order, but haven't figured out how to get the old bolt out of the valve cover. Anyone have any idea or experience?

The part of the bolt in the engine block came out no problem, but the other half in the valve cover is a bear.

Thanks,

USA

EDIT: Nevermind. I put on my big boy panties and just tugged on the bolt head with a pair of channel locks. I was more worried about messing up the valve cover last night than anything else after the bolt snapped, but after looking at the cover today they are merely a pressure fit. Got it off in one strong tug.
 
#109 ·
I checked my Haynes manual when I received it as I broke a bolt during my install with this. The correct torque for the valve cover is 71 inch pounds, not 79.
 
#110 ·
What was the car CEL or issues to lead you to replace the canister purge valve?

Thanks
Hi Andrei!

Very good article! Thank you for all this information!

I was searching for a post where I could find the known defective parts for the Cruze and the millage at which we should expect them to fail. I understand this depends on a number of factors of course.

So far, I hit 50K miles and I have to change the ACDelco 214-2317 Canister Purge Valve.
I will add the PCV Valve Cover and Valve Cover Check on my list of potential issues (from your other articles).

Thank you,
Cristian[/QUOTE]
 
#111 ·
Just finished the valve cover replacement in conjunction with the V2 pvc check valve kit. I wanted to post here that my valve cover was very stubborn to get off. I had to run a putty knife between the gasket and the head where ever I could get access. Even then, I had to grab the top of it on the intake side with some extra large channel locks and wrestle it back and fourth as I pulled up to get it to release. For such an accessible item, it was quite a PITA. Probably didn't help that I was tired from just finishing the intake.
 
#113 ·
For people having trouble getting the cover off, this is what I did to make it come off easy without worrying about damaging the head's top mounting surface.

  1. Loosen and pull up on all the bolts. The ones in the back too. you don't want those bolts in the aluminum head as you rotate the cover off.
  2. Insert a putty knife in several places along the front edge of the valve cover to separate the seal there. You want to be between the seal and the head. You don't want to slide it along because that can scratch the head surface.
  3. Once the front is released, the cover wont come off yet as its stuck down on 3 sides still.
  4. Insert a wide flat head screw driver on top of the putty knife -- between the knife and the valve cover seal.
  5. Important: Leave the putty knife in place.
  6. You can now provide twisting and prying torque to the screwdriver without marring the head surface. The putty knife will be what you are prying against, not the head.
  7. Remove both tools and reposition using steps 4-6 to a point near a front corner and repeat.
  8. That should separate the side seal and you can rotate the cover off from there.
  9. Make sure to clean the mating surface with a shop rag before installing the new cover to remove residula oil film and dirt. Dont spray solvants on the cam lobes.
I did not notice any damage to my seal on the old front cover after doing this.

Working out a replacement kit for the pressure diaphragm is likely not cost effective as you would have to heavily modify the cover. Then the replacement diaphragm and spring would still be half the cost of the complete cover which already has leaking seals because of the over pressure. Replacing them as a set lets you crate a fresh seal between the cover and head.
IGadget
 
#114 ·
in this section of the replacement "Before installing the valve cover, you will need to clean off the old engine sealer at the two joints between the timing cover and the cylinder head, and apply a bead of sealer at those points, shown here"
My question is do you need sealer in these places mentioned? I don't have sealer, Can someone help me recommend a sealer that is needed? does the gasket connected to the valve cover be enough to seal it
 
#115 ·
My question is do you need sealer in these places mentioned? I don't have sealer, Can someone help me recommend a sealer that is needed? does the gasket connected to the valve cover be enough to seal it
I used Permatex Ultra Black hi-temp RTV. The small tube is plenty, and costs less than $5 at Autozone as I recall.

Make sure you clean off the mating surface all the way around the head. Mine was pretty cruddy on the driver's end. A hard plastic scraper helps and will not scratch the soft aluminum.

HTH.

Doug

.
 
#116 ·
Mine was showing oil in the plugs around 75k, but the p0171 and p1101 didn't show until about 83k. The gasket on mine looks pretty good, but definitely failure of the vacuum diaphram.
On a side note.. my oil cap has an extension (2 pieces) that makes it sit above the Ecotec cover, by probably 2.5"
 
#117 ·
I'm in the middle of replacing only the valve cover gasket as they vacuum diaphragm appears to be fine. However, the new gasket came with 15 o-rings... not quite sure where they would be used. There wasn't o-rings with the oem gasket I took off obviously. I bought a FEL PRO VS 50807 R gasket "kit" . Any ideas? I don't think they would be for around the bolt holes as it looks like the o-ring would interfere with the gasket and it looks like the o-ring would make the valve cover sit higher...
2014 1.4T
 
#118 ·
Since there wasn't much difference in the price, I purchased a new valve cover (gasket included). How many bolts are on your cover, if the o-rings are the same size? Check the inside of your cover where the bolts are.
 
#121 ·
Thank you for all this information! I replaced the valve cover, spark plugs and ignition coil on my 2013 Cruze LTZ. I had random power drops under acceleration (misfires reported on Torque app randomly across all 4 cylinders) and an oil leak on the front on the valve cover. No faults were reported other than a P0442 Evap Emision Control System Leak Detected (small leak) but this was caused by an improperly tighten fuel tank cap (I'll keep an eye on it for sure).

I found 4 small cracks in the valve cover gasket that probably explain the oil leak.

284959


284960


For the first 40K miles I used that semi synthetic ACDelco oil my dealership was offering before Andrei got me Amsoil Signature. I now have 80K miles.

284961


I am not sure about this gunk, but I cleaned all of that.

284962


284963


This is after getting everything clean.

284964


I used this RTV to seal those two areas on the left: Permatex sealant. I made a mistake when removing the original valve cover and slightly damaged the surface of the engine block on the lower right side. I used some 150 sandpaper to clean that up and added a tiny bit of sealant in that area.

I will take it out for a drive today and provide some feedback after putting some miles on it. The next thing I am planning to replace will be the intake manifold.
 
#127 ·
How-To: Replace the Valve/Camshaft Cover (1.4L Turbo)

Overview
The valve cover of the 1.4L Turbo engine houses the PCV system. Whether due to a leak in the gasket or a failure in the PCV system, this valve cover may need to be replaced. It is covered under the 5 year, 100,000 mile warranty from GM, but you may choose to perform the service yourself under certain conditions. The valve cover was at one point redesigned due to a high rate of failure. As my dealership is a significant distance away from me, it is more cost-effective given the value of my time to order this part and install it myself. In addition, I like to replace known defective parts ahead of time as preventive maintenance.

The following image compares the primary cosmetic difference between the old design and the new one. The old design is on top, new design is on the bottom. The new design has a ramped vent.

Part Number & Cost
GM part number 25198874 (Camshaft cover with bolt and seal), Available on Amazon.com. The valve cover comes as a kit, which includes gaskets and bolts pre-assembled. You will also need some RTV silicone or engine sealer.

Required Tools
Flathead screwdriver
T-30 torx screwdriver/bit
E-10 socket and ratchet (Available on Amazon.com)
In-lb torque wrench (Available on Amazon.com)

Procedure
The procedure is in fact rather simple, but I will walk you through it step by step.

The first step will be to remove the ignition coil cover. It's that piece of plastic on the top of your engine that "ECOTEC." Once you lift it off, you will see the ignition coil assembly. Remove the two torx screws with a T-30 torx bit/screwdriver.



Once you remove the screws, set them aside in a safe place. You will need to remove the coil assembly. This has to be done carefully as it can break. Do not use a screwdriver. Grab the assembly with two hands as shown, and lift evenly. Apply a very slight see-saw motion as you lift if necessary.



Once you have the coil bar removed, you will need to disconnect it from the wiring harness. To do this, you will need to slide back the connector lock. This will be an orange tab on the connector. Be careful while sliding this out as it can break easily. Once you have slid back the lock, you should be able to press down on the tab to disconnect the connector from the harness. The following image shows the connector with the lock slid back.


On the rear right of the engine, lift the harness out of its seat:



When you reach the left side, you will need to wedge a screwdriver in the snap retainer to free the harness.


Underneath the snap retainer, there is located a plastic vacuum line. Remove this as well. It will simply pop out of its retainer.


On the left side of the cover, lift the harness out of the retainers:


Below the harness, there will be a plastic bar that holds some additional wiring. You will need to use the screwdriver to hold back the retaining clips so you can remove this. It took me a little while to figure out which way to push the tab, but once you have it right, the bar should should lift up and out.


Using an E10 socket, loosen all of the bolts until they can be lifted.



Remove the oil fill cap and dipstick:
thank you your post is very informative, I purchased a new valve cover seal and it came with o-rings for the bolts. has anyone ever used them? Thanks.
 
#129 · (Edited)
I replaced mine last week and no o-rings for the bolts. OEM cover. It's funny cause the cam cover had the 2 day amazon free shipping, but when I tried to order the cspav seals or other parts, it was a month long shipping cause of the Corona virus. For some reason the cover did not have the month long shipping date
 

Attachments

#130 ·
I did the valve cover replacement along with the V3 PCV valve fix from Andre, unfortunately, I didn't pay too much attention to the screw holes for any oil residues on them. Tighten the bolts to 71in-lb but I noticed I got a leak on the upper left corner of the cover. I also noticed a lot of carbon/ hard oil around the camshaft where the gasket sits and wasn't too careful about cleaning it and ended up scratching the aluminum. I'll try removing it and re-applying the cover using the 150 sandpaper someone suggested and applying a bit extra of RTV on those corner spots. Crossing my fingers everything goes well
 
#131 ·
I advise against sandpaper, surely nothing coarser than 400 or maybe 320. I'd be afraid of 150 leaving scratches that leak. The rubber gasket cannot conform to those tiny valleys, but the hot oil can get thru them.

To get the baked-on crud off, get some hard plastic scrapers. They won't leave any scratches. After that, some solvent on a rag to wipe off the surface. (I used lacquer thinner, but carburetor cleaner will probably work, too.) I think I got my scrapers at Northern Tool, or maybe Harbor Freight.

If you have noticeable scratches, a little RTV is probably in order in those spots.

Doug

.
 
#133 ·
Interesting development on these parts. I called my local GM dealer here (Saskatoon, Canada) to order the part and was told they can't sell them directly to the public anymore; they must be installed by them in the shop. Seems like a recall situation should be coming soon.

Edit: just got a call back from them saying the camshaft cover is a recall item as long as your car is under 193,000 km (120,000 miles)
 
#137 ·
I probably have a replacement that would have been covered, I just need to go through my receipts to hopefully get a refund (according to the letter). Unfortunately, I'm at 138k miles now so it's out of warranty (again).
 
#138 ·
Hello, I have replaced the valve cover on 2010 Holden Cruz CD but I noticed smoke coming out of the engine when I turned my car on.

Things I haven't done, I didnt rub oil on the new gasket (someone said to do this?), also haven't used a torque wrench. Some say to use 89lbs others say 71?

Lastly, apparently there is format of closing the bolts which I'm unsure. What do you mean by the star method? Thanks
 
#139 ·
This is for the gas 1.4l, it shows the sequence for tightening down the bolts. You go in a pattern like that so one side of the head/cover doesn't tighten down before a different part. The diesel head should be similar (I could not find a diagram specific to the 2.0L specifically)
 
#140 ·
[QUOTE = "XtremeRevolution, message: 754985, membre: 4009"]
Le nouveau couvercle de valve est censé être une conception améliorée qui n'échoue pas aussi facilement. Je ne sais pas pourquoi votre deuxième a commencé à fuir à 80k. Certaines personnes ont signalé que leur couverture d'origine avait échoué dès 30k miles. Gardez à l'esprit que vos conditions de conduite sont beaucoup plus légères et plus cohérentes que celles de tout le monde.

Je suis curieux de connaître la cause de l'échec.
[/CITATION]
mon couvercle de soupape oem y a changé à 190000 km et l'admission à la société dorman
 
#141 ·
How-To: Replace the Valve/Camshaft Cover (1.4L Turbo)

Overview
The valve cover of the 1.4L Turbo engine houses the PCV system. Whether due to a leak in the gasket or a failure in the PCV system, this valve cover may need to be replaced. It is covered under the 5 year, 100,000 mile warranty from GM, but you may choose to perform the service yourself under certain conditions. The valve cover was at one point redesigned due to a high rate of failure. As my dealership is a significant distance away from me, it is more cost-effective given the value of my time to order this part and install it myself. In addition, I like to replace known defective parts ahead of time as preventive maintenance.

The following image compares the primary cosmetic difference between the old design and the new one. The old design is on top, new design is on the bottom. The new design has a ramped vent.

Part Number & Cost
GM part number 25198874 (Camshaft cover with bolt and seal), Available on Amazon.com. The valve cover comes as a kit, which includes gaskets and bolts pre-assembled. You will also need some RTV silicone or engine sealer.

Required Tools
Flathead screwdriver
T-30 torx screwdriver/bit
E-10 socket and ratchet (Available on Amazon.com)
In-lb torque wrench (Available on Amazon.com)

Procedure
The procedure is in fact rather simple, but I will walk you through it step by step.

The first step will be to remove the ignition coil cover. It's that piece of plastic on the top of your engine that "ECOTEC." Once you lift it off, you will see the ignition coil assembly. Remove the two torx screws with a T-30 torx bit/screwdriver.



Once you remove the screws, set them aside in a safe place. You will need to remove the coil assembly. This has to be done carefully as it can break. Do not use a screwdriver. Grab the assembly with two hands as shown, and lift evenly. Apply a very slight see-saw motion as you lift if necessary.



Once you have the coil bar removed, you will need to disconnect it from the wiring harness. To do this, you will need to slide back the connector lock. This will be an orange tab on the connector. Be careful while sliding this out as it can break easily. Once you have slid back the lock, you should be able to press down on the tab to disconnect the connector from the harness. The following image shows the connector with the lock slid back.


On the rear right of the engine, lift the harness out of its seat:



When you reach the left side, you will need to wedge a screwdriver in the snap retainer to free the harness.


Underneath the snap retainer, there is located a plastic vacuum line. Remove this as well. It will simply pop out of its retainer.


On the left side of the cover, lift the harness out of the retainers:


Below the harness, there will be a plastic bar that holds some additional wiring. You will need to use the screwdriver to hold back the retaining clips so you can remove this. It took me a little while to figure out which way to push the tab, but once you have it right, the bar should should lift up and out.


Using an E10 socket, loosen all of the bolts until they can be lifted.



Remove the oil fill cap and dipstick:
Does this kit come with the replacement PCV regulator diaphragm?
 
#145 ·
Hey I have a question about this, my wife drives a 2015 Chevy cruze ltz rs 1.4L turbo and I’m needing to replace the valve cover for pcv benefits I have a horrible squealing going on and my cruze runs terrible with every light on. Will this part and part number as listed above fit her 2015 cruze LTZ RS 1.4 turbo?
 
#147 ·
We’ve had a lot of reports of defects with the valve cover and issues with the intake manifold. It doesn’t solve the issue as the check valve is still in a bad location. Still gets gummed up, stuck, leaks, and owners have reported finding the check valve cracked. The PCV fix kit is a much better solution for the intake manifold as it makes the check valve externally serviceable, and OEM valve covers are ALWAYS recommended. We get phone calls every week for issues with aftermarket valve covers.


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