Should've left well enough alone......

Yup, I should've.......left that leak alone on that ****** valve cover!! :mad: Now after replacing the gasket and it leaking worse, then MAKING another gasket out of material that I've NEVER had a leak with, :headpop: oil is pouring out the drivers side of the cover. To make matters even worse the valve cover is crumbling around the sealing edge including the bolt holes (probably why new gasket wouldn't seal). Did they ever make a cover out of metal for the ('89) 4 cylinder? Is there aftermarket new replacements available? Possible repairs (epoxy?) to this cover? I don't care what the end result would LOOK like just the function.

the only sensible route is to put a 91+ 4 cylinder valve cover on it...it is aluminum and cleans up nicely, and an easy install. put one on my ol' 86 xj and it worked nicely/turned out good.

you'll need the 91+ bolts as well (or just new ones) as the older ones have a centering spot on them and the new ones don't.

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cleaned up they also look very nice.

if yours is cracked, it' would leak worse after messing with it...some tabs1 probably broke off of it or cracked more from torquing on the bolts

Yup, I should've.......left that leak alone on that ****** valve cover!! :mad: Now after replacing the gasket and it leaking worse, then MAKING another gasket out of material that I've NEVER had a leak with, :headpop: oil is pouring out the drivers side of the cover. To make matters even worse the valve cover is crumbling around the sealing edge including the bolt holes (probably why new gasket wouldn't seal). Did they ever make a cover out of metal for the ('89) 4 cylinder? Is there aftermarket new replacements available? Possible repairs (epoxy?) to this cover? I don't care what the end result would LOOK like just the function.

I had the same problem, and for my rebuild bit the bullet and bought a new one. There's a guy on ebay selling I think repro ones, they're a really nice fit, prepare to spend about $45. Comes with gasket though!

Tom

Thanks for the replies Jeepco and mjtjnj . I was hoping for a metal replacement, don't know why they went with plastic :nuts: but oh well. I'll look for one around here (JY, online, local Jeep dealer)

Thanks for the replies Jeepco and mjtjnj . I was hoping for a metal replacement, don't know why they went with plastic :nuts: but oh well. I'll look for one around here (JY, online, local Jeep dealer)

aluminum is metal.

so look for one from 91 on up...they are ALL aluminum valve covers

EUREKA :cheers: , First place I went to had an aluminum cover (thanks Jeepco, "metal" was just a shorter spelling ;) ), we almost tripped over it on the way to look at one in the back (which had a plastic cover). Now for the "plumbing" differences, the original has a PCV and hose going to the base of the throttle plate (TBI) and a hose from the airbox to the cover. The new aluminum one has a hose nipple on the side instead of PCV hole. Should I just run a hose to the TB base and leave out the PCV or.........?? There is a plugged fitting on the intake which one leg of it goes to the EGR. The airbox line will just need a minor mod to reach it's fitting.

Jeepco, the 2nd pic you posted shows the nipple location clearly.

I'm gonna go out on the limb here, I looked again in the Haynes book I got here. Seems that later engines didn't have a PCV but had another type of ventilation. I'm going with the interpretation I got from it and run a hose from the nipple on the side of the cover to the TB plate. I have the bolts hand tight with a socket and extension and well let it set up overnight before making another 1/4 turn on them in the morning (I have to get the Jeep back up and running due to an overheating problem that has come up on my car).

run the hoses exactly as you see in the pics. eliminate any other hoses (i don't think there were any???) from the PCV system and plug them. it ran beautiful after this swap

No other hoses to plug or eliminate Jeepco, also there isn't a hose nipple where you plugged into the manifold (?) on mine so I went ahead and ran it to the TB plate. After sitting there for about 6 hours (and after the daily thundershower here :brows: ) I went ahead and did the 1/4 turn (a couple needed 1/2 turn), hooked up the hoses, (crossed me fingers) and fired it up. After a 10 minute run, no leaks at all WOOOO HOOOOOO

Thanks again Jeepco :cheers: for the heads up on what year to look for an aluminum cover (don't know what year it was but it came off of an "exchange" (bad) motor at the JY).

no problem man.

yeah, mine was an 86 but had an 88 motor in it so the intake may have been changed at some point.