Doing a valley gasket replacement on an engine rebuilt 2 years ago and trying to to the oil separator while I have the rocker covers off.

When we did the rebuild, we just soaked the covers clean in a bath of solvent because I couldn't figure it out then either.

Apparently the later model D2s (03-04?), have a slightly different separator.

As shown in the pictures, the hose side of the oil separator tube has a metal plug on it with a small hole in the middle, while inside the rocker cover the hole in the cover itself is wayyy too small for the oil separator to go thru that way.

Anyone know how you renew the oil separator on one of these?

Seems like 2 options to me:

1. You remove the metal plug from the top of the tube and then press the separator out from the bottom, or press the separator out and push the metal plug out with it (I have access to a press to do this correctly); or

2. You remove the tube from the rocker cover and then press the separator out from the top thru the small hole in the plug.

Has anyone out there done one of these late model oil separator tubes? Advice/guidance would be appreciated.

And while we are at it, any advice on the valley gasket? Only seal it at the notches? or at the notches and the the valley end seals? or the whole darn thing? I used hylomar blue the first time around and it seemed t not do anything -- there wasn't even any residue left on the head or intake manifold to scrape off.

And same with the rocker gaskets. First time around installed them dry per Rave: one didn't leak at all, while he the other did. This time was planning on going with RTV Black or Permatex Right Stuff?

Any opinions on either/both?

 

If you remove the baffe inside the rocker cover, you will have a direct shot at the separator.

pull out with needle nose or tap out from top of tube with needle punch.

 

The Hylomar doesn't do anything for sticking or holding things together, from what I have read here lately. You are the 2nd person in as many days to say that.

Do NOT use RTV anywhere other than what's spec'd in RAVE: only in the 4 notches/ cracks where the cyl-heads meet the block, & the same above the seals after they are pressed in. If you dry out the bolt holes with compressed air then thoroughly clean then lightly lube the manifold bolts & torque to spec as stated on 12-2-47 with gasket installed dry, there will be no leaks; otherwise why even use a gasket?? I used the copper gasket sealer around the water passages of the gasket but I can't advise you do the same, but it's an option for added security. We also discuss using the copper coat sealer for the valve cover gasket too, but not on the engine side, just the cover side to kind of hold it in place while you get the covers bolted on & also another add measure of security but not completely necessary. I can vouch having applied VC gasket completely dry with success, no leaks whatsoever. Use the same detail though: dry the threaded holes and clean all of your bolts with wire brush, etc...use Loctite medium blue and torque in at least 2-stages to compress the thick-a$$ gasket. It's critical that all of your parts be surgically clean (mating faces, gaskets, nuts, bolts) and dry, then torque spec adhered to, otherwise you need absolutely no glue/sealant/silicone. Success lies in the details. RTV dries up, comes loose and blocks oil/coolant passages, oil pickup screen; this has been noted it's not an urban myth. There are several, detailed threads on these topics posted in the last 4-weeks as several of us replaced head gaskets along with a rebuild starting last week of December so there is plenty of info incl pics floating around on here. Just do a search if interested.

FYI: new VC bolts with O-rings installed are available for purchase to replace the originals; designed to hold fast with less chance of backing out/ allowing oil leakage. (Detailed info in old thread) Now that I think about it, you can just buy Orings at the hardware store to replicate your originals to the new, superceded design.

Remove the baffle as Abran suggest and punch it out from top or you can break the old seperator up from bottom with flat screwdriver & hammer if it won't push/pull free. That metal tube can also be removed topside with pliers if VC installed, then remove seperator from tube if that's the case. There are also recent threads with pics discussing this if you require more thorough explanation and/or pictures.

 

Thanks.

The hole between the tube/nipple and the rocker cover is just too small, so I managed to remove the entire tube from the rocker cover.

Soaked it in solvent for a couple of hours, and the old separator pushed right out from the top with no issues.

After surgically cleaning the tube, I broke the new separator while trying to put it in (forgot to lubricate it first), so I reluctantly cleaned up the old separator and put it back.

Though the tube fits snug back into the rocker cover, should I put some RTV sealant or loctite on the tube to assure a good tight fit with the rocker cover?

I think I am going to go with the copper around the coolant passages on the valley gasket like you did.

 

If I put anything on that separator tube it would be grease or lube, def not sealant or adhesive. It will be fine. If you use copper on the gasket get the spray can, not the brush-on application & use it sparingly.