Removing plastic elbow from valve cover...how?

[JD79]

Hi guys, is there a civilized way removing the grommet and plastic elbow from the stock valve cover?



image hosting cdn

 

[73pony]

The rubber grommet gets hard from the heat cycles. You can try to break it out and buy new. OR......

Here is a trick I've used on rubber parts that have hardened.

Get a pot of water on the stove with about 3/4 gallon of water or so and bring to a slow boil. Add about 4-5 oz of wintergreen oil. Submerge the rubber and simmer for about 35-40 min. It will be like brand new pliable rubber. Then you should be able to remove the elbow easily and then the grommet and reuse. It is a cool trick and works great.

 

[rackerm]

The rubber grommet gets hard from the heat cycles. You can try to break it out and buy new. OR......

Here is a trick I've used on rubber parts that have hardened.

Get a pot of water on the stove with about 3/4 gallon of water or so and bring to a slow boil. Add about 4-5 oz of wintergreen oil. Submerge the rubber and simmer for about 35-40 min. It will be like brand new pliable rubber. Then you should be able to remove the elbow easily and then the grommet and reuse. It is a cool trick and works great.

I have never hear of this trick before. I am going to give it a try.

Thanks for the tip.

PS. Those valve cover grommets are just as hard to get back in too.

 

[JD79]

The rubber grommet gets hard from the heat cycles. You can try to break it out and buy new. OR......

Here is a trick I've used on rubber parts that have hardened.

Get a pot of water on the stove with about 3/4 gallon of water or so and bring to a slow boil. Add about 4-5 oz of wintergreen oil. Submerge the rubber and simmer for about 35-40 min. It will be like brand new pliable rubber. Then you should be able to remove the elbow easily and then the grommet and reuse. It is a cool trick and works great.

Thanks , I will give it a try next week !

 

[Vinnie]

I did that and broke the grommet in pieces (while the cover was on, I'd remove the cover first). I bought a new grommet and pipe, the grommet is rubbery and soft so not hard to put in.

I described it all here a bit:

- http://vincentmustang.blogspot.nl/2014/06/removing-and-re-installing-valve-cover.html