Accessing the valve cover 91 SW20 3gse

Hi,

If in the wrong place please move/delete.

Bit of frustration on what I think should be simple. I just can't figure it out. I could just go nuts and pull everything apart, but that will stress me as I like to do things properly and step by step. I have a little car experience but on older easier to work on cars (HQ Holden for example). I am really curious and want to do as much as I can. So, I hope someone can help.

I own a 91 3gse mr2 that has a gasket leak under valve/rocker cover. When I pull the spark plug cable out, there is oil in the spark plug well. I would like to change it over but haven't been able to figure out how to take off the manifold that covers the valve/rocker cover.

There is a bracket on the accelerator cable with 4 bolts. Easy.
There are several other bolts that attach to the fuel injection manifold (sorry if I have called it the wrong thing, I'm still trying to figure out the package of the mr2). They are also easy to remove.

The hard bit is what to do around the throttle body. There are 4 bolts I can undo, but it doesn't look like that will allow me access to the valve/rocker cover. Do I need to do anything around the throttle body?

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Here is a link of what I am trying to remove.

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/46..LN350/maxresdefault.jpg

Yes if you wanted to remove the whole intake manifold you'd probably have to drop the motor.
 
However, changing the cam cover gaskets on a gen2 3sge in an MR2 can be done by removing just the top half of the intake manifold - no need to drop the motor.
However as I found out, it's a PITA job and probably not recommended for beginners.
 
It's been a while since I did this job but from what I remember you need to remove the ISC and CSI manifold attachments and separate the throttle body from the top half of the intake manifold which must then be removed, then before doing anything else be sure to plug the openings in the intake manifold lower half with cloth or something similar to stop anything falling in.
I remember that was the easy part, and the next bit was tricky.
I remember that I had trouble with the conduit housing for the fuel injector wiring, and I seem to remember having to remove one stud in the top of the cam cover to allow the conduit to be pushed to one side to finally get the cover off, and at one stage I didn't think it could be done. All very tight and hard to get at - typical MR2 lol.
I also remember also having to unplug the cables to the injectors, and that had to be all put back later.
 
Reassembly:
Important!! The service manual says to put a bit of silicone in the corners around the cam seals, but you really need a silicone smear all along the top of the head as well, especially the rear edge because the oil pools there.
 
Be sure to tighten all cover studs firmly and evenly because you won't be able to get to some of them later when it is all back together. If not done properly it could leak worse than before.
 
Good luck if you decide to do the job yourself, but as I said earlier, it's a real PITA job.
 

For the cam cover gasket replacement job it's easy to separate the throttle body from the intake manifold on a gen2 3sge - no need to take it right out, just move it aside.
First remove the airbox top /rubber inlet tube/resonators, then undo the 4 holding bolts - that's it.
You'll need a new throttle body gasket for reassembly.
In my earlier post I mentioned the idle speed control (ISC) but no need to worry about that.
 
it loops around when in a "regular"
???? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by that lol.
 
To remove the top half of the intake manifold, apart from several rubber hoses, you will also need to unplug the connector to the cold start injector (CSI) .
Then undo the banjo bolt to the cold start injector and move the hose aside. (when you reassemble later you will need two new copper crush washers and it's important to check there are no fuel leaks)
 
 
Don't forget to plug the openings in the lower half immediately you get the manifold top half off!!
 
You will also need a new a steel manifold gasket, however I have successfully reused old ones by smearing them with silicone.
Anyway your mechanic will know all this hopefully.
 
The PITA part of the job is raising the injector wiring conduit to allow you to remove the cover.
I found that you need to reach down below the manifold and grasp the wiring loom and lift.
 
Also I would strongly advise that before you reassemble, that you try a test fit of the cover to the top of the head without the gasket to see that it clears everything ok before you put on any silicone. (on one of my motors I found it would not)
 
 
 
 
 
 

"melted mintie"
Hmm that does seem to describe a lot of stuff in the MR2 engine bay lol.
 
BTW, to remove the injector wire plugs there is a tag on the side that must be pushed in while you simultaneously lift.
 
And as I said before when you reassemble the CSI banjo, you will need two new copper crush washers, and it's important to check there are no fuel leaks from it after you start the motor.
 
BTW I've included a pic from when I did this job on my car.
 
Good luck anyway, but from what you say I suspect that you may need your mechanic's help with this one.