valve cover gasket
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 46
Likes: 5
From: Indiana
2003 S55 AMG
valve cover gasket
if changing the valve cover gasket should I change out my spark plug as well even tho it might not need it a with 85000 mile if so who has the best prices on the site.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,264
Likes: 367
'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
If the plugs haven’t been changed, they are way overdue. I do 5 year intervals regardless of miles. But to answer your question, yes do them while you’re in there. If I see a leaky valve cover in year 4, it’ll keep until year 5 when I do the plugs, sort of thing.
maw
maw
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 46
Likes: 5
From: Indiana
2003 S55 AMG
I owned the vehicle for three years now which it came from Canada, an employee of the goverment there drove it around, so not sure how much maintenance they did, beside the oil changes, thanks for the help.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,641
Likes: 1,224
From: Phoenix
222 S-65
OP if you're doing a cam cover gasket on one side.... That gasket on the other bank of six is the same age.
Do both. Do all 24 spark plugs. Be gentle prying the coil packs off. Little movement at front half of coil pack.... Little movement at rear half. I've heard many horror stories of coil packs getting broken by 'Elroy' who just shoves his big prybar in the middle for predictable results. Don't be that guy!
Do both. Do all 24 spark plugs. Be gentle prying the coil packs off. Little movement at front half of coil pack.... Little movement at rear half. I've heard many horror stories of coil packs getting broken by 'Elroy' who just shoves his big prybar in the middle for predictable results. Don't be that guy!
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 443
Likes: 118
'03 S55 (79K miles)
Yup.
Sure, Change the spark plugs at 80k miles if u can’t prove the prior owner did them (and you have to open the covers to fix the leak regardless).
One side cover has an extra layer or top cover. (Driver’s side in USA?). I forget which side. You will see it. It has a couple of smaller screws. Those screws are incredibly weak (aluminum?). They will easily shear off if you torque them back on too hard during reassembly. Literally hand tight is too tight.
It is recommended by the factory manual that you use all new valve cover bolts (I didn’t) because of potential reactivity between the bolts and the magnesium cover metals.
It helps to have a long open end box wrench with an angled head to pop the plug wires off the plugs.
I suggest not worrying about cost per plug. The price range for the NGKs is not large.
One side cover has an extra layer or top cover. (Driver’s side in USA?). I forget which side. You will see it. It has a couple of smaller screws. Those screws are incredibly weak (aluminum?). They will easily shear off if you torque them back on too hard during reassembly. Literally hand tight is too tight.
It is recommended by the factory manual that you use all new valve cover bolts (I didn’t) because of potential reactivity between the bolts and the magnesium cover metals.
It helps to have a long open end box wrench with an angled head to pop the plug wires off the plugs.
I suggest not worrying about cost per plug. The price range for the NGKs is not large.
