Valve cover clearance

blacknight80

Active Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
How much clearance do you guys have between the heater box and passenger valve cover. I swapped my ac box to a heat only hoping to gain a few inches and ended up with less. I have a set of stamped steels on it now and it touches the heat shield and I couldn't get aluminum back on. What might cause this lack of clearance?
 
Very little on my car with gn1's on it. That back valve cover bolt is loose on mine and I guess I'll have to jack that side of the engine up to tighten it. Blah.
 
The gn1s are taller than stock right? I'll throw a pic up tomorrow. I am hoping a trans mount might lift the rear up. I've done the driver side motor mount but maybe it's time to do the passenger side. I think a fresh motor mount might make it worse though.
 
How much clearance do you guys have between the heater box and passenger valve cover. I swapped my ac box to a heat only hoping to gain a few inches and ended up with less. I have a set of stamped steels on it now and it touches the heat shield and I couldn't get aluminum back on. What might cause this lack of clearance?
lots of people ditch that heat shield for clearance.
 
I might have to do that. I figure stock vc should fit so there must be a reason why they aren't.
 
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I've got a new motor mount and trans mount coming. Hopefully it will sort it out
 

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There is usually some wiggle room for the motor mounts. Sometimes you have to loosen the long bolt and shift the motor around. I have GN1S and the matching valve covers with HR mounts and I can remove the passenger valve cover with a little wrestling and it doesn't hit the shield.
 
The HVAC box on turbo cars is 1" shorter than all other production regals. It is possible that s heat only box is also larger near the valve cover area
 
For years, I honestly didn't even know that they came with them because all of the cars I've ever seen have had them removed, including mine when I bought it.

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Years ago when the cars were new I guess many dealer techs would just.... fffff-peww, wing it right in the garbage!
one of those "extra" parts.
 
I might end up pitching it. I have been working on getting my dash back together from the heater swap so I haven't had a chance to replace the mounts. I thought the heat shield might be something us hot air guys would want to keep seeing the turbo sits right there.
 
Well I got the ps mount and the trans mount replaced. The ps mount fit like garbage as most replacements do from what I read on the forum. I fought with it for a couple hours before I got it to fit. The clearance is better but not where I would like to see it. I'm guessing the body bushings look similar to my motor anf trans monuts and that might be a further issue. If I pull my heat shield I don't think my valve cover will clear.

Update
I pulled the heat shield and there is a bit of clearance. I compared it to my wife's 83 na 3.8 and it's got acres more room than mine but it will do for now. I would never get a set of tall covers on it the way it sits.
 
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