@#$%@$% Chrysler engineering!

[Shadly1]

So today I'm prepping my engine for an upcoming smog. I was going to change out the valve cover gasket, change the oil and clean the hell out of everything inside and out. I twist the crankcase vent to remove it and the plastic hose snaps and the rubber boot rips all at the same time. I take off every single bolt on the valve cover except the one in back. It just happened to be the last one I got to. It's an incredibly difficult job to position yourself over a hot, greasy engine on a lifted Jeep in the first place. My socket didn't fit in the space between the valve cover gasket and the firewall. I switch to a 1/4" set instead. It still doesn't fit. The head of the bolt is actually tucked under the lip of the transmission tunnel. I have a feeling this stupid angle has something to do with the skid plate drop. After about a half hour of trying to position myself over the engine and the whole toolset I tried to get that bolt off, I gave up and put it back together. How the hell do I get this bolt off??? All I can come up with is to unbolt the tranny from the skid and jack it up as far as I can. I can see it working, but that's an awful lot of work to get at one bolt. Any suggestions? Is there some sort of "super gasket", so I can do this once... ever?

I had to build a new crancase boot and hose since they seem to be unavailable. Lets just hope the smog guy likes my design. I drilled out a rubber vacuum cap, glued in a check valve tip from the inside and ran the length with rubber vacuum hose to the intake manifold. It looks like a GM part.

[92yj]

try a crows foot to get in there?

[Shadly1]

try a crows foot to get in there?

I can't get clearance around the bolt for a crows foot. The head of the bolt is about 3/8" wide and I have a gap of about 3/8" between the firewall and the valve cover. I can touch it with a finger, but not get a socket down there. I think it's going to involve something more extreme... like maybe a come-a-long to pull the engine forward on the engine mounts... or that lifting the tranny thing (ugh).

[NAILER341]

if it is the transfer case drop that is doing it...
remove the center skid with a jack under the oil pan, and jack it up to rotate the bolt from under the tunnel.

[Shadly1]

if it is the transfer case drop that is doing it...
remove the center skid with a jack under the oil pan, and jack it up to rotate the bolt from under the tunnel.

Really? The oil pan? I guess that's the most exposed flat area, but I was thinking farther back like the t-case or something. All that's going to have to happen on a different weekend. I replaced the 2 motor mounts this weekend and just about broke myself on those. Muscles are shot!

[NAILER341]

Really? The oil pan? I guess that's the most exposed flat area, but I was thinking farther back like the t-case or something. All that's going to have to happen on a different weekend. I replaced the 2 motor mounts this weekend and just about broke myself on those. Muscles are shot!

put it under the oil pan to keep it stable while you remove the center skid.
if you have a second jack, you can then lift the mess by jacking the transmission at the mount.
it is easier than it sounds. it is just like 8 bolts plus the one that is giving you a hard time.

[Shadly1]

Good plan. If the oil pan can support the weight of the tranny and t-case, I can probably jack it up by the oil pan and shove a 4x4 between the mount and the skid.

[YJwonderboy]

Jacking it up by the oil pan aint hard...did it with the cherokee. Just put something between the jack and the pan to disperse the weight, like a short piece of 2x4. That way you don't bend your pan and you can still use it as a jacking point.