Vortec Driver's Side Valve Cover Mod

Komet · Mar 24, 2023

Anybody ever clearanced the back of the accessory drive on an L31 before?

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I just gave it a little zzzzzzt and I can easily pop the valve cover on and off now without removing the accessory drive bracket. Bad idea? Good idea? Personally I don't think it's significantly structurally weakened.

Joe Dirte · Mar 24, 2023

Did it to mine. Runnin proform black crinkle valve covers and needed to do it to keep AC

HotWheelsBurban · Mar 24, 2023

That's a good idea, I'll have to see about that on mine when it's top end repair time. Any idea how much you actually removed, dimensionally?

Komet · Mar 24, 2023

HotWheelsBurban said:
That's a good idea, I'll have to see about that on mine when it's top end repair time. Any idea how much you actually removed, dimensionally?

I started by cutting about 1/2" off the bottom of the bolt pedestal at a bit of an angle because the inner edge hits first. That gave the dome of the valve cover more up travel, but the lip of the valve cover still hit on the underside of the center curve area on the bracket so from there I started just radiusing clearance all around with the grinder.

I'd grind some, reinstall, see where it hits, grind there more, smooth it out, reinstall, etc until it was easy to uninstall and reinstall. I'd say there's something like 1/8" to 1/4" of material removed depending on whether there was a casting rib / ridge or not in the way. Essentially I just kept eyeballing it until there was a path for the dome part of the cover to move up and the lip had enough clearance to rotate down and out.

HotWheelsBurban · Mar 24, 2023

Komet said:
I started by cutting about 1/2" off the bottom of the bolt pedestal at a bit of an angle because the inner edge hits first. That gave the dome of the valve cover more up travel, but the lip of the valve cover still hit on the underside of the center curve area on the bracket so from there I started just radiusing clearance all around with the grinder.

I'd grind some, reinstall, see where it hits, grind there more, smooth it out, reinstall, etc until it was easy to uninstall and reinstall. I'd say there's something like 1/8" to 1/4" of material removed depending on whether there was a casting rib / ridge or not in the way. Essentially I just kept eyeballing it until there was a path for the dome part of the cover to move up and the lip had enough clearance to rotate down and out.

Sounds good, thanks! It'll be a while before I get into this, because neither truck has leaky valve covers right now. Eventually the Burb will need the intake gaskets and spider job, but since we're not using it much now, I'm hoping to postpone that until I have the building ready, clean and electrified again. And of course most of that requires $$$ so I gotta be further into my next job too.

L31MaxExpress · Mar 24, 2023

Mine is trimmed a bit because of the taller cast aluminim covers needed to clear my valve train.

east302 · Mar 25, 2023

HotWheelsBurban said:
It'll be a while before I get into this, because neither truck has leaky valve covers right now.

Be careful with what you say, lol.

HotWheelsBurban · Mar 25, 2023

Yes I know..... I've had enough GM cars and trucks to know that they all eventually "mark their territory" with at least one leak.....center bolts are not near as bad as the old style small block though.

Vortec Driver's Side Valve Cover Mod

Komet

I'm Awesome

Joe Dirte

I'm an idiot!

HotWheelsBurban

Gotta have 4 doors..... Rawhide, TOTY 2023!

Komet

I'm Awesome

HotWheelsBurban

Gotta have 4 doors..... Rawhide, TOTY 2023!

L31MaxExpress

I'm Awesome

east302

I'm Awesome

HotWheelsBurban

Gotta have 4 doors..... Rawhide, TOTY 2023!

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