https://www.wranglerforum.com/threads/passenger-valve-cover-stuck.2463933/#post-35411602

 

The passenger is much easier. The Driver side you have to pull the intake. While your there you might as well do plugs cause you have to do the same to replace them as well. If your mechanically minded, you can do it. I just did mine in the spring and I 'took' my time. Was about 2 days of off and on work.

There are MANY Youtube videos on this. Looks for the ones that say Jeep pentastar lifter replacment or something like that or Jeep lifter valve/tick fix. In those you can see everything that you will have to do.

This one shows both sides and obviously your not replacing the lifters but it's the same.

 

The passenger is much easier. The Driver side you have to pull the intake. While your there you might as well do plugs cause you have to do the same to replace them as well. If your mechanically minded, you can do it. I just did mine in the spring and I 'took' my time. Was about 2 days of off and on work.

There are MANY Youtube videos on this. Looks for the ones that say Jeep pentastar lifter replacment or something like that or Jeep lifter valve/tick fix. In those you can see everything that you will have to do.

This one shows both sides and obviously your not replacing the lifters but it's the same.

Thanks guy. I am mechanically minded and have a decent tool set, so long as I have step by step directions. Just did the plugs about a month ago.

Problem is leaking onto the o2 sensor and throwing a code but I want to fix the leak before I replace the o2 sensor.

I'll wait for a nice warm weekend before I dig into this, maybe over thanksgiving.

 

Watched the video - pretty straightforward, lots of bolting/unbolting, and some jimmy-jacking to get parts cleared, but otherwise doable. I'm going to tackle it next weekend, and if it goes well maybe I'll do the passenger side too - I have a leak into a spark plug chamber on that side. I will post tips/tricks for explorers from the future finding this thread.

 

UPDATE: For future explorers finding this thread:

Completed the driver's side valve cover gasket. Videos help, it's really just unbolting, a little cleaning, then rebolting. Success at 208,880 miles

Physically, several of the lower (wheel) side bolts were absolutely loose - didn't need any pressure to "break" them loose. That's where the leak was from.

Tips:

Take out the sensor on the rear of the cover - I got lazy and just disconnected it, and spent two hours trying to figure out why the valve cover wouldn't release. The sensor is about 3" long and hits something inside so that the cover can't be removed without removing the sensor. Then a lot of jiggling to get it out - lot of cables in the way. Zip tie the cables out of the way helps.

Pictures of how I got the bottom rear bolt out. Note zip tie keeping tubes out of the way. I used a small 1/4 inch ratchet, from the firewall side, and a 8mm long socket becuse they put a nut there instead of a bolt just to screw you. Used a trim remover tool to hold the heavy tube there out of the way: