After the online kicking another poster recently received on this topic I'm reluctant to put this out there, but here goes...

I've tried to replace my leaky valve cover gasket this morning in my 2000 RHD XJ. I allowed myself 2 hours but have had to stop because I'm about to go to work.
After getting all the obvious obstructions removed and taking the 14 bolts out I tried to get the cover off but it won't shift. I've managed to get it so that it wobbles but it's as if there's something else holding it down from inside, which I know there isn't.
Any tips from somebody who has done a late model XJ valve cover would be gratefully received, before I attack it with a pry bar.
I don't want to follow the other guy's example and drain coolant, remove heater hoses etc, but I'm starting to think it might be the only way to get proper access to all sides of the cover.

I've seen pictures of the older XJs and there isn't half the amount of kit crammed around the valve cover in those, before anyone tells me how their 8 year old daughter changed the gasket in their Renix in 15 minutes.

 

Recent kicking?

I did my 1999 in about an hour (it was cold and I was being careful). Our valve covers are the same. Being reluctant to let go is totally normal. Once I got all of the bolts and studs removed - make sure on this - I gave it a couple whacks with a rubber mallet. That did the trick. Settling in place is totally normal depending on the material and age of the gasket you are replacing. The coolant hose is annoying but that's it.

 

The kicking was a year ago, but I only read it recently. Unfortunately he decided to do a write-up of his 10 hour gasket replacement.
Mine may take longer than I anticipated but I won't be publicising it further than I have already.

Back to my incompetence...
All 14 bolts were out. Lots of stuff getting in the way but nothing that should actually block the cover coming off.
Several lusty blows with a rubber mallet and some not so gentle encouragement with a pry bar. I've managed to snap the handle off the dipstick but the cover still wouldn't come off.
I'll hate myself for it but I may end up having to disconnect heater hoses and the sensor wiring loom, just so I can get the cover off cleanly without causing any collateral damage.
As mentioned on a previous post, my hoses and wiring are fitted like they were rationed - tight as banjo strings - and I'm slightly concerned that if I throw any more brute force at the valve cover I'm going to cause all sorts of damage to those.

 

Stupid question but in the very back, center of the cover, there's another bolt. Did you get that one?

 

Funny you should say that...

I've got the Jeep workshop manual for my model and the diagram for bolt tightening shows 14 bolts.
A little bit of internet research on the train to work is suggesting that there are 15. I'm 40 miles from the vehicle at the moment so I can't check.

Not sure whether to be embarrassed or annoyed. Might have to settle for drunk at some point later tonight.
This Jeep is turning out to be at least as "characterful" as my old Saab!

 

^^^^^^ this I just went out and counted my 2000 and it has 15 bolts

 

Don't feel bad OP, that was my first foray into "mechanics" and it took me 13 hrs over 2 days (research included haha). 1.5 hrs alone just to get that PITA bolt of back drivers side.

 

Just did my 2000 last week. 15 bolts/studs. Also, there is a large ground stud and nut for the ground strap coming off the firewall that gets in the way. PB Blaster and lots of loosen/tighten sequences took it off cleanly. Made a template while doing it. S= stud B= bolt

 

Thanks again.
None of this makes me feel like less of a ****, but at least I know now.
Hopefully the dipstick was the only thing I damaged when I got biblical with the rubber mallet and pry bar!
Where's that beer?

 

Done! Eventually.

And for any other RHDrivers out there who were thinking of replacing a valve cover gasket to fix an oil leak, it is a fiddly old job, due to the fact not of lot of effort seems to have gone into redesigning the XJ for the RHD market.

The cover can't physically be removed without without doing a partial coolant drain and disconnecting the heater hoses and top radiator hose from the front of the engine.
This is because the heater core has been moved to the left side for the RHD market but all the other parts are the same. As a result the heater hoses are routed along the firewall, behind the engine then down the right hand side of the valve cover. Also stuffed in between the engine and the firewall are the wiring looms for the sensors and the instrument panel.
The net result is that with the heater pipes at the front, back and side, the pipe to the top rad hose at the front and the wiring looms at the back and left hand side, the valve cover just can't be removed without the extra work. The wiring looms are the real ***** - while the hoses can easily be disconnected and moved the wiring looms are really tight, badly foul the valve cover and, on my 14 year old Jeep, if you try to disconnect any of the wiring you'll probably end up with hundreds of small pieces of plastic in your hand.
The sensor loom on mine was actually pulled tight over the back of the valve cover and then squashed between the valve cover and the heater hoses.
If there's fresh oil on my driveway tomorrow I'll probably just give up.

 

At least you got it done.

 

That's a bummer. Kudos for getting it done. I never even thought of RHD differences like that. I'll keep this in mind!

 

You don't have to drain any coolant or remove any heater hoses. You do have to put in a little elbow grease. Drink a few shots next time and you'll look at things a little different.

 

I've worked on RHD vehicles and the OP is right, it is a bit of a pain compared to our models.

 

I was looking at a pic of a LHD XJ engine bay the other day, and it caught my eye again how different the parts around the valve cover run.
In our RHD's, the heater hoses snake around the back of the valve cover to go towards the passenger side (your driver side). That, and a few other differences.
Next time I'm out there, I'll take a pic and post it (hopefully I can remember this thread) to help when you give advice on RHD members, so you know what they are talking about when you have trouble making sense of what they're trying to say