318SixPack

I reviewed this, and have seen the video included a couple of times:
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/how-to...-gasket-399057

After examining the valve cover on my 1996 Cherokee Sport XJ 242ci, manual, I am not seeing where the fuel rail cover needs to be touched for valve cover removal. None of the studs appear to interfere with the cover. Is a Sport all that much different there than any of the others in this respect?

Being a Sport, with no cruise, there is only one cable crossing the cover (throttle), and it is in a horse shoe, so looks like it has plenty of slack to be pulled out of the way to driver's side without disconnecting anything associated with it.

The grounding strap seems to go to a stud that doesn't hold down the valve cover either.

Anybody else done this recently and discovered there is less to take apart than some of the instructive guides show?

fb97xj1

Doesnt look any different than my 97. All i had to remove was the throttle cable and tubes from the valve cover. I didnt have to, but lifted the wiring harness cover out of the way for more room to work. I did have to loosen a hose clamp as it stuck out just far enough to catch the cover. The ground strap uses a stud in the head so that can be left alone. I covered the rockers and stuffed rags around the pushrods, and used a vacuum to clean up afterwards. Keep the screw holes clear, too.

evil_goat

Yeah, and sometimes there is more. For example, if you have California emissions.

cruiser54

Are you done yet? Get the Felpro **** and git r done.

318SixPack

Finally have all the parts. BTW, all the parts store parts books are wrong again. Advance and O'Reilly have 2 PCV for the valve cover, instead of one with an open elbow.

Spencer_P

I didn't have to touch my fuel rail.
I as well had to loosen the coolant hose clamp to remove the cover.

cruiser54

Spencer, you're not making this complicated enough.

318SixPack

oops

cruiser54

You've been busy!!

318SixPack

I might get to this one tomorrow. Depends on how long it takes to replace that 168/194 license plate bulb.

318SixPack

Replaced it today. Was glad to see Fel-Pro still makes them blue, the RockAuto picture showed black.

No issues, besides a couple of grommets that glued themselves to the metal inserts. As noted above, lots less to remove than some of the videos show. My tightening pattern leaves much to be desired. If it doesn't leak after that, then you really don't need to follow a head torque pattern.

The metal inserts for the grommets are not aluminum, or they are aluminum that sticks to a magnet.

RocketMouse

did mine a couple years back with the same brand... was easy peasy. Just remember to use the correct torque on the bolts...too much and you'll end up with another leak. Want to say I think it was something like 15-18 ft. lbs. So barely hand tight.

fb97xj1

FSM for my 97 states 85 INCH pounds, which i think is 7 ft pounds or so. So not much. IIRC, i stopped at 60 INCH pounds. Started at the center and worked my out out, in a spiral pattern, like you would for a cylinder head.