The valve cover gaskets on your Voyager need to be replaced if you are leaking oil from around the valve cover. The valve cover gasket functions as a seal between the valve cover and the engine head. Oil circulates throughout the engine, and this gasket is responsible for keeping the oil from leaking out from the top of the engine. Valve cover leaks are common on older vehicles, and the Voyager is no exception. Replacement valve cover gaskets are available from most auto parts stores. This procedure is for replacing the valve cover on a 2000 Voyager with the 4-cylinder engine.
Open the hood of your Voyager and mark each spark plug wire with masking tape and permanent marker to avoid mixing up the spark plug wires when you remove them. Then, remove the spark plug wires from the top of the engine. Grab each spark plug wire by the boot (the end of the wire) and pull up on it to remove the boot from the engine.
Unbolt the ground strap from the valve cover using a socket wrench and set the wire aside.
Locate the PCV valve on the manifold to the right of your engine. Then, remove the hose clamp that secures the breather hose to the valve, using a pair of pliers, and pull the hose off of the valve.
Unbolt the PCV valve using a 15mm box end wrench and remove the PCV valve.
Unbolt the six valve cover bolts around the perimeter of the the valve cover and the two center bolts on the top, using a socket wrench.
Pull the valve cover off of the top of the engine.
Scrape the mating surfaces on both the engine and the valve cover carefully with a razor blade to remove the old gasket material.
Clean the mating surfaces with degreaser and a rag.
Install the new gasket into the valve cover. Apply silicone rubber adhesive sealant at the camshaft cap corners and at the top edge of the round seal.
Place the valve cover straight down onto the head.
Torque the bolts to the proper torque value using a torque wrench. Set the dial on the torque wrench to the proper torque value and then lock the wrench using your specific wrench's locking instructions. The 2000 Voyager requires a three-step torque sequence. When the torque wrench clicks, it will indicate that the proper torque value has been reached and that the bolts have reached the specified torque value. All of the valve-cover bolts need to be tightened first to 40 inch-pounds, then 80 inch-pounds, then 105 inch-pounds. Finish one torque value for all bolts before moving onto the next torque value. As you are looking down onto the valve cover, tighten the top-center bolt, then tighten the bottom-center bolt. Then tighten the right bolt in the center of the vale cover, then the left bolt in the center of the valve cover. Then, tighten the lower right bolt, then the upper left bolt. Then tighten the upper right bolt and finally the lower left bolt.
Replace the spark plug wires and make sure they are secure in the plug well. Then replace the ground wire and PCV valve and breather hoses.
