How to Replace the Valve Cover Gasket in a Geo Tracker

The low gas mileage and the versatility that your 1995 through 1999 Geo Tracker offers are two benefits of owning it. The maintenance needs to be kept up on your Geo Tracker. One form of this maintenance is to replace the valve cover gasket once you have driven 100,000 miles or more.

Things You'll Need

  • Flathead screwdriver
  • Torque wrench
  • Automotive engine cleaner
  • Clean cloth rag
  • Valve cover gasket
  • Valve cover gasket kit
  • 1 to 2 quarts of motor oil
  • Allow your engine to cool. Disconnect the negative battery cable. Remove the air inlet hose and air intake case or air cleaner housing. Detach the PCV valve hose from the PCV valve. Separate and remove the spark plug wires and the accelerator cable from their clips.

  • Loosen and remove the valve cover bolts. Lift the cover up and off. Using a flathead screwdriver, gently nudge the gasket out of the gasket seating area. Using automotive engine cleaner and a clean cloth rag, clean the gasket seating area.

  • Place the new gasket in the gasket seating area. Put the cover back into place. Put the bolts in and then using a torque wrench tighten them. Do not over tighten the bolts or the gasket will not fit correctly. Reconnect the spark plug wires and the accelerator cable in the holding clips.

  • Reconnect the rubber hose to the PCV valve. Install the air intake case, or air cleaner housing, and the air inlet hose. Reconnect the negative battery cable. Add oil to the car and start the engine. Allow the car to run 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the oil to lubricate the engine while it moves to the top.