Was messing around in my engine bay just now and noticed the cause of the plastic sounding rattle I've been passin off as the engine cover rattling at idle. The cool pack, with all 4 bolts tight, is able to wiggle up and down about 1/16 of an inch. Is this normal? Should I add washers to close the gap?



There is a visible gap, moreso on the passenger side. Should I be concerned in any way? Or just add washers?

 

Try tighten up the bolt

 

Doesn't go any tighter with 1/4" tools, don't wannt go bigger and break something. It must bottom out. There is a rubber shock absorber under each bolt, not sure if those wear out or something. Just don't know if I need to replace something or just add washers.

 

Add another or 2 washers.

 

Does it wiggle at all four corners or just one? If it's just one, make sure the bolt at that location is the correct bolt and not slightly longer than ones that are snug. If it's wiggling all the way around, I'd guess that the rubber "donut" washers have had it and need replacement.

If the bolts are fully tightened, do not force them tighter as you will pierce the plastic valve cover, thus needing to replace it as well.

 

So if it's already tighten just add another washer.

 

Yep, that's what I'm going to do, it's loose at all 4, just more on the two passenger side ones. Gonna go get a pack of washers, just didn't know if I needed to watch out for something before assuming I can just rig it up. Thanks.

 

the oem has a couple of meaty 0-rings to tighten it up...screw the bolt down too far and you will crack the valve cover...the bolt-holes are just brass threads set into the plastic....
so don't just tighten it up......
orings squish nice....so less chance of cracking cause you will FEEL it get snug...washers need more of a touch too feel it.

 

Just add some orings. Valve cover gasket o ring will probably work.

 

I was going to keep the o rings and just add washers to close the gap, or should I look for some more squishable things?

 

Is the press in threaded nut spinning ? Is it all the way tightened.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...lve-cover.html

 

There should be grommets on the underside of the coil pack at each screw location. The screw is sleeved with a compression limiter, so that the coil pack is suspended between sets of grommets on the bottom and top of the coil pack. This is done to reduce vibration noise, as well as stress on the cover. My bet is that the coil pack was replaced at some point and the lower grommets were removed and not replaced. The stock screws cannot be run down too far due to the limiter (they can't pierce the cover), but they can be overtightened to the point of breaking the plastic in the valve cover around the brass inserts.

 

All 8 grommets and washers are still there, I added my own washers to tighten it up, also the bolts don't free spin, they snug up nice, just with a gap afterwards. It took a few washers under each side on the cool pack to make it snug enough to not rattle.