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I’m currently doing a rebuild on my VQ35DE (valves up) upon removing my driver side valve cover I found a piece of metal laying inside. Not familiar with its origin or placement. Looks like a spacer or metal orifice. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!
Last edited by Jetertm; 10-03-2023 at 04:08 AM.
Reason: Changed title
Doesn't look like that part is supposed to live under the valve cover, also doesn't look like it was there for any length of time. I suspect this fell in when you were removing the valve cover. It looks like it's a spacer/fastener for a grommet. Similar to the ones used for holding the coolant reservoir or the OEM filter box. But I could be completely wrong, I honestly don't know. Hoping others recognize this piece.
-Icer
I suspect this is a valve cover insert designed to prevent a steel nut from gouging the soft aluminum valve cover. Check the valve cover itself to see where it might go over a stud.
Thank you both, I’m going to look it over when I get back home from work. I’m suspecting someone doing previous maintenance dropped it in there. I haven’t found any plausible location for it yet. I will notify everyone if I figure it out. Just got this 350 a few days ago. Wanting to fully maintain her before I get to riding everyday.
Heel is right!. It clearly wasn't under the valve cover before you started the work, if it was there all this time, then it would be coated in oil. Instead we can see some surface rust and a lot of scoring/witness marks from how it was mounted. This does look like the shoulder washer that is used with the rubber grommet for the plastic engine cover (4 total).
Here's a listing for the OEM part (expensive little bastard).
Awesome 👍 the guy before me had removed the engine cover, I don’t have one currently. So upon removal he must have dropped it inside the oil cap. Thankfully it’s not valve related.
Heel is right!. It clearly wasn't under the valve cover before you started the work, if it was there all this time, then it would be coated in oil. Instead we can see some surface rust and a lot of scoring/witness marks from how it was mounted. This does look like the shoulder washer that is used with the rubber grommet for the plastic engine cover (4 total).
Here's a listing for the OEM part (expensive little bastard).
Cheers!
-Icer
$34?!?!?! And the rubber grommet is $12? What is that thing made out of? Unobtanium?
Maybe OP can just go grab an engine cover secondhand or get the necessary hardware from a junkyard. Or just have no engine cover. That's insane.
10-03-2023, 04:02 AM
Valve Maintenance HELP
