Hello! I own a 08 Acura TL that has an oil leak from a bad valve cover gasket. I took it to my mechanic for some other things, but also wanted a quote for a replacement. The number they gave me was too high for my liking, and I did some research and decided to attempt the replacement myself. The shop would’ve done a spark plug replacement as well, so I also plan to do that. My issue is I have never done work on a car, not even an oil change. In total so far, I need 2 sets of valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, an intake plenum gasket, and maybe an air filter boot (since I’ve heard they have a tendency to crack, if anyone has a good source please let me know). What other parts should I preventatively replace, and what are the normal steps to working on the top of the engine?
Thanks for the info! I did have my belts replaced fairly recently after an oil change, but I can definitely take a look at the tensioner as well. The insta gasket is something I had forgotten about though, thanks for the reminder! I also realize this may not be the best job to start out on, but I do beat on the car a bit more than I should and felt like this would be a good opportunity to get my foot in the door with doing my own maintenance from now on. Also plan on taking a weekend to make sure I’ll be able to get to work afterwards