How much oil will I lose if I pull off my valve covers - engine will not have run prior to. Tis. I WITHOUT doing an oil change So car will be full of oil.
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None, if you jack the car up on one side at a time.
That's a whole other ball game!
2 to 3 tablespoons if you don't jack the car up. Lay the valve cover underneath the head to catch the drips.
You probably won't notice the difference on the dip stick...
I just checked the valve clearance on Pearl last weekend. Jacked her up enough to comfortably get underneath and popped the covers off. Someone mentioned putting the valve covers under the heads to catch whatever drips - great idea, and you'll get about a tablespoon full from each side. No need to jack one side at a time, really. Just mop up whatever drips out with a paper towell.
I use 2 card board boxes, 1 under the head&1 for holding the vc so it dont get dirty or scratched. ok I lied. I dont use caredboard I use plastic meat containers that I kleen after usage, and 1 has my valve tools in it all the time(OCD,most of my stuff is in it's own boxes/drawers, I have somany doubbles,triples,and more of everything, it's redickulass,) just try to be sure to have the head clean&dry befor instaling the vc, oil on the gasket isant good, it can let it slip out of position.and we all know what happens then.....
That's a good reason to use Weldwood contact cement for the gaskets. Clean the valve covers with carb or brake cleaner, put a thin coat of contact cement on one side of each gasket and the gasket surface on the cover. Wait ten minutes, carefully align, and stick in place. Evenly push the gasket in place all around. I usually put a super thin coat of plain old axle grease on the gasket where it meets the head. Done, and no gasket suck that way.