So I'm changing the front and rear valve cover gaskets because the're leaking really bad. I get to the point of taking the Spark PLug Tube seals out and I'm having a really difficult time with trying to remove them. I'm wandering if anyone has and tips or tricks to getting them out. Also I find it weird that the front and rear tube seal are installed differently I suspect this isn't right, does anyone know the correct install direction? Any help is greatly appreciated.

This is the front valve cover


The rear

 

I remove them by (carefully) using a 10" pry bar. Cupped side of tube seal should face you while trying to install them.

 

You're probably done with this job but just use a flat screw drive. Just did mine a few weeks ago. I hope you used a lot of high temp gasket silicon on the valve cover gasket before you put it back on. They will continue to leak if you don't.

 

Like Deezo said just bang them out with a large screw driver after spraying on oil lubricant. The tube seals are the same for both valve covers. When inserting the new ones make sure the rounded edge are facing down towards the spark plug's tubes.

 

Apparently, they are not the same. I bought a set from the dealer but never got around to swapping them out but they were different. Have to go back to him and find out which is the front/rear.

 

Just did the front and rear VC on my girl's '97 and all the tube seals appeared exactly the same. Fel-pro from rockauto.

 

It's possible the Nissan ones might look different as they used 2 different suppliers, NOK and NDK.

The NOK brand was part number 13276-31U10, superseded by 13276-31U1A.
The NDK brand was part number 13276-31U20, superseded by 13276-31U2A.

Both brands were used in the 3.0 engine from 1995 through 2001. The seals are interchangeable, there is no front/rear designation.

 

OK the conclusion that I've come to is that the front has been changed before and the back has not. I actually installed the first one the wrong way so needless to say I know which direction they go now. Thanks for all of the help guys.