I took my valve cover off on my 2012 Kia Soul (Base 1.6 GDI Engine) and replaced the gasket. Now the valve cover won’t go back on. It feels like there is something stuck under the right side near the fuel pump preventing the cover from seating properly, but I can’t see anything in the way.
I can’t see it either.
Edit: the OP posted a picture, that helps a lot!
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I see one item that might be a possible culprit. I see a dowel in your valve cover… Perhaps that should be in the head? Maybe that is preventing it from easily docking to the head. Is there a dowel anywhere else in the valve cover we cant see?
Is there a dowel in the head on the left side? or is it in the cover? Sometimes those dowels can decide to come out of where they are supposed to be and remain in the other half of assemblies. Throwing you off momentarily.
I also see what looks like a roller lifter in the valve cover…something that surely rolls on the camshaft…is it stuck?
I dunno… its just a thought.
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Usually the fuel pump is removed first, that way you won’t be fighting the spring in the fuel pump while installing the valve cover.
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LOL… I haven’t seen a manual fuel pump in a long while…, but I did mention the roller
Well you see one now, they have been driven off the camshaft on direct injection engines for the last 14 years.
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It was indeed the fuel pump roller in the way. lol Thought I’d save time not removing the fuel pump. I now understand why that was a terrible idea. Thanks.
Yes indeed… You could also have rolled the engine over a bit so the cam lobe that interfaces the pump roller was in the down position. It would have reduced the resistance a good bit… Either way…you got the clues you needed to solve the issue.
I’ve never seen a fuel pump that was mounted ON the valve cover before… its usually executed otherwise…in a linear fashion. IMHO not the best place to put that pump but that’s neither here nor there. Why any mfg would want to expose the valve cover to those rapid lifting forces is beyond me. To me it suggests possible future valve cover gasket leaking problems, but again, neither here nor there.
You are good to go… That was the goal.
Well, then, what do You think of Mercedes Benz and their use of the valve cover as bearing caps for the camshafts???
And, on a Suzuki Swift, you have to remove the sproket and cam. chain to remove the valve cover as the cam comes out WITH the cover 
.
IDGTL
Edit. Re the Suzuki, that goes for the diesel only.
Yeah true. I have seen those before and I can still recall the first time…it was peppered with expletives. I’m not a fan to be honest.
You’re bringing up some very bad memories
I was working at a Benz dealership when those M272 and M273 engines had just came out and had proven themselves beyond a shadow of a doubt . . . to be total garbage
Not to mention the 722.9 7-speed auto transmission that was typically behind it was also total garbage
Pretty sad when both your bread and butter engine AND the bread and butter transmission are total garbage, and that’s from a mechanical standpoint. If the main problems were just software, that would be one thing, but when the mechanical aspects aren’t even up to snuff, that’s a serious problem, in my opinion
I’ve replaced MANY cylinder heads on those engines . . . 6 in one year, if memory serves. After awhile you got used to it, but it was never enjoyable, and it was never particularly profitable for the mechanic, even if everything went perfectly
I clearly remember a colleague laying a bead of sealant that was slightly too thick when he was reassembling everything . . . thicker than specified in the service procedures, in any case . . . and the result was that the camshafts burnt up, apparently due to insufficient lubrication
The factory was so “generous” with their warranty times, that you had to lose your ___ replacing several cylinder heads, before you were fast enough and skilled enough to meet the book times
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