but for me, when pulling the exhaust valve covers off, it was as simple as "I'm not screwing with maneuvering the covers with wet RTV around the EGR tubes - they're coming out!" For the PCV, one of the elbows on the exhaust valve cover had come loose and was leaking, and the cylinder #5 passage on the lower plenum has grime buildup from sucking oil. I thought of retaining the connection between the intake valve covers and the air inlets, but I'll probably just go with breathers.