Hi all,
Recently picked up a carbed 1973 914 1.7 to learn performance driving and get my feet wet with car tuning... Unfortunately my first maintenance task has me stumped. I got the valve cover off no problem but for the life of me I can't get the retainer clip back on. Is there a trick to it? I've been trying a few different methods to muscle it back on but I haven't figured out how to get the right leverage to get the end of the clip into the hole. My searches haven't turned anything up, I'd appreciate any tips or links.
Thanks.

I make sure that the clip is below the valve cover when the cover is installed. Then I just push upward with my thumbs. Failing that, I use a screwdriver to gently pry upwards on the clip.

Clay told you all the tricks.

A little grease at the contact points helps. VW logo on the cover goes up side down BTW

I use a (custom made lever) slightly bent 1" wide-tip chisel (about 10" long) that has its sharp edge ground away. Then put a tiny bit of lube just at the 2 contact points where the wire-bracket makes contact with the valve cover dimples. Slip the chisel up into the large Arc of the bracket, and place a small piece of plastic ( or tape some old credit cards together ) just under the chisel-tip / where it sits against the valve cover; and give it a gentle push upwards....and it should snap itself back into place

It almost sounds like the OP has removed the bale wire completely off the head and trying to reinstall with the valve cover in place? If so, reinstall the wire while the valve cover is removed and then follow above suggestions to swing the wire up over the valve cover to clip in place.

There is an old story about a woman cooking a roast. Before putting the roast in the pan, she cut an inch off the roast. When asked why she responded that she was taught to do it that way by her mother. When her mother was asked, she said she was taught that way by her mother. When her mother was asked, she said she was taught that way by her mother. When they finally asked the 96 year old woman in the nursing home why she did that, she replied "The only pan I had was too short for the roast." There was no practical reason for the other women with larger roasting pans to keep cutting the end off the roast.

So, how does this relate to valve covers????

Well, I want to ask why the logo goes upside-down? Who told you that? Is it based on a fact or is it just "everyone does it that way?"

BTW... I have always installed it right side up. No leaks from the valve covers.

Tie a shop rag in a loop around the bail. Easy to pull it down over the cover.

I find a pry bar makes quick work of it. Or a very heavy duty screwdriver. I like the shop rag idea...will try that next time!

To put the bail back on, flip it up and pull down. No cratches on the cover.

These are all great suggestions, thanks everyone. I did indeed remove the clip entirely, as soon as I get a moment I'll head out to the shop and try as many tricks as I can till I have the cover back on.
-and I think I'll probably flip the cover so the logo upside down just to be one of the cool kids

Make certain both the gasket and the cover are seated.....common mistake that leads to difficult clip install, oil leakage and do-over.

LOL. Ok I concede defeat. It was the old woman..
I remember hearing the logo should be upside down. At some time I must have struggled with a cover and it fit better that way somehow and became a habit I have kept. I will add that it you reuse the old gasket, it should be installed the way it came off

I always wondered where that came from. I was hoping you had heard something I had not about the valve covers. And I agree, if you reuse the gasket, you need to put it back the same way it came off.

If I read this right you're trying to put the bail back in the hole on the end of the head while the bail is located in its spot where it goes. If so it's never going to happen. Drop the bail down to the bottom of the valve cover and it will go into the hole then slip the center of the bail up.

You cut the end off a rump roast because ' well who wants to eat the part that was on the toilet seat

Popped the cover back on with about 2 minutes of effort, thanks again everyone!

I guess I’m too late. I was going to tell you to whisper “I love you” as that always seems to make things slide together easier

What part of Tacoma are you in? You should come to breakfast at the Homestead on Sunday.

Ok first off, definitely going to start whispering nice things to the car as a general practice, thanks for that.
Second, I put both valve covers on upside down and I'm pretty sure it's added about 5 horsepower, or at least that's what I'm going to tell people from now on. In all seriousness though, adjusting the valves has made a huge improvement to the engine in the 10 minutes of driving I was able to do after wrapping up, increased the bottom end torque substantially (not hard to do, there was no pull below 3k rpm) and she idles a lot more smoothly.
I'm between Hilltop and 6th ave. in Tacoma, I was thinking of heading out and meeting folks for breakfast but our babysitter doesn't show up till 10, think folks will still be hanging out after 10:30 or so?

Probably. Bfast will last an hour or so. There's usually a bs session in the parking lot that can go on for awhile.