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Old 06-17-2018, 02:56 PM
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Phx Mike Phx Mike is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Cobra Make, Engine: Ex owner of a polished Kirkham 427 S/C. Now Cobra-less and driving a mid-engine German hot rod.
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Well 3rd time is the charm. Got it sealed up finally. Key points:

- Cast aluminum covers and made sure the flanges were flat and smooth (dressed them with a flat stone to get some small burrs off the inside edges) and absolutely clean (final wipe with 96 pct isopropyl).
- sealed the FelPro cork/rubber gasket to the cover using Permatex gasket SEALER (not Silicone or RTV gasket MAKER). Used a very thin coat and clothes-pinned the gasket to the cover for about 20 mins before installing the cover. Did NOT put sealant on the head side of the gasket.
- put a small smear of same sealant on the heads at the intake / head joint. My intake is installed with RTV (no gasket) but sits a bit higher than the head so there is a small step there. I am pretty sure this is where it was leaking. So I put a bit of sealant on the heads over and around that joint. Sealant on the heads about 1/2 inch each side of the joint
- then installed the cover - while the sealant was still wet. Torqued it tighter this time - maybe 10 ft lbs. Tightened the bolts in star pattern 1/4 turn at a time until they were all on 1 full turn past first contact. They are snug. I would not tighten the sheet metal ones that much but these seemed to do fine.

Drove it 50 or so miles today and dry....
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