Roush 427R Valve Cover - About to go insane!
 

This follows up my previous thread as I'm getting desperate. I have had the covers off my motor for 3 1/2 weeks and am going around in circles. I’m trying to find a decent looking valve cover that does not have ROUSH advertising all over it and will work on the motor. Here is what I have tried and the results:

Pentroof FE covers w/Medice MFG adaptors - Look like a million bucks, clear everything, but can not get the adaptors to seal to the head without leaks.. I have tried Ford TA-31 and other great sealants with no luck so I’m done.

Scott Drake 351W valve covers with the CS Shelby logo and were supposed to clear roller rockers - These look great, are fine in the height department (just) but the pockets cast for the valve cover bolts hit the valve springs.

Summit Racing “Fabricated” 351W Covers - Look decent (not as good as the others) but the mounting rail (gasket lip) hits the push rods and will need a ton of grinding to clear. I’m not thrilled about doing that for a cover I only like. They also are out about .035” from flat so they would need to be sanded on a surface plate or have creative gasket installation.

Blue Thunder Competition covers would top my list but they will not have 351W covers until the end of the year.

So…WHAT (good looking) VALVE COVERS ACTUALLY FIT THIS THING AND BOLT ON?! Argh!

I do not want to use spacers or adaptors as given the issues I have had, I wouldn’t wan’t them on a cruise in case one let go.

It seems like everyone that made nice SBF valve covers either stoped (Cobra Valley) or is currently out of production (Blue Thunder and Shelby Engine Co).

I’m hoping someone has a miracle or a pair of used Blue Thunder covers.

Thanks!

I'm using the Ford Racing "427 Cobra" valve covers that Summit and a few others sell and I love 'em! They are on a Dart block with AFR 205's, they look great, don't leak, they look like pentroofs, and the price was right. I took some plastic wire separators and glued them to the slots between the fins so they look more like the Lemans covers and space the wires nicely out of the way. I also looked at the Cobra Valley covers but these look much better and fit my pocket book better!
Bill

I assume you have these:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fms-m-6582-w427b

My concern is still finding someone that has played with other options on a Roush as what should have fit didn't. I never thought I would have a valve cover hit a spring before a rocker. Or a pushrod before a rocker for that matter.

I really like these valve covers made by Holley. They're certainly not period correct but they do look sweet. I think you can get them in either standard height, or the taller version for use with aluminum roller rocker arms. Just call Summit to inquire.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...SABEgKwtfD_BwE

https://static.summitracing.com/glob...-890012_ml.jpg

I got the summit version of these and ran into the problems listed above. I think they are the same manufacturer.

For some reasons, the gasket rail is built too wide and contacts the push rods. They also don’t sit flat. I could fix these issues in about 90 minutes a cover by sanding and grinding but an not that thrilled with the look so I would rather find something that fits and looks good.

It might be the same manufacturer, or maybe not. I think Canton makes valve covers that look like these. Then again, Holley may be contracted with Canton to produce the same valve covers with the "Holley Sniper" stamp on them. ;)

I thought about the Canton covers but they are rectangles so scream Chevy and they don’t have a rail on the bottom. Just a bent metal surface for the gasket. Not good. Moroso makes some at $600 but they have a rubber finish and their logo (could probably hide that with a 427 badge).

You could just buy something like these and then wait for the Blue Thunders.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g3313/overview/

I agree on the Roush covers, a friend has the 2-piece,"V8" marked set. Big, heavy advertising.

I have Blue Thunders, like 'em a lot.

Jim

Those might work. I didn't get into looking at any of the cheap covers out there. :D

On your existing valve covers; is it possible to have a machine shop mill off the Roush stuff and then repaint or media blast to your liking?

I thought about milling the tops flat and polishing them. What stopped me was that there is nothing I can do with the sides as they are ribbed as well and the shape is too complex to machine.

Valve covers
 

I have Shelby FE valve covers with adapters on my 392 stroker engine. Gong on 4 years with out any leaks.

Regarding leaks on valve covers, a little trick I learned is as follows. I am still a big fan of cork gaskets. But if you ever test fit a cork gasket on a valve cover you will see a small “shelf” of cork gasket protruding inside the valve cover lip. This “shelf” tends to trap oil and I feel creates or speeds up the seeping problem. I test fit the cork gasket and mark the edge of the valve cover than cut a few “V” shaped notches in the cork up to the edge of the valve cover for the trapped oil to drain from the “shelf”. I only use RTV silicon on the gasket to valve cover side. Super clean the heads gasket surface than reinstall being careful not to over tighten the bolts. Helps to true the gasket surface on the valve cover too. I like a slightly roughed-up surface on the valve cover gasket surface too.
Blas

Looks awesome as did my FE pent roof chrome covers but the adaptors would not stay sealed to the AFR heads. And yes, I got the best adaptors out there.

I just installed the Ford Racing W427B Cobra covers (everything about them gets an A+ in terms of build quality) with Fel-Pro 1645 laminated cork gaskets (no RTV or sealant) and torqued to 7ft lbs. I took it for a couple of quick drives around the block and let it idle for an hour. No apparent leaks this time.

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-6582-W427B

Not the look I was after but if they are leak free until the Blue Thunder covers are produced again, I will be happy.