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Good Valve Cover Gaskets?
Are there any valve cover gaskets out there that work better than the Felpro blue stripe ones. I have a 427 powered Cobra replica with the chrome pent roof valve covers and even with the spreader bars oils seems to leak from the valve covers.
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I preped my valve covers the same way I have been doing it for thirty years.
1. Check all surfaces to be flat and true on each valve cover. If it is bent, fix it. 2. Clean the covers with something that will allow good contact without the gasket being pushed out from film. 3. Pick gaskets that are thick. 1/8" or 1/4" is good. I use cork. 4. Coat the surfaces with 3M weather strip adheasive. 5. Press the gaskets in place and let dry. Make sure they are all the way down. 6. Coat the engine side of the gasket with fibrus grease and install. Do NOT torque down the screws. Seat them after ALL have been started and are in place. Snug them down, but do NOT squish gasket material out from underneith. That has work all the time, even on flat surface covers with no lip. Hope this helps. |
I never use any sealant on the gasket to head side, to messy to clean up next time you replace them. Best tip I have is to insure tha oil cannot stay trapped on the top surface of the gasket against the valve cover. Trim or notch the gasket so oil won't stand on that surface when parked, and you'll get less oil weeping at the covers down the road.....
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Trularin is right but, add one more to the list.
I also have original pent roofs and as you can see, the bolt holes are higher, run the bead of silicone a little thicker on the low side. This stopped my seepage. |
Basically always the same type of approach. I use gasket shellac to stick them to the valve cover and nothing else. I have also always taken a ballpeen hammer (or suitable substitute) and dimpled the area around the bolt holes up slightly and then snug them back down. Mine like to loosen up for some reason so I often put a dab of blue on the threads. I had never heard the trim the inside one before. I will have to add it to the plan!
Rick |
Thanks for the excellent advice! It makes me nervous to have oil seeping from the valve covers because I have wrapped headers and don't want an engine fire. That would be bad for my shiny black paint.
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Don't believe I'll be using a ballpeen hammer on chrome, can't imagine anyone doing that. as for the bolts coming loose, I use the fabric lock nuts after I run them on an off a threaded rod a few times, this loosens them up a bit and you can tell when you have some resistance.
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