Valve Cover Gaskets

[N1478D]

What type of valve cover gasket is most recommended? I would like one that could be reused.

[GAHorn]

Aircraft Spruce 877/477-7823 sells REAL silicone gaskets. Their PN RG-530162 for $7.35 ea.

[n1410d]

Here is the real gaskets web site. You can order them direct.





http://www.realgaskets.com/index.htm

[N1478D]

THANKS!

[N1478D]

The silicone gasket is in the mail. Do those go on dry? And, I would like to paint the cover while it is off, bought a can of Continental Gold heat resistant paint at the aviation supply house and new screws from Aircraft Spruce. Looks straightforward, any things to watch out for? Is it better to not overtighten the screws on silicone gaskets?

[GAHorn]

Put the gasket on dry. Do not overtighten it, or it will "spread" out and leak. The correct color for the rocker covers is black, not gold. (But perhaps you prefer all them day-glo colors that some engine "overhaulers" try to sell along with their so-called "blueprinted" engines.

[N1478D]

No, actually I didn't like the gold at all. Black is what the covers were originally painted? The parts guy told me gold was what was used, so that is what I have - gold.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Don't paint the inside of the cover. This seems to be a silly thing to bring up but someone painted the inside of mine and every oil change I have paint chips in the filter and oil. Gave me a heart attack fisrt time cause the paint chips look like metal.

[russfarris]

I think they changed it to gold when Continental changed the desigination from C-145 to O-300 in 1955. Russ Farris

[GAHorn]

This might be a good research project. The info I had was that in the 1970's TCM started marketing their "Gold Medallion" series of factory remanufactured engines, and so started painting all their engines gold to lend the impression that factory reman's and new engines were comparable. The original colors for the C-145/O-300 engines were dark gray crankcases, with black accessories and covers.
As these engines went out to field overhaulers and even back to TCM, the "Continental Gold" was sprayed on as the "current" TCM color. (Then, of course, you have the "designer colors" crowd with so-called engine upgrades to "Black Gold" "Black Edition" "Red-Gold" etc.) They make increasing claims (along with increasing prices) regarding "volumetric intake porting" "rotational balancing" and lots of other silly claims, in order to get more of your money. TBO Advisor's KAS Thomas, Bill Marvel, and other well-recognized engine experts (including Lycoming and TCM) have all de-bunked those sort of tricks. For one thing, aero engines turn so slowly that none of those little balancing acts are of measureable benefit and all of them are contrary to the mfr's approved overhaul manuals. (Yeah, I want someone to grind some metal off my connecting rods and then explain why that's stronger and better! Those aftermarket guys talk and act like the factories have no knowledge or interest in engine balancing. Baloney. As long as the weights are within the specs, then there's no reason to grind metal off original parts, and lots of reasons not to.)
I don't know how much extra money FlyGuy paid for his "mudbug-gray" engine with the battery clamp STC, but he's way ahead of all them big city slickers and Mena, Arkansas bubbas when it comes to engine longevity. He hasn't had it fail while sittin' there yet.

[N1478D]

Pardon in advance for a stupid question. Does the black have a negative effect on engine heat? I would like to paint my valve covers black if that's the way they were originally as long as it does not add to engine temperatures!

[GAHorn]

Actually, black has a positive effect. The reason your automobile radiator is painted black is so it will radiate heat faster than a lighter color. Seems backwards, but it's true. Lighter colors actually reflect heat, which prevent the heat from departing the object. (The underside of the surface paint is the same color as the outside is.)

[N1478D]

Thanks for the info, black it is then. Ordered new screws from Spruce to go with the new gasket and boy are they pretty. Also, they are set up for safety wire. Don't think I've seen any 170's with the valve cover screws safety tied. Any thoughts on reasons not to safety wire V/C screws? The instructions with the gaskets are 25 inch pounds for a cold engine.

[flyguy]

The "mud-bug gray" is also a patented thing on my engine. What is does is change to red when it gets hot. That way I know when it is runnin or not. As for sittin, I been tryin to hatch new little ones. I guess that experimental test didn't work either.

I'm takin it off the nest to go to Reklaw at the end of October. I guess you won't be there to judge the most renewed airplane? Joe probably won't want to park close to me after all the stuff you been telling him about Ole Delta.

As for your off color comments about color, funny enough you are right about paint and price. It isn't only airplane parts that get the Madison Avenue hype. Look what kids are willing to pay for Nike tennis shoes, Tommy Hiltop shirts and holey jeans. Many consumers are dumber than dirt and retailers know that and play it to the hilt. It is just a shame that TSO/PMA also means "clean out their bank account while you are at it".

Any way I hope to see some of you at Dave's fly-in.

OLE GAR

[GAHorn]

Well, if you're gonna have "Ole Delta" there I will just have to let democracy go to the dogs and abandon the electoral process and make Reklaw myself to see it!! (With all the hoopla going on about the U.S. senate, the vote counts on this election will probably make Florida look like a momentary thing! Democracy will rule in Iraq and we'll all be driving Hussein automobiles before we'll know the final count for these elections!