valve cover gasket
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:26 pm
on the 0300c should I use the cork or newer neoprene gasket for the valve covers and do I need to use gasket cement? What is the tightening procedures for the valve cover, how tight?
I personally don't like the thicker silicone "Real Gasket" as over tightening will actually cause leaks as the gasket deforms. These need to be so tight but not to tight. I think using the torque specs from below will over tighten them. I know lots of people like these gaskets as they are reusable almost indefinitely. You don't want to use any cement with these in my opinion.
I like the cork or impregnated paper type gaskets. If they are fresh I wouldn't really use any sealant either instead allowing the gasket to do the work. If I was reusing or had a persistant leak I might use a good RTV high temp gasket maker very sparingly and only at the bottom of the cover where oil lies. The key to valve covers is not to over torque them. Most have been an one time and what happens is the area around the screw gets bent in toward the cylinder head and this area is drawn tight while the rest of the cover is loose and can not seal. I inspect this area and usually take a small ball peen hammer and flatten this area or using the ball side ever so slightly peen it out away from the cylinder head. This insures that the rest of the cover seals all the way around the head.
As for torque the overhaul manual doesn't have any unless I missed it. But the latest Continental SB96-7C covering torque limits does. It says - Screw-Rocker box cover. 55-65in lb or 4.6-5.4 ft lb for all models, as required. Most mechanics don't go to the trouble of dragging out the required wrenches to torque these screws instead making them just so tight but not to tight (and they sometimes mimic a torque wrench clicking sound as they do it
)