The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop silicone valve cover gasket

Has anyone installed reusable silicone valve cover gasket on 235/261? Did they seal? Chasing down leaks.

Have used them on Cessnas and Volvos with success.

Better question:
What gasket WORKS well to seal stock 235/261 valve cover?
Thanks

I find 235 valve covers only leak when the wrong combo of parts are used causing too much oil to the top end.

Well you can get the "BEST" gasket or felpro, (probably the best 2 options) but they will all be cork as far as I know. I don't believe any one is making the reusable silicone gaskets. I agree that would actually be the best idea, but the reality is, you can't get what someone ain't makin'. I have never really understood the recent/modern use of cork, it doesn't really even work that well. Back when these trucks were created, it was fine to build a machine that leaked oil all time. Now though, it isn't OK. And there are much better alternatives out there. I finally ended up using lots of permatex. I don't like it, and generally like to use never-seize on most gaskets. But these (all of the engine gaskets for that matter) don't seem to respond well to that method.

"O'Reilly has 235 valve cover gaskets from Felpro in two thicknesses: 5/32" (PN: VS50189C) for $9 or 7/32" (PN: VS50190C) for $12."

I prefer the thicker one myself. If you take a level to your engine, you will find the front is higher than the back. I was getting oil dripping down the back for two reasons. One was if I set my valve cover on a flat surface, due to over-torquing, it wasn't flat. The other reason was my lack of permatex on the head surface. I like to use a good liberal coat of permatex on the head and NO permatex on the cover side. The thicker one just gives me a little more insurance.

Thanks. I was wondering why NAPA listed 2 part numbers. I'll go with the -190 thicker one.

There'a a guy...most good stories start that way...in Tennessee that makes Cessna/Piper silicone gaskets. Says he can make a Stovebolt cover gasket. I'll try one and report back.

Thick gasket, Permatex on head, not cover. Thanks for the help.

So.....a new project for that time when I haven't got any other
things to do this winter?
Get a nice new cork gasket. Seal it up with a few liberal coats
of shellac. Call Renyolds or Smooth-On and have them send me
out a couple pounds of silicone rubber or maybe urethane in
about the shore 60A range. Pour a simple flat mold of
plaster of Paris. Pull the cork master out and start making
flexible rubber VC gaskets for a living.

Now----all you have to do is figure out how your going to keep
them from squeezing out from under when you tighten down the
tin.

dg

the only leak I had was from over tightening the 4 bolts on my cover cork gasket.

I wonder if a guy make some metal tabs to put into the gasket that would keep it from being over tightened?

These fit under the bolts

...mr gasket set...

But they have to be filed down to fit

I glue the thicker cork gasket to a leveled valve cover (first, punch the over-tightening deformations in the valve cover rim upwards) and use no seal between cork gasket and head.

Elongated flat washers were used with valve cover screws on my 54 and later 235/261 engines. The washers look like this but they are symmetrical (left/right are symmetrical and top/bottom are symmetrical). I'll go out to my freezer (garage) and look for one, if anyone is interested.

I need some of those. The tin itself just isn't enough.

Same here
Glue gasket to the cover.
on the head side I put a thin film of GP grease.

Yes, on the grease.

I thought we were talking about silicone gaskets? I was commenting on putting something in the mold when the gasket was poured to limit the amount of crush of the gasket.

I think people are responding to the first two posts - from the original poster?

Regardless of the type of gasket I have found this works great on my own engines. Avoid tightening the crap out of them the first go round. Drive it a week or two then retighten them. A little later after the gasket "sets". Then, on the next oil change, or two, just double check....you know, just a snug turn. Afterwards no leaking for me. Just my .02

Edit: I also do this on my Silverado and my wifes Buick. Every once in a while I snug the oil pan and tranny bolts. Its amazing what a quarter turn will do. The truck has 276,000 on it now and you can't find a drop of oil under it or on top of it.

Look a lot like the spring fingered tabs for a SB chev valve cover. Spreads the clamp force out a bit. Not much help when you run a 216 cover on a 235. Gasket wants to push out along the manifold side. So I glue it to the cover, and oil the head side. Seems to be working.

Silicone gasket on order.

Where can I acquire a set of those four oblong cover mounting bolt washers tclederman shows for use to spread force along cover and gasket?

where did you find a silicone gasket? As far as I know you are the only person on earth that has been able to find one. whatever the case I prefer to glue the gasket to the head rather than the valve cover simply because it makes a little "dam" to help keep the oil inside rather than outside.

I do not know if the the screw holes are correct for 235/261.

Thanks Tim, we are gonna find out.

There are load spreaders available that are about 3" long, original equipment for Corvair valve covers. They fit and work well on Stovebolt and V8 valve covers. We used them regularly on race engines to prevent valve cover leaks. Most race parts suppliers like Jegs or Racer's Warehouse sell them.
Jerry

Did Gus’s repllly with the link to Mr.Gasket get lost in the shuffle. You ain’t gonna find
any better ones to distribute the pressure over a large area than those. And they’re
available at just about every place that sells auto parts. Here’s just a few off hand:
Newegg, ebay, O’Reilly, Pace Performance, Jegs, Amazon, direct from Mr. Gasket
or summit last to are the (cheapest). All under ten bucks.
dg

These are most likely the V-8 load-spreaders/hold-downs described above?

Here are a variety of other hold-down/spreaders

Maybe someone knows if these are the right screw-hole size?

Fred,

If you want the original look, the 6 cylinder ones are here:

http://www.truckandcarshop.com/trucks47_59/t47_092.html

Thanks, Tom

Those (54-08113) are the ones that I have found on 235/261 engines.

The cork gaskets come from the manufacturer bone dry. Oil absorption is required or them to seal properly. I glue mine to the valve cover while they are still dry, then apply enough oil, just shy of sloppy wet, and button everything up. As the cork absorbs the oil which is wiped on it, in addition to engine oil splashing around under the valve cover, it swells and improves the sealing action. That is why it is not necessary to really crank down the screws.

Its funny what you learn here. Something as mundane as putting a new valve cover gasket can be a learning experience. All these years, I have put high temp permatex on the head and sealed the gasket to the head. Made sense to me back in the day, still makes sense today. Since the engine is not level front to back, about a 2 degree difference from front to back, with the front being higher, a riser such as the one you make from the gasket sealer will keep the oil from leaking out from under the gasket. Much less leakage on my engines. Very happy with the result, although I am sure it is bass ackwards from what everyone else does, I wouldn't have it any other way. But if there is some intelligent reason I shouldn't be doing it that way, I am all ears.

If what you do works, stick with it.

There are often more than one way to solve a problem.

3m spray adhesive is awesome for gaskets. Keeps them from moving or twisting during installation.

I never seal either side of the gasket and see no leaks. As I mentioned above, the 235's I have seen leak have the wrong combo of rocker parts, flooding the top end/gasket.
I do not like it when I have to pull a valve cover where the gasket is glued to the cover. I always seem to catch and break the gasket on the rockers when I lift the cover off.
As Tim said,"There are often more than one way to solve a problem".

a

Where in Tennessee? I'd like to pay him a visit to see how he does that! I'm working on several projects that might need custom-made gaskets.
Jerry

You asked: Where'd I get silicone stovebolt gasket?

This is in NO way an endorsement or ad.
I have ZERO connection with this business, other than our shop used their aircraft gaskets...I asked A&P mechanic about them and asked you guys about gaskets...I just fly them...with success thus far.

Gasket arrived, promptly, $29.10.
Ordered Monday, arrived Thursday.

Looks professional quality and seems to fit contours of valve cover. Says to install DRY, NO lube. Reusable, soap washable.

I have not actually installed or leak checked. Not sure how to tack in place.

Real Gaskets Tennessee
2506 Stateline Road
Elizabethton, TN
(423) 543 6194

1937 TO 1962 Chevrolet STRAIGHT 6-CYL. 216, 235, 261 CID
Part # CVC-3

They included a sample piece of fiberglass reinforced silicone gasket. I'm thinking CJ5 differential covers and BSA valve covers next.

Expect I'll no longer be only one on Earth to try these, eh?

Hotrod Lincoln,

346 miles.
US 64 Dellrose to Chattanooga, I-75 to I-40 Knoxville,
I-81 to US 23 - Johnson City to Elizabethton.

Please let us know what you find there.

Born in Tennessee!

Fredthecat

? Pictures please.

Thanks, Fred! I'm headed to Chattanooga on business tomorrow, but I won't be able to make it any further- - - -due in Memphis on Monday! I've racked up as much as 1500 miles in some weeks doing warranty claim inspections, and I'm supposed to be retired!
Jerry

No idea how to post photos. Got tutorial? I expect a cell phone, cloud thingy etc would be needed...none here. 12 year old Wizard Grandson can do it.

Gasket "looks good" like something I would put on my motor...if it seals.

Jerry, when you do get to Elizabethton check them out for us and see what else they can make.

Greenest State in the Land of the Free.

Check out the IT Short Bus forum for how to post photos Fred.

Dennis