The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop valve cover?

Hi, Just having a bit of a proble making the valve cover leak proof. Any tips would be welcome. It appears to be staight and flat but the darn thing leaks like a you know what! I have tried two types of sealers and new gaskets to no avail. HELP, DAVE

1940 GMC 1ton, red/black flatbed stakeside
1998 Dodge 3/4 ton cummins pumped and lifted

What kind of engine are you working on

sorry about that, its the stock 228

First check the flatness with a straight edge that is long enough to cover most all of the surface where the gasket sits. If over all flatness is ok. Make sure you aren't over tightening the bolts/screws that hold the cover down. If I remember right, all you need is about 5 to 7 foot pounds. As soon as you see the gasket start to squeeze out stop. It helps to put your sealant on both the cover and the head.

DaveD
I have a couple of questions:

Has this motor been recently overhauled?
(if so I am stumped follow previous advise)
If not:

Is there a lot of sludge on and around the valves and springs?
(you may have slow oil return - clean out oil return passages)

Good luck

DaveD, I have the same engine in my GMC. That gasket can slide around because there are no bolt holes to hold it in place. Taking the advise of a few guys here, I used some 3M weatherstrip adhesive to stick the new gasket to the valve cover itself. Don't install the cover until the adhesive is dry, this way you can be sure that the gasket is stuck to the proper place under the cover. Those valve covers also have a cone shaped nut and rubber washer to fasten the cover. If you are not using the proper nuts and washers then oil could leak out the two holes as well.

[ 12-17-2001: Message edited by: 53 4 me ]

Thanks for the tips. Using the weatherstrip adhesive sounds alike a great idea. I have checked the valve cover for flatness and it is really pretty good. I was real careful the last time to not tighten it to much in fact I was afraid it might come lose but it still leaks. I am giong to try the weatherstrip stuff I will let you know, Dave

3M's the way to go...... NEVER USE SILICONE! Jeez, I hate that stuff on cars! (I'm a mechanic). Silicone fills gaps, but doesn't adhere to metal well, so it leaks. The previous posts are right on!

Dave, for what it's worth, I had a similar problem with a new-used oil pan on my '44 235. Put it on, it leaked. Put sealant all around it, it still leaked terribly. Eventually sent it to a "mechanic". He put it on, and it leaked. He said he finally learned from someone to "pop" the pan, to get it to the right shape. I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds sorta like a twisty, back-cracking sorta allignment thing. Anyway, what-ever it was, it did the trick!

Probably no help at all, but thought I'd throw it in! :confused:

-Michael

Well, i have 3-m'ed the valve cover and gasket. It looked good stuck on real nice, then 3-m'ed the gasket-valve cover to the head. Its just sitten in the garage waiting till tommorrow. I thought I should let it set up overnite so I'll let you know what happened. I have found another valve cover though so i guess thats the next step if this doesnt work. dave

Dave, When I did my valve cover, I did not use adhesive to stick the valve cover gasket to the head. The adhesive holding the gasket to the cover is sufficient to hold the gasket from moving around.

Well it worked. I may have blown it though cause I stuck it to the head as well. Good thing I adjusted tyhe valves first! But it doesnt leak! and thats one leak down and 2 to go( pan and side cover). Thanks for the tip, Dave