The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop push rod cover gasket

Fel-Pro tells me that no sealant is required on this cork gasket, well I have leaks in each corner on the bottom and a bolt can be jacked in only so far.There is a 53/4" gap between the bolts in each corner. any suggestions? This is on an inline 6

Lay a straight edge on your cover. Many have been distorted by previous over tightening. The original bolts on a GMC had Phillips head screws as well as a 7/16 hex. Tightening them with a screw driver was sufficient. If you have a leak and try to stop it by tightening the bolts more, you will only distort the cover more. If they are distorted, I straighten them with a straight edge. I refresh the bolt holes by putting a small ball peen hammer in each hole and tap it a little with another hammer. This is best accomplished by laying it on a block of wood.

There is a 6" span between all of those screws on the side cover. Like Ken said, make sure the sealing surface is straight and that the stiffening flanges are not bent or torn and that the holes are not dimpled. Don't over tighten the screws, that's what bends up the covers.
Plain cork gaskets will weep, in other words the gasket will get oil soaked and you will probably see damp metal around the gasket edges. Some of the gaskets are/were rubberized and they were better at keeping the dry on the outside.
Even though I worked for Chevrolet in the late 50's and early 60's my memory isn't good enough for me to remember what a stovebolt looked like after it had been in the field for a few years. They just may have been moist with oil like most of ours are today.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Old Chevys and old Harleys share one trait. If they aren't leaking oil they don't have oil in them.

My father got rid of his Chev car in 1949 and bought a 49 DeSoto from his brother. He had a 2 car garage with a concrete floor. He kept the DeSoto and his best GMC in the garage. He kept a wheelbarrow full of sand under each. I had to change the GMC side a whole lot oftener than the DeSoto side. There was so much caked oil and dirt on the side, it covered the oil pan bolt holes. I have had good luck on GMC by straightening the side cover an then using RTV silicon and no gasket at all.

Per a tip here on the bolt, I started using Permatex #2 gasket sealer vs silicon on the tin parts, seals great and leaks are gone. Also you could step up to an aluminum push rod cover.

Also had what I thought was a rear main seal leak in the past, turns out oil was leaking around the timing gear cover screws and running all the way to the back of the motor. Since that fiasco I'm using a teflon thread sealer in timing cover screws.

Best of luck

Thanks very much for your input, I'll hollar back with my results

Jim.S.

The use of the sealant can sometimes prevent the cork from weeping. Years ago there used to be something called gasket shellac and it did the job.

I recently purchased a FelPro gasket set and the rod cover gasket I have is some kind of synthetic material, not cork at all. Maybe they've upgraded it? I haven't mounted it yet to see if it is any better though.

i am going to rebuild my 235 i have in a 1950 1\2 ton truck i have been thinking about putting on a header and 4 barrel intake what do you guys think

jeffrey97,
I think your question doesn't belong in this thread. Maybe you would like to start a new topic?