Any thoughts on re-using valve cover gaskets?

[OneEyed]

I had the valve covers off last fall, painted them and put in new gaskets but they still leak. My plan is to take them off and apply gasket maker to the gaskets and then sandwich it all together. Can I re-use those gaskets? Any other thoughts or ideas? Thanks.

 

[68Bigred]

I just use light coat of the high temp rtv not enough to squeeze out and ruin look. Never had a leak.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Typically you seal it to the cover and dry to the head, you should be able to reuse doing it this way. If you seal both sides good chance you'll destroy them when you pull the covers.


Alan

 

[Zymurgy]

Typically you seal it to the cover and dry to the head, you should be able to reuse doing it this way. If you seal both sides good chance you'll destroy them when you pull the covers.


Alan

That is exactly what I did with just a light coat of the black sealer, no leaks and mine is a cork gasket and they have been off once since the original installation. If there is none of the gasket stuck too the head I would give it a shot, only out of your time if it leaks.

 

[livininharrow]

Typically you seal it to the cover and dry to the head, you should be able to reuse doing it this way. If you seal both sides good chance you'll destroy them when you pull the covers.


Alan

x 2

 

[Tink]

The valve cover flange needs to be straight and over tightening can cause it to warp. With older cars that we have not owned since birth, that can happen. Resist over tightening stamped steel valve covers by using an inch pound torque wrench.

 

[commando1]

What works for me. Your mileage may vary.
Hammer absolutely every inch of valve cover flange to insure flatness.
Apply gook to 1 side of NEW gasket. I haver never reused gaskets. The cork gaskets are cheap. Nothing wrong with cork when unstalled the following way.
Apply gook to valve cover.
Apply gasket to valve cover.
Press to where gook seeps out.
Remove excess gook and let dry overnight.
Apply gook to remaining side of gasket.
Install valve cover, torque to spec, remove excess gook.
Retorque after 500 miles.

It will never leak. Ever.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Gook = gorilla snot................?

 

[commando1]

Whatever my hand comes out with after I plunge it into my bin full of 3/4 used sealers.

 

[barnfind]

I agree with Stan on the flatness of the metal, with an addition. I use 2 ball peen hammers to counter sink the bolt hole area on any sheet metal (Pan / valve cover / trans pan) usually 2 light taps from the gasket side of the metal. I angle the tin against a vise for minimuim surface bends. Once you have a slight convex curve (as seem from the outside of your tin) it gives the bolt something to bite on and allows better clamping power. I use a thin bead smeared with my fingers on the gasket tin side only. I also prefer cork / cork, rubber.


If the bolt area is concave or dished(as seen from the outside of the tin) torqing to spec will have the same results as you have now My .02

 

[bluefury361]

If your gaskets were leaking then discard them and start with new, (cork or rubber). Straighten the cover gasket flange, glue the gasket to the cover and install on a clean dry head surface. Tighten to 25 In pounds and run through a heat cycle, then re-torque.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Glue the gaskets to the valve cover with 3M trim adhesive( yellow snot) lay them flat on the floor with something heavy on them 20-30# worth next day bolt them on.

 

[tbm3fan]

Try sealing valve cover gaskets on a 390 or any FE. First there is the junction where the head and manifold meet unlike other engines. Need a little silicon there. Next the cover flange needs to be perfectly flat and most aren't by the time you get it. Next, believe it or not I don't use that much gasket sealer on the cover side, but just enough to hold in position. Then I use my finger to spread a thin film of white grease on the head side of the gasket to ease future removal. Then torque it down with my inch torque wrench to 60 in. lbs. Voila, no leaks.

Building a Mopar 383-440 is boys play while building a Ford 390-428 is for real men...

 

[commando1]

Building a Mopar 383-440 is boys play while building a Ford 390-428 is for real men...

I have way too much invested in Mopar literature, manuals, books, links, etc, etc, etc, to want to even try.
I'm NOT starting from scratch again.

 

[OneEyed]

Stripped the paint off, sanded to rough up the surface, then I used the ball hammer method to pound out the bolt hole areas and I also straightened them as best I could see. They did look pretty warped where the leaks were. I never bothered to do that the first time around. Didn't have any primer so I did the three step POR-15, then I did three light coats of my color of choice (Don't ask,lol). I applied gook to the valve cover and a thin layer to the gasket side that mates up with the valve cover, set them in place and pressed them in til they seemed sticky enough to hold while I worked them into the engine bay.

I don't have an inch pound torque wrench so I used my 1/4" drive set with a long extension. Got them finger tight, then I put a ratchet on a gave a little more. I figure the concave of the metal pounding I gave em aught to allow for any overtightening, which I was very careful NOT to do.

Side note - Since the inch pound torque for these is so low and it seems nearly impossible to get in there without an extension....how accurate can you really get with the proper torque? Because when you add an extension that messes up your torque, correct? I think of those torque sticks that tire shops use.

 

[butchr66]

What motor?

 

[OneEyed]

383

 

[commando1]

Here's my in-lb torque wrench specification for valve covers:
Twist ratchet using palm only until it feels like the pickle jar lid is tight enough to travel safely in a cooler....

No. Honest. It is the same spec.

 

[OneEyed]

I like that analogy. My pickles might leak a little bit, I'll recheck it tonight before I start it up.