Valve cover gaskets?

[87turbot-type]

I am running TA valve covers and cork style gaskets. Are you guys using a bit of silicone on them as well. I put oil in my engine and they were leaking out the sides.

Good news is that I primed the engine with a drill and she's got good oil pressure.

Thanks!

 

[Alky V6]

Normally, cork for the pan and valve covers give a good seal. You shouldn't need to use silicone with it. I can get away with reusing cork gaskets after adjusting valves around 4 to 5 times.

When initially installing a new cork gasket, you will need to go around the bolts more than a few times until the gasket has compressed and settled down. Check again after a week or so. Don't overtighten and squeeze the gasket out. Using silicone can actually encourage a cork gasket to squeeze out. Not good. Make sure surfaces are clean and DRY.

 

[S2V6RACER]

I put a little high tack sealant on the valve cover and then it basically is glued to the V/C. No issues there at all. We had the blue silicone Fel-pros on the car at Cecil and the valve covers have a inherent issue where the gasket slips into the cover and leaks oil everywhere.

 

[gnxtc2]

With the TA valve covers, the FelPro cork gaskets are the best. The valve cover gets thin along the bottom edge. I trimmed the tabs on the gasket to fit the notches on the TA covers.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com

 

[qwic87gn]

I can't begin to tell you the troubles I have had with what used to be a simple task of changing the valve cover gaskets, since I went away from the stock covers. I'm using the TA covers as well, and have tried cork(dry, and sealent), rubber(dry and sealent), and "the right stuff". All of them leaked on the passenger side. I finally tried Felpros Permadry, and the leaks have stopped. Give them a dry.