Valve cover gasket

Quick question. What is the consensus on installing a valve cover gasket? Just put the gasket on dry or use some gasket tack and attach it to the valve cover? Any tips or tricks so that I will not be redoing this in 6 months? Thanks.

 

Ooooooo, great question. I just got a chrome one for my 258 and want to know the same thing! It came with a rubber "re-usable" gasket but have heard horror stories....

I'll kick back and wait for an answer with ya' MA74CJ5

 

Have drink on me.

 

i listened to a friend and put mine on without anything .probably the most stupid thing i did in lets see how long i been married? anyway leaks more than before getting ready to do all over again.

 

Oh jeez. Typical 258 problem You should see mine.

The drill at the Jeep dealership was, first make sure all surfaces are perfectly clean and flat. Use the rubber gasket - Felpro sells them. Glue the gasket in to the valve cover with a little silicone. Lightly coat the head surface with oil. Apply a thin coating of silicone to the gasket surface. Tighten evenly till the silicone oozes out some. Don't overtighten! I use a nutdriver, not a rachet.

The steel 258 covers are usually distorted from overtightening. If you bend the cover from overtightening, they will leak. When you take the cover off, check to see if the metal around the screw holes is pushed in (distorted). If it is, use a small hammer and dolly (steel block? something flat) to straighten the metal.

Most of these, even brand new, would seep a little. If it does, I'd live with it. The later plastic covers were much worse. Don't overtighten!

 

I used the silicone-orange-heat-resistant stuff, without anything else, and it hold great, no leaks. As someone pointed out, make sure the cover is straight. i used a file to draw-file it flat, and a hammer to adjust the holes.

Put a nice bead, install cover and screw it back evenly all around, until you see the bead coming out all around.


My 2 cents



Bob in Sherbrooke, Province of Québec

 

Tim do you use the blue gasket silicone or something like gasket tack? Tighten down till it is nutdriver tight and no more?

The one I bought I think is cork. Is the drill any different with a cork gasket?

 

I use the blue goop. If you have a hard time getting the gasket to stay in the cover when you install it, then maybe you could use gasket cement. Makes a mess when you remove the gasket though, especially if it's cork.

Yes, nutdriver tight will be fine. If you crank down on the screw, the cover will distort and it will leak. A 1/4" ratchet would be ok, but just tighten enough so that the sealant squeezes out.

I don't know whether the rubber is better because it's reusable, or more pliable, or because it fits better. The Jeep Corp. rubber gaskets always fit well.

 

While we are on the topic of valve covers, are most people using their stock covers or going to aftermarket ones? I'm trying to decide if I want to buy some chrome aftermarket ones or just get my stock covers chrome dipped.

 

The most important advice on this subject.

 

Thanks for all the replys. So are we to say that a cork gasket will seal just as well as a rubber gasket?

 

It will seal just as well, but the rubber ones fit better and can be reused if you should have to pull a valve cover. I always try to go with the rubber ones.

 

How is your self anti rust option going to work if you don't have a leaky valve cover gasket

High5

 

Is there some kind of load spreader you guys could use? I know they sell them for small block Chevy's, I had them on my racecar. They were a piece of steel about 4 inches long. The cover bolts hold them down and they have a very slight bend to them to distribute the clamping load over a greater distance than just at the hole.

 

I haven't tried them on a Jeep yet, but I have used them on several other vehicles that they weren't made for. Could be a good idea.

 

Well the thing is, it always leaked like a sive (spelling?). But the other day I noticed it starting to puddle on the insake manifold where it meets the head. I also smelled it burning on the exhaust manifold and smoking quite a bit. I don't want any fires. I think that it was leaking for a long time and finally blew out. What do you think?

 

Sounds like it is pretty much normal to me.

 

I must have gotten lucky with mine so far (its only been on the road for a month). I have a cork gasket thats somewhat soaked with oil. I left the cover loose while working on everything and it leaked out some. When i put it together for good i wiped everything off and tightened it down with 1/4" ratchet very lightly and i have no leaks yet at all. The gasket is even squished around some of the bolt holes.. and yes i do have oil inside the top-end of the engine! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for no leaks though...

 

Might work if you could make some to fit. I haven't looked at the valve cover in a while, but I recall it's got a funny shape, with bays that curve in to clear the head bolts. Not mostly rectangular like the V8 manifolds, so the same spreader design probably won't work.