Valve cover leaks

I had similar issues at first, here's what I do and don;t have a single leak now... Maybe will work out for you...

Pop off the end caps, clean out the head wells and install the caps dry. While in place (dry) place a true straight edge (small torpedo level) over them insuring they are level with the head decking.

If uneven or are higher than the head decking SLOWLY a little at a time, checking in between regularly, file NOT DREMEL, until you have all the caps flush with the head....

One at a time, I put 3 Bond sealer under each cap, lightly snug fit into place and then placed a gasket & valve over and torqued down until the sealer has cured.... This will fit and seal the end caps at the tight heights to valve cover....

NOTE: While still wet, wipe away excess sealer from under end cams.

Once cured remove the valve cover & gasket, check again with your straight edge.... All should be good!

Now for my gasket, I use Permatex Copper spray on both sides of the gasket, following the can directions.... This acts as a sealer for a paper product type gasket material. After a couple minutes of dry time, install on the head and toque down the cover....

For extra insurance cause it's such a pain in the ass removing the tank and such to get the cover off, Apply a small amount, NON BEAD, wipe with your finger a thin coat of the Permatex copper gasket maker over the end caps ~ 1" pass the end cap width for a really good seal...

Install & torque your valve cover, start the engine until warm, observe if you have any leaks... None good, take for a short run then back home... Any leaks, none good.... Go for a ride!

Again, worked for me, no problems....

OMR

Wile wrote:

bountyhunter wrote:

Wile wrote:

Also put in a light coat of permatex on all surfaces.

I use the black ultra high temp gasket maker.

Maybe I'll try a diferent brand of sealer.

and torque the cover to about 60 - 70 inch pounds. It will seal it.

Pounds or ounces?

70 inch-pounds. You need a low range torque wrench, that's only about 5 -6 foot-pounds.

Pounds or ounces?

70 inch-pounds. You need a low range torque wrench, that's only about 5 -6 foot-pounds.

Ok got ya 70/12=5.8

Have you checked the Tach seal also?...Russ

I also had valve cover leaking problem but I found the best way to fix it. I made my own gasket from rubberized cork, 3 mm thickness.
I put old gasket on cork sheet and spray it with some paint. Then I cut new gasket from cork sheet and coating it with a synthetic grease. I use threebond only on my aluminium cam end plugs and nowhere else. In that way I can use same valve cover gasket many times cos it cant stick to the valve cover or head.

After a bunch of the new gaskets in my Athena rebuild kit failed immediately after fire up, I made some gaskets using the 1/32 vulcanized fiber (rubberized paper) material at auto zone. I think it has the part number N8904 or something like that on the back. I looked the material up on the net, it's very good stuff. I made a cylinder base gasket to replace the one that disintegrated and made several valve cover gaskets since I kept pulling the cover to check valves and do some things.. A year later, no leaks anywhere. Seems like very good stuff, a bit thinner than the stock valve cover gasket.

As for cork: I also tried that for valve cover, but it didn't hold up well for mine. maybe it wasn't good material.