Liquid gasket on valve cover?

polkat wrote:

Just went out and did some carefull measurements. Seems there is at least 1/16th inch of clearance even if no gasket or sealant is used, so I'm okay there. )

Not necessarily. There is a cam chain tensioner attached to the cover on mine that bears down on the chain so dropping it .030" downward into the chain might not be good.

Watch out and don't over do the sealant, it will squeeze out into the motor, what you see squeezing out on the outside is the same inside. I just took apart a 12A RX7 motor that had Ultra Grey every where, cooling passages blocked, oil pick-up blocked etc.
Still like the "RUBBERIZED" CORK. This is what the best gasket maker in the USA, FELPRO, uses for many valve covers and oil pans. Just don't over tighten it.

polkat wrote:

I'm not necessarily going to go with sealant only myself, but after reading how Ford, Chrysler, GM and others are now going the sealant route only (except of course head gaskets) on many of their engines, and having some past experience with it myself, I'm not fully convenced that paper gaskets are the only way to go. I'll probably try it and if it doesn't work out...well, then I will have learned!

I think they specially design their stuff to work better with liquid gasket. The probably have channels in their parts so that it doesn't squeeze into the engine and whatnot.

I wouldn't want to glue any of my covers on using sealant. Seems to me that the next time you remove the cover it will be stuck on, but even if it isn't you will need to clean the old sealant off and put more on everytime a cover is removed. I say use a gasket mounted dry. This is how I do my valve cover and I can remove/replace it many times using the same gasket with no leaks (in fact I've only replaced it once in 33 years). On the clutch cover I use sealant only on the section where the manual calls for it. Otherwise removing the clutch cover would be difficult. Ed

I agree too. Use a thin paper gasket dry, then every time the cover is removed it pops right off and the gasket can be reused for many reassemblys if you're careful.

bountyhunter brings up a point I didn't consider. Yes, not using a gasket would bring the top chain guide lower (by about the thickness of a gasket although measuring my old gasket-after compression-it came out at maybe .017". Maybe a little less actually when you consider the thickness of the cured sealent. Not that much of a drop. That wouldn't effect the exhaust cam any, but it would slightly advance the intake cam just barely. But would it be enough to matter?

It would be spread on thinly with a finger, not gobbed on, and I have found that removing old sealers like silicon for example is a pretty simple process.

Again, this is just a thought, but seems a lot more convenient then sending off for a gasket whenever needed and then waiting around to get it.

when you installyour new valve cover gasket put some spray adhesive on the valve cover side of it and leave the bottem side dry.
then you can pull the valve cover off once then just wipe down bottem side of gasket really good and throw a little sealer on there

These are all reasons why we use Permatex #2.
It doesnt solidify like regular gasket maker, thus no clogs anywhere if a little oozes into the engine.
I doesnt cause any detrimental contamination of the oil either...
It can be used everywhere, even in the presence of gasoline! It wont leak/melt or nothing like the other gasket products.

Removal is super easy. Just gently pry the parts apart (very little effort), then use a rag and some break cleaner to remove the old gasket! :woohoo:

Its the #&%$! I'm tellin ya! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

1194 for base... REAL gasket for head...

+ I hate the look of pieces of paper sanwiched all over an engine, you can just wipe excess liquid gasket away!