Leaking 440 valve covers
 

Ok a friend of mine has a 1976 powerwagon that he has put a 440ci RV engine in he has an issue of the left valve cover leaking at the rear of the cover. he thought at first it was because the engine has so much torgue that it was rolling over and hitting the brake booster. He has clearanced the valve cover so it would not hit. It still leaks he has tried everything from new gaskets, RTV different covers and even the stock covers( i forgot to mention that he has the Mopar valve covers the ones with the pentastar on it) and it still leaks. Anyone come accross this issue or know why or how to correct it? Thanks

This isn't the friend that confused you about coolant in heads and crank shafts is it?

Is the cover hitting the rockers, causing it to not seal?

Sadly it is the same friend, I do not know if the rockers are hitting or not. How could i tell?

The valve cover won't sit flush all the way around. It will rock back and forth.

An easy way to see it they are not hitting is to paint the insde rail where the gasket would go with a red or orange paint. Then sit the cover on the head. If the cover is sitting all the way around, there should be that color paint on the head then. If not, you know where the leak is.

sweet, thanks I'll have him try that

unless the engine mounts are bad, the engine shouldn't move too much

I'd say your "friend" needs a motor mount.

My friend says that the engine mounts are new at least new when he put the engine in years ago. He brought up an interresting question about the rockers hitting the covers. Wouldn't they make a noise? He also added that the covers do not leak during/after casual driving just when he gets on it. I agree I think engine mounts if it truely is rolling over and hitting the brake booster.

There is some crank case pressure under the covers when its running. Maybe when he gets on it the pressure is blowing part of the seal out?

The rockers would make some noise. How does the surface of the head look?

I never thought about the pressure. I will have to get back to you on the surface of the heads because he has it parked right now and does not have the time to work on it. Thanks:)

just take the4 valve covers off, and inspect them
if they are being hit, they'll have marks on them

mine are leaking too. The repair manuel calls for 8 lbs. torque.

bochyhawg, is that foot or inch lbs?

Leaking 440 valve covers
 

Mine quit leaking. i guess it takes those rubber gaskets a while to seal. Aint checked the tightness of the nuts.

rubber ones require tightening every so often