Valve Cover Sealing Problems
 

Hello, I have a 77 Cordoba with a 400. Got it from my grandfather and it had been sitting for several years. The old cork gaskets were quite brittle. I have since replaced them with rubber gaskets but cannot seem to get them to seal. The valve cover gasket flanges are straight, and I have tried gasket tack to keep the gaskets in place. The sealing surface on the head is clean, but has quite a rough casting to it. They are a 6 bolt cover as I recall, 4 on the bottom and 2 on the top. The car isnt close so I cant double check but Im fairly sure there are 6 bolts. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have heard that the oil return galleys may sometimes plug and flood the seal, that is what I am about to check next. Thanks

Run a small bead of RTV around the gasket and bolt er up.:D

I agree with Polaradude. I'd also suggest getting a set of valve cover studs. They cure a lot of headaches and make the installation pretty foolproof. Just screw in the studs, drop the gasket on the studs, drop the VC on, and torque down the nuts. If they don't make a stud kit for your car/motor, a quick trip to a hardware storee is all it takes to make your own, just get grade 8 hardware so you don't ever have to worry about stuff snapping off in your block. Good luck! :D

You said you used rubber gaskets? Never had luck with those. Cork/rubber is the way I've always gone and had few problems. Torque on the hold downs should only be about 12ftlbs. Small bead if sealant if you want, but I just used hi-tack to hold the gasket in place and get good results.

Thanks everyone. Ill give that a shot.

There used to be some load spreaders, almost a diamond shape with a hole in the middle to help the bolt head spread the pressure onto a larger area of the head sealing surface. That may help. Me, I've always liked heavy cast valve covers, almost never get a leak.

yeah i was thinking about seeing if they had some of those long flat washers

If you are using just the bolts, it won't seal properly. Those longer washers help out quiet a bit (or at least from my experience with them).

Second, when it come to valve covers and oil pans, I too have never had any good luck with rubber gaskets. As soon as I installed a set of cork gaskets with a little bit of Indian Head glue (I think thats what it is) I never had a problem. Put some of that on both sides, use a set of those washers with studs coming out of the heads and you should be golden.

i use rubber gaskets
i install them, drive the car, then re-tighten the bolts
i've never had a problem by doing this

I bought rubber gaskets too. I had to run the car a few times before they sealed. Must have gotten hot and sticky.

i tossed out the rubber ones, and picked up some nice rubber coated fibre ones. they are a little thick. too thick to use spreaders with the factory bolts, but i ended up cutting some 1/4 bolts into studs, worked good.