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Valve Cover Gaskets

Started by domer, July 10, 2010, 11:49:39 AM

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domer

So I will be picking up my new valve cover gaskets today that were ordered a few days ago. The guy at the counter mentioned that the gaskets can sometimes be a real pain in the rear to get them to completely seal up.
Is there any thing special I should do or look for when installing the new gaskets? Any sealant recommended? Torque requirements?
Dominique Vasquez #24943
1959 Coupe Deville http://bit.ly/1XkRuZc
1994 Fleetwood  http://bit.ly/1OTqOf1

Jeff Maltby 4194

Did you purchase cork or rubber gaskets and what year Cadillac are these for ?
Jeffo 49er chapter

CLC 1985
Honda Gold Wing GL1500

domer

Its a 59 and they are cork
Dominique Vasquez #24943
1959 Coupe Deville http://bit.ly/1XkRuZc
1994 Fleetwood  http://bit.ly/1OTqOf1

Otto Skorzeny

They don't seem any harder to fit than any other valve cover gaskets on other cars.

Don't over tighten.

Put a thin layer of grease on the mating surface of the head

Make sure your flanges of the covers are straight and the screw holes aren't dished out.
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

domer

I bought some gasket sealant to add between the valve cover and the gasket.  Should I add grease to the surface between the gasket and the head.
Sorry for my ignorance Forrest but exactly what do you mean by dished out holes?
Dominique Vasquez #24943
1959 Coupe Deville http://bit.ly/1XkRuZc
1994 Fleetwood  http://bit.ly/1OTqOf1

Otto Skorzeny

#5
Sometimes valve covers that have been over-tightened in the past may have the area around the screw holes pushed in. From the side they look cone-shaped or like upside down volcanoes. If they look like that, you'll need to tap them back into shape with wooden blocks and pegs or something soft enough not to damage the metal but hard enough to flatten it back out.

If your surfaces are both nice and smooth and straight you probably won't need the gasket cement.

I put grease on the head surface between it and the the gasket.

Tighten the screws down equally and gradually like you would on head bolts or lug nuts or whatever, alternating back and forth so as not to warp the cover.
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

35-709

Those valve cover gasket screws should not be "grunt" tight, that is what deforms the metal around the screw holes and can also ruin a new gasket. The book torque setting for the valve cover screws is 30 INCH pounds for a 472/500, it is 25 INCH pounds for the 429.  I purchased some "special" aftermarket gaskets for my 472 which call for 40 INCH pounds.  Personal choice, I would not use gasket CEMENT between the gasket and the valve cover although a light, skim coat of high temp RTV might be beneficial.
Geoff N.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

Caddy Wizard

Otto has it right -- make sure the flanges (rims) of the valve covers are perfectly flat and straight.  Also, make sure the screw holes have not become dished (usually due to over-tightening of the screws).  Use a small block of wood as an anvil and a small hammer to flatten the screw holes back out.


I think there is a torque spec and almost no one uses it.  USE IT!  Valve covers won't leak a drop, if done correctly.  Heck, I was running Mobil-1 synthetic oil in my 49 331 and the engine never leaked a drop (and synthetic oil is harder to seal against leaks using old-style gaskets and seals).


As for gasket sealant, only use it to glue the gasket into place in the cover -- don't use any between the gasket and the head.


Art
Art Gardner


1955 S60 Fleetwood sedan (now under resto -- has been in paint shop since June 2022!)
1955 S62 Coupe (future show car? 2/3 done)
1958 Eldo Seville (2/3 done)

domer

Thanks everyone. I have a torque wrench but its just a bit too big to fit it into the work space. Can anyone post a picture of their torque wrench. One more thing, if I use a wrench extension on the torque wrench, will it throw off the correct torque force?
Thanks
Dominique Vasquez #24943
1959 Coupe Deville http://bit.ly/1XkRuZc
1994 Fleetwood  http://bit.ly/1OTqOf1

Otto Skorzeny

#9
Theoretically an extension shouldn't have any effect on the torque. In reality, the slop and wobble inherent in an extension will alter the true value of the actual force applied to the fastener since the force will not be applied exactly centered on the bolt.

But you're not assembling the Mars Rover for NASA so don't sweat it. The inconsistencies will be negligible.

I assumed you were talking about a socket extension and not an extension of the wrench handle (cheater bar) right?




fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

David King (kz78hy)

Domer

Dale Armstrong gave me a tip on this issue.  The gasket material today is not as thick as the original, so that can be a problem as the flange on the valve cover could make contact with the head, when torqued to spec.  Dale suggested that I grind off a 1/16" of the end of the flange all the way around the valve cover. to ensure that the cover will not come in contact with the head.

Something else to consider.

David
David King
CLC 22014  (life)
1958 Eldorado Brougham 615
1959 Eldorado Brougham 56- sold
1960 Eldorado Brougham 83- sold
1998 Deville d'Elegance
1955 Eldorado #277
1964 Studebaker Commander
2012 Volt
CLCMRC benefactor 197

Director and Founder, Eldorado Brougham Chapter
Past President, Motor City Region

Rare Parts brand suspension parts Retailer via Keep'em Running Automotive

35-709

Hmmm, that's a new one on me.  I've always been my understanding that the flange on the valve cover fit over the flange on the head that the gasket contacts.  I'd be wanting to see if that were so before I ground anything off the valve cover flange by setting the valve cover in place with no gasket. 
Geoff N.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

35-709

"Thanks everyone. I have a torque wrench but its just a bit too big to fit it into the work space. Can anyone post a picture of their torque wrench."

My inch pound torque wrench is a small 1/4" drive Snap-On unit that I bought on eBay several years ago for $100 and had the calibration checked.  A 12" extension, with possibly a "universal" between the extension and the socket for some areas, should get the job done.  What engine is this again?  I can take a picture of mine in the morning if you like.  Looks just like a 3/8s drive foot pound torque wrench only a lot smaller.   ;D   As Otto pointed out, a straight line extension won't change anything.   
Geoff N.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

Otto Skorzeny

He's working on a 1959 390. Same as my '56 365. I've never had any problem using stock cork gaskets. No metal on metal contact with the cover flanges and no leaking. That would be pretty hard to grind them evenly all the way around anyway.
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

David King (kz78hy)

Geoff,

The 365 heads on mine, and I assume the 390's are similar, there are areas that have flat surfaces and extend beyond the valve cover zone, like in the center where the exhaust cross over port is.  So, if the gasket is not thicker when compressed than the height of the flange, a hard contact could happen.

The high limit is 25 in/lbs of torque on the 1/4-20 bolts.  I still had a few leaks at the rear, so they got tightened by feel until the leak stopped.

Probably overkill on this, but I had my flanges shortened before painting.

David
David King
CLC 22014  (life)
1958 Eldorado Brougham 615
1959 Eldorado Brougham 56- sold
1960 Eldorado Brougham 83- sold
1998 Deville d'Elegance
1955 Eldorado #277
1964 Studebaker Commander
2012 Volt
CLCMRC benefactor 197

Director and Founder, Eldorado Brougham Chapter
Past President, Motor City Region

Rare Parts brand suspension parts Retailer via Keep'em Running Automotive

domer

So what is the correct position of the wing shaped spacers for each of the four  1/4" bolts?  Are the wings facing out towards you or do they point in towards the intake?
Dominique Vasquez #24943
1959 Coupe Deville http://bit.ly/1XkRuZc
1994 Fleetwood  http://bit.ly/1OTqOf1

J. Gomez

J. Gomez
CLC #23082

35-709

"The 365 heads on mine, and I assume the 390's are similar, there are areas that have flat surfaces and extend beyond the valve cover zone, like in the center where the exhaust cross over port is.  So, if the gasket is not thicker when compressed than the height of the flange, a hard contact could happen."

OK.  Don't think I ever had the valve covers off my '60 Coupe.  Believe my approach would have been to glue two gaskets together in that case, if it were really necessary.
Geoff N.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

william_b_noble

if the new gaskets are too thin, make ones that are the proper thickness - closed cell neoprene is inexpensive, cut with a razor knife - this is not a high precision gasket.  I would not grind the flange or otherwise modify the cover.  I have no leaks on my 59 after rebuild and I made no modifications to the mating surfaces.  I do like to glue the gasket to the valve cover so that it will tend to come off in one piece when you need to remove the cover.
Bill N - clc # 2371

domer

Well fellas,
I put the new gaskets on the valve covers and installed the valve covers a couple of nights ago. I fired her up and she was smoking from the rear sides of each cover. I thought maybe it was just oil residue from the previous leaks. I let her run for a while but the smoke never cleared up. I fired her up again last night in the garage and had the same result. I finally had a chance to take her for a short 30 minute cruise. I got her up to about 65 a few times. I pulled into the garage, opened the hood and I didn't see anymore smoke. I'm hoping the issue has been resolved and it just wasn't luck. One thing I didn't like when I opened the hood was the sight of the fuel slightly percolating in the fuel filter bowl and only a quarter full in the bowl...I'm guessing potential vapor lock. I shut off the car and she had no troubles restarting immediately after shut down or about an hour later. My radiator cap seemed to be costantly making a burping sound. I didn't see any coolant loss on my garage floor. Not sure what its about. Normal? I just went out to the garage to snap a pic of the cap and its still burping???
Anyways I didn't use any glue on the gasket surface between the cover and the gasket because I figured I would have to remove them again after failing to correct the leak. I did apply a small amount of grease to the surface between the head and the gaskets. I torqued the bolts to 25 inch lbs. Wish me luck.
I truly appreciate everyone's help on this task. I understand this is rookie stuff for most of you all but I will take all the help I can get. Always willing to learn. I will continue to keep my eyes on the covers.
Thank you very much
dominique 
Dominique Vasquez #24943
1959 Coupe Deville http://bit.ly/1XkRuZc
1994 Fleetwood  http://bit.ly/1OTqOf1