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Triumph TR6 - Valve Cover Gasket

Quick question. When replacing valve cover gasket, wet or dry seal?..If wet, with motor oil?
Thanks
Lorne Collins

not much description with your ?...my advise is to completely clean any trace of the old gasket from the head and v/c...then apply a bead of gorrila snot(3m weatherstrip adhesive to the v/c around the perimeter and attach the gasket...let the adhesive set up for about 30 min. then you can install the v/c being careful not to let the gasket drop to the inside of the v/c...a little trick to return the v/c back to original sizing...take the ball end of a ballpein hamer and place it on the inside of each of the stud holes and tap it with another hammer, this will flatten the most likley concave tops of the holes to give a better seal
Chip Collingwood

Chip, would that help with the oil I blow out through the studs and stud holes?

John
JL Bryan

Lorne - I use a method which has been able to stop leaks from the gasket cover for 5 years now, using the same cork gasket!Although I use an alloy cover (which does not distort the same as the OE steel one) I still think the principle is better than the 'traditional' way of fitting the gasket.

With a very clean head suface (using a razor blade and methylated spirits) apply an engine silicone gasket goo to glue the cork gasket to the HEAD ONLY. Use the cover to correctly locate it, but do not tighten or run the engine until the silicone is cured. Be generous with the silicone - cut off the excess on the outside of the gasketwith a blade when cured.

with this method, a small 'dam' is formed by the gasket - particularly necessary at the rear of the head as the engine slopes backwards.

The cover goes onto the gasket 'dry'.

I have the cover off at least 3 times a year and it still works well.
Roger H

JL...yes it will help with the seepage out of the top of the v/c stud holes...also try fitting new fiber washers or o-rings to seal the studs...Moss part no. 324-680
Chip Collingwood

observation: Chip and Roger have very similar methods with no sealant applied to one of the mating surfaces. What if on a subsequent removal of v/c I get oil on the gasket surface...would it still seal? Chip likes using 3m weather stripping adhesive. Does this hold up to the temps and oil okay? How much torque on the v/c?
Thanks Lorne for posting this question.
Chris
c.a.e. emenhiser

I found some rubber washers the size of the washers under the nylocks at a "I have it all" type of supply store. The rubber washer goes on first ( after the ballpeine thing) then torque to 5 Lbs. My gasket is dry on the top so removal is easy to do valve adjustments.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

I did the valve cover straighten and repaint last summer when I adjusted the valves. The bolt holes required the manditory flattening, only I used the flat end of the ballpeine hammer and a carefully chosen piece of scrap lumber on which to work.

The gasket came off in one piece so I did the tried and true method I learned years back, clean all the parts carefully, apply just enough silicone seal to the rocker cover to glue the gasket to it. I apply a thin film of oil to the head face and then a thin film of silicone to the gasket, just enough to say there's some there. Carefully install and tighten its good to go. The thin oil film means that the silicone will release on that side. A thin film on the washers and they didn't leak either.

Being frugal, I have always just used a good quality clear silicone. Never had a problem.

SID
Sid Turner

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2005 and 23/02/2005

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