Valve Cover

[GKM007]

I just did my valve cover gaskets over the weekend and drove the truck last night to find the driver side still leaking.

According to the book it said to RTV the cover side and then tighten down while still wet. Passenger side looks good no leakage so far, so I must have done something better on that side?

I did a star pattern tighten just till snug then half turn more. To little, to much?

I am sitting here at work stewing about it and cant stop thinking about it. Any suggestions? Maybe loosen and re-tighten?

Oh and I used Fel-Pro rubber gaskets with blue RTV.

 

[Spott]

That half turn may have been too much.

There's a torque spec for those screws, and it's not very high. If you over-tighten the screws, the flanges of the valve cover flex a little and can't seal. If you tighten it even more, you crush the gasket and damage it.

Also, did you check that the valve cover flanges were straight when you had them off?

I have that torque number in the service manual at home; I'll get it to you in 90 minutes or so.

 

[Spott]

Okay, the 88 Ford service manual says the 2.9l rocker cover screws are tightened to 3-5 ft-lbs, and you need to use "reinforcing pieces" under all the screws. They're like a thick washer with long arms on each side, and there's two different shapes; one for curved spots and one for straight spots. (I forgot about those until I saw the diagram.)

The manual doesn't say anything about RTV or sealants, but it couldn't hurt as long as you didn't get carried away and put too much on.

 

[GKM007]

So I climbed up in there last night and the gasket on the drivers has either been blown out or squished out in the back. I noticed it was slightly oversized when I installed it but thought it would be okay. I'll have to get a new set of gaskets and try again on that side.

Oddly enough all my washer reinforcements all looks the same, I don't have two different shapes?

Drove it 20 miles last night though and the passenger side is not leaking a drop. So I am 50/50 so far. The covers are not hard to do, its all the crap in the way that is the time consuming part.

3-5LBS... not even sure my torque wrench goes that low.

 

[Big Jim M]

I never use a sealant. I do prefer the cork gaskets if I can get them.
What I do is to glue the cork gasket to the inside of the cover with some bolts sticking out the holes in the cover/gasket. Then when the glue is dry and the gasket is tight to the cover I carefully place it on a DRY head surface. Then I tighten to specifications.
On older used covers I make sure the HOLES for the bolts haven't been over tightened and bent downward. If so then I take a PUNCH and punch them backward to get the cover bottom straight again.
Big Jim

 

[Spott]

Yes, it's important that you make sure the flanges of stamped steel parts are straight and even. Mis-assembly, over-tightening, or impact in the past can leave them bent or dimpled.

As Jim said, if they're bent you can straighten them; that little anvil on the back of your bench vise (or the sides of the jaws) works really well along with a small ball-peen hammer.

 

[enjr44]

3-5LBS... not even sure my torque wrench goes that low.

You can get an inch pound torque wrench from Harbor Freight for about 12 bucks. 3-5 ft pounds equal 36 to 60 inch pounds.