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valve cover seal

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tahoe healey

tahoe healey

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I'm just curious as to what sealer everyone is using on the valve cover. What I used last time (a year ago) allowed the cork gasket to slip and shot oil all over. This was the first real drive of any distance this year. Car was laid up this winter for new seat covering so there was not many miles since the valve cover was off.
 
Hi TH, I like the Ultra grey sealer. However, my experience is that the gaskets are too large which requires that they be cut down to fit properly. The method i use is to cut 45 degree slices on opposite sides inline with thefront and rear hold down bolts.I then adjust the gasket to fit the cover and trim off the excess to match the original cut. Reconnecting the gasket joints is done by gluing the splices with "Super Glue. Apply the sealer to the cover and gasket and place it on a flat surface for a couple of hours.Now apply sealer to the gasket side that goes against the engine,press it lightly into place with the hold down bolts and go away until the next day then just snug it up a bit.They dont move and they dont leak. Be sure and clean all mating surfaces good by removing all traces of old gasket and then wipe them down with Acetone.--FWIW---Keoke
 
I do something similar to what Keoke does on both my TR and my Mini. I clean and degrease the seat in the valve cover and bond the cork gasket to the cover with blue RTV. I place the cover on a flat plate with weights on it overnight so the gasket is truly flat. When I put the cover back on the engine I apply a thin film of Aviation-Form-a-Gasket on the cork to seal against the head. It's non-hardening and goes on with a brush so it's fairly clean. Covers I've set up like this are leak free and easy to remove later for maintenance.
 
There must be a dozen ways to do this. Each person has their own favorite. I prefer to semi permanently stick the gasket to the head using Permatex Aviation sealer, & Hylomar HPF on the top of the gasket. Having the gasket "bonded" to the head creates a dam around the head perimeter which prevents oil from running off onto the top of the head. The Hylomar releases & goes back easily with no additional sealer needed when the cover is removed & replaced. "To each his own"
D
 
Thanks all. I used Hylomar top and bottom of the gasket and I think it slipped enough to leak. Stays soft and slippery. I propably used too much. This time I used RTV on bottom and let it set up two days. I will try the Halomar on the top for easy removal.
A friend uses Halomar on everything including joining all threaded parts (oil plugs).
 
Tahoe,

I have tried it many ways and have settled on "glueing" the gasket to the cover using Ultra-blue or grey. I then use blue hylomar sparingly on the flat surface. My problem is always the same. I use too much of the stuff and end up cleaning up the excess. The hylomar blue sticks out against the engine green color. I have about a thousand miles on this season and so far no leaks. Will we see you at Dixon?

Tracy
 
Yep. I registered for Dixon. Last year it snowed on my way down. Had to put the top up. Went the night before. This year I'm leaving in the EARLEY AM. So keep the coffee hot.
For those of you who don't know, Dixon (near Sacromento,CA)is an all British car show with about 250 beautiful examples. You meet the nicest people there.
The hardest part is using the Hylomar sparingly. It still squishes out (forever)!
 
Well TH, thats good for ya I told you how to do it yes its a lot of bits and bobs but it works.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Yep, every person has his own way of doing this. Am I the only guy that doesn't use anything but the cork gasket? In fact, on both the Healey and the Mini I have had the same gastet for years without leaks (well at the rocker cover anyway). Yes, there are spares hanging out in my garage for when they do fail, but so far, so good.
 
Thats probably true Thom. I think it also depends on the condition of the cover's mating flange. Some of the covers have certainly seen better days.However, as I indicated earlier the gaskets for the six cly engines I have been able to get even using different sources are just too long and must be trimmed to fit.---Keoke
 
Well, my old valve cover did not seal well and it was a long time ago before the BritishCarForum and before the Healey List, etc. and I got rather fed up with the oil leaking around the valve cover. I finally sprung the change for a nice aluminium valve cover - the one with the Healey script on it - and no more leaks. It is a better fitting and sealing cover than the old one of mine and I sure like the "look"..... Rather expensive though when all of the other alternatives presented by the gearheads in the earlier threads though. However, just thought I would throw in "my solution".....
 
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