Leaky valve cover gasket

[crustodd]

Okay, so the cork gaskets are LAME. What is a better solution?

[yuppiexj]

Fel-pro VS50458R is a rubber valve cover gasket. it's a 1996+ application...

I'm not sure the valve cover is actually different though

[gradon]

X2 on the rubber fel-pro. I have one sitting in the back of my Jeep ready to be installed when the temps get above 40*--I made the mistake of buying the Mopar Performance gasket tear-down set and it turned out to be a fel-pro cork kit and HG instead of the Victor Reinz(what the mopar performance hg is when bought separate). Get the rubber valve cover and oil pan gaskets and steer clear of cork. I'll be inspecting the valve train and re-torque to spec while the cover is off.

[Mgardiner1]

The cork gaskets are VERY tedious to work with. They require an incredible amount of patience, a whole lot of finese, and most importantly, require to be retorqued after a few days of driving.....

they are aboslutely a PITA, but effective if handled properly

[amcinstaller]

i bought the felpro perma dry rubber one for my 92. WORLDS BETTER THAN CORK!!!! dont even bother debating it, haha.

[heartlandoffroad]

X2 on the Perma Dry

[6TIME]

Ditto on the FelPro gasket! It's definitely not cheap, but after dealing with many leaky cork gaskets I put one on and will never switch back. They make one for the 7120 head and aluminum cover. The newer 96+ gasket will not fit the older valve covers. It may fit though if you use the newer steel cover on the 7120 head? Not sure. The newer gasket seems to cost less $$$ if you can make it work.

[5-90]

Dunno - I've never had trouble with the cork gasket. Here's how I do it:

Get: Cork VC gasket, packet of SBC valve cover studs (cast or stamped, per whatever cover you have,) and a tube of LocTite #528 Gasket Eliminator.

1) Disassemble and do whatever work wants doing.

2) Clean thoroughly. This should be done anyhow - whatever gasket you're using. I find Scotch-Brite pads work very well for getting sticky gasket crud off without removing material from the cover or the head.

3) Install four studs in valve cover holes - two near each end, in the long sides.

4) Coat the gasket - both sides - with an even layer of Gasket Eliminator.

5) Set the gasket in place, and then set the valve cover in place on the studs.

6) Install the stud nuts to "contact" - then install the screws likewise.

7) Go have lunch. Or a break. Or a smoke. Just go away for a half-hour, and let the GE tack up.

8) /Using/ /a/ /torque/ /wrench/, tighten the valve cover screws in a spiral pattern, centre out (just like for the cylinder head screws, or the manifold screws.) I'm wanting to think the torque spec is 7 pound-feet/84 pound-inches, but I've got various FSM specs on my site, so you can check there. They're under "Tech Archives" - just pick a year close to yours until I can sit down and re-arrange the section to have "assembly-specific" pages.

NB: Whichever gasket you use, /this/ /is/ /important/. Overtorquing can and do crush the gasket beyond usability! You've taken a break to let the GE start to setup as well, so it won't squidge out (technical term, that) when you tighten the screws.

9) Allow a couple of hours (overnight is better) for the GE to fully set up.

I've done several (different, natch) 4.0L valve covers this way using cork gaskets, and I've not had any trouble with them. I didn't even have to retorque them (although I have another rule about "never installing a screw dry" - so valve cover screws get LocTite #222 when I put them back in. They don't need much...)