valve cover gasket options?

are there any options on valvecover gaskets? I can only seem to find cork ones but I would like to put a rubber one on. any comments or suggestions? thanks

The last one I bought from UAP NAPA was cork, or make your own with RTV.

I replaced my whole valve cover and it came with a rubber seal pre fabbed into the cover. I had to smear some RTV and place it on.

how would i make my own with rtv? the valve cover has a lip on it that the gasket recesses into, so I would have to put on a huge amount of rtv to make up the distance. where did you get the valve cover with the gasket? what type of gasker does the dealer have?

soulslngr said:

how would i make my own with rtv? the valve cover has a lip on it that the gasket recesses into, so I would have to put on a huge amount of rtv to make up the distance. where did you get the valve cover with the gasket? what type of gasker does the dealer have?

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If you want the OEM rubber gasket, buy it from the dealer. The cork is fine tho. Just use a light coat of RTV. Don't just use RTV by it self; it's designed to have a gasket. A cork gasket is only $5. and only rtv WILL leak.

soulslngr said:

how would i make my own with rtv? the valve cover has a lip on it that the gasket recesses into, so I would have to put on a huge amount of rtv to make up the distance. where did you get the valve cover with the gasket? what type of gasker does the dealer have?

Click to expand...

I got a new plastic cover straight from a delaership. The gasket was "preinstalled", not cork, a rubber that melts to seal , you just put some RTV around the bolt holes and a bead to seal the cover onto the engine.
I decided ona new coaver instead of trying to clean out the CCV on the old cover to fix my blowby into the air box.

I take it you have a 88 XJ. That what you have listed on your profile. If this is so I'll tell you what I learned a few years ago.

The Factory cast aluminum valve cover came with pre applied/pre cured RTV silicone. If you look up on alldatadiy.com it will list the factory gasket as RTV. I decided to get rid of the old RTV and install a gasket. The dealer does not sell a gasket but the parts guy told me Fel-pro makes a gasket. The Fel-pro is cork gasket, you know the one with the black rubber matrix to hold the cork.

I took a razor blade scraper and removed all the old gasket. I then applied some indian head cement to the valve cover and gasket per the label instructions and assembled. I then installed the valve cover started. If you neglect this step you may have the gasket slip and still have a leak - don't ask me how I know

I suggest you get a torque wrench and torque the 15 bolts to the published value. I first torqued them to half the published value to get things set, then I torqued them to the published value. I waited 10 minutes and retorqued the 15 bolts again. I keep waiting and retorquing until the bolts held torque. I think it was 3 rounds at full value. The cover been on there 3 years and no signs of a leak.

You will need a 11 mm deep socket and remember which locations the studs go vs the bolts. The hardest bolts to reach are the two at the rear of the head. You may have to use a univeral or a flex extension. My manual says the torque is 28 INCH-lbs.

While you have the valve cover off you may want to clean out the inside. Here is an article about cleaning the valve cover http://www.off-road.com/jeep/cherokee/98/04_apr/valvecover/cover.html . Also I purchased the gallon paint can of carb cleaner with a basket and 3 quarts of cleaner to soak the snorkels.

Don't forget to re-torque the bolts a week later as they do tend to loosen.

I checked my valve bolts for the next month just to be sure.

Just like Martin said the dealer does not sell the cork gasket. :wierd: