valve cover gasket question

Going to redo the valve cover. Just want to make sure before I do it, should this be done when the engine is warm, hot or cold? or does it matter? Is there anything I should watch out for in doing this, or any tips or tricks I should know to ensure I get a perfect seal and it doesn't leak?
TIA

Are you putting on a new cover? or just a new gasket? A older cover can become warped - make sure it's flat and not scored.
You can do it while it's warm/hot, but why not wait until it's cool - unless you like pain???

I try to use a cork gasket.

Don't overtighten the bolts.
Recheck them several days later.

RTicUL8 said:

Are you putting on a new cover? or just a new gasket? A older cover can become warped - make sure it's flat and not scored.
You can do it while it's warm/hot, but why not wait until it's cool - unless you like pain???

I try to use a cork gasket.

Don't overtighten the bolts.
Recheck them several days later.

Click to expand...

I think mine may be a bit warped. I did it but one corner is seeping still. Going to redo it with a '94 cover this time [land upgrading the hoses] that looks in good shape. Just need to clean it first. Just wasn't sure if it makes a difference if it makes a difference on the temp of the engine when doing it. Using a fel-pro cork gasket.

Kind of overkill, but I use a cork gasket and lightly silicon both sides, spray out the bolt holes with brake cleaner, a drop of Loc Tite then just snug them, let it cure over night. If it´s done right, it will rarley ever leak, even with missing bolts and a shrunken gasket. Seriously cleaning oil from all bonding survices is necessary.
Removing the valve cover again, requires a little more cleanup, but is in the long run worth it. I usually pry up a little and cut through the gasket with a carpet knife, when removing the valve cover. Less chance of bending it, than trying to pry it off.
Same technique with the pan gasket.
A straight cork gasket will also work just fine, without the silicon. But if you don´t remove/replace them occasionally, they will get hard and shrink.

8Mud said:

Kind of overkill, but I use a cork gasket and lightly silicon both sides, spray out the bolt holes with brake cleaner, a drop of Loc Tite then just snug them, let it cure over night. If it´s done right, it will rarley ever leak, even with missing bolts and a shrunken gasket. Seriously cleaning oil from all bonding survices is necessary.
Removing the valve cover again, requires a little more cleanup, but is in the long run worth it. I usually pry up a little and cut through the gasket with a carpet knife, when removing the valve cover. Less chance of bending it, than trying to pry it off.
Same technique with the pan gasket.
A straight cork gasket will also work just fine, without the silicon. But if you don´t remove/replace them occasionally, they will get hard and shrink.

Click to expand...

YEs, definitely using a silicon dressing both sides and think I have some brake cleaner left I can use. Also definitely loc tite on the bolts, or they will loosen again for sure.

I've only had trouble with hardening/shrinking cork gaskets when an engine has sat for a while.

Here's what I do, in a nutshell...

Remove old gasket, clean with brass brush or Scotch-Brite.

Install about six Chevvy "Cast" valve cover studs, if I haven't already.

Use cork gasket with LocTite 518 Gasket Eliminator on both sides.

Put cover in place. Install bolts and tighten to "contact." Use LocTite 222 or 242 on bolts - it's got enough work time for you to handle this. Clear nail polish also works well.

Go get a sandwich - you want to give the sealant about 15-20 min to tack up and take shape.

After sandwich, get out your pound-inch torque wrench, and tighten bolts and stud nuts to 55 pound-inches - or just short of FIVE pound-feet. It's really easy to crush this gasket!

Check bolt torque again in a week.

5-90

Don't have any locktite except what I already have and the red high temp gasket maker/dressing so that's what I used. Guess worst case scenario is redoing it LOL

What I did is cleaned the cover out thoroughly, dried, put back the snorkels, then the grommets and elbows making sure they were all the way in as it seems it can be easy to miss the rim by a smidge allowing oil to get past. ['94 valve cover going on a '90] Got the gasket ready to go, and made sure I put enough on the back end because of the missing bolt. Put a thing coat on the other side of the cork, pulled the old one off, and then put the new one on. I then put the bolts on, turning them until they were all snugged down evenly, not tightened down.
The instructions say to wait an hour and then tighten down 1/4-1/2 turn. Should I just do that, and then come back in a week and make sure everything is tight? or do about a 1/2 turn and snug everything down again? I don't have a torque wrench at all in my arsenal I"m building as of yet.
So while I"m waiting, I grabbed the 2000 tubing and finished hooking it all up. The threaded nipple that goes into the manifuld is the same thread size, so no problem there. With doing this upgrade [on the madxj site] the only adjusting I"ve had to do is the CCV to the manifold just needs a small piece of tubing for it to reach. For now I've left in my oil catch reservoir to see how it goes. If all is well, I'll hopefully be able to remove it. We shall see what happens.

While I'm waiting going to put the 'new' wiper transmission I got out of the same '94 to replace my bushings are gone and this one is in premo shape.

Ok, here's an update for anyone interested. Upgrade went well, and everything pretty much fit. New elbow fittings and grommets are really worth spending the $$ on than trying to reuse the old ones on the cover. They fit a helluva lot tighter than the stock pre-'91 grommet fittings do. The only mod that was needed to do is to cut the CCV at the ben, and put in a small piece of tubing so that it would reach the intake manifold fitting as it's a few inches too short. The breather tube nicely reached my oil catch bottle I put in last week. For now I'm leaving it in to see what happens. If it seems to be good without oil coming through I'll see about taking it out, but until then might as well just leave it where it is. Here's the pics [as always if you have problems with the htaccess file not letting you view the pics, go to the site [ www.underground-ink.biz ] and then you shouldn't have a problem from there viewing them.

'94 XJ valve cover conversion for a '90 pioneer w/ custom oil catch bottle

http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_001.jpg

http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_002.jpg

http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_003.jpg

http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_004.jpg

http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_005.jpg

http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_006.jpg

http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_007.jpg

new intake manifold fitting
http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_008.jpg

broken back bolt
http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_009.jpg

broken back bolt
http://www.underground-ink.biz/Jeep_cherokee_1990/site/VC_010.jpg

Thanks to MADXJ for the '93-00 valve cover conversion which I used as a guide for this.

What's up with those links ???????

Like I said, sometimes you have to go to the main page on the site. It's because of the htaccess file that protects my site. I've adjusted it, so they should come up ok, but for some reason some have problems with them For me I've never had problems with any of the links to my site.

cykaaro said:

Like I said, sometimes you have to go to the main page on the site. It's because of the htaccess file that protects my site. I've adjusted it, so they should come up ok, but for some reason some have problems with them For me I've never had problems with any of the links to my site.

Click to expand...

"What the hell do you think your doing" is the only thing I see.:wierd: :wierd:

theres no link to the jeep pictures from the main page

EDIT: just copy and paste in a new browser

let me reword.........if you get the error page, bring up the main page, then click on the links and they should show. This works 99% of the time. I've altered the htaccess file that should allow linking from here, but we all know how tempermental computers can be............

back from up north from here. Seems the only problem visible, is there's oil coming out of the oil fill cap, which I expected, so it is leaking but seems that the seal is good though. ONce I get a new one on I"ll see if there's a problem or not.

5-90 said:

I've only had trouble with hardening/shrinking cork gaskets when an engine has sat for a while.

Here's what I do, in a nutshell...

Remove old gasket, clean with brass brush or Scotch-Brite.

Install about six Chevvy "Cast" valve cover studs, if I haven't already.

Use cork gasket with LocTite 518 Gasket Eliminator on both sides.

Put cover in place. Install bolts and tighten to "contact." Use LocTite 222 or 242 on bolts - it's got enough work time for you to handle this. Clear nail polish also works well.

Go get a sandwich - you want to give the sealant about 15-20 min to tack up and take shape.

After sandwich, get out your pound-inch torque wrench, and tighten bolts and stud nuts to 55 pound-inches - or just short of FIVE pound-feet. It's really easy to crush this gasket!

Check bolt torque again in a week.

5-90

Click to expand...

Really good information. Ok, here is where I am stuck. 94 4.0L motor, the front most forward valve cover bolt (close to the fan), broke off leaving no more than an 1/8" sticking up. I filed the front most groves of my best pair of vice grips. No go. I have been soaking the broken bolt for about five days with KB blaster. Should use a pair of needle nose vise grips to concentrate the energy, or should I file the bolt down flush with the head and get a left handed drill bit and go for it?

For this 94 engine, what should be the pattern of studs vs. bolts around the cover (I did not take them out so I don't know the pattern)? What is special about the Chevy cast valve cover studs and can I get them at an Advance or NAPA auto parts store? What location would around the valve cover would these be six special students be located located?

Lastly, I understand using Locktite, do the locktite brands you mention have anti-sieze built into the compound or should it be used in conjunction?

Thank you for sharing your time and wisdom.

Loctite and Anti sieze.... believe they are contradictory....

I was 'wondering' about the heat factor of the engine on the strength of the 242... seems okee dokee after viewing data sheet

http://tds.loctite.com/tds5/docs/242-EN.pdf

If you have a bit sticking up of the bolt end still, try welding a nut to it to get it off. You can always drill it out and rethread the hole, but welding is definitely the better way to go if you can. As for the bolt pattern, I really don't know as I have a renix system engine [pre '91] You should be able to get a hold of a pic of the engine on here or the net that would show you where they go.
From what I remember, at least with mine, the studs are where the plastic clips go onto to hold the wiring that run beside the valve cover.
Hope this helps.

I agree that welding a nut to the broken bolt is the best way to get it out. You might be able to grind opposite ends flat so that you can get a wrench on it.