Clifford cast aluminum valve cover?

anthrax323 · Oct 24, 2018

A few months back, I scored a Clifford 4.0 cast aluminum valve cover on the cheap ($40)... Seems to be a high-rise for more aggressive valvetrain.

Based on the PCV/breather and oil filler locations, I'm guessing it was originally designed for the TJ.

Anyone know much about these? I can't find a *SINGLE* bit of info online about it, but would love to know more.

...I also need to figure out how I'm going to attach the throttle cable bracket/guide to it, but that may not be that important.

anthrax323 · Oct 24, 2018

And to be clear: it is indeed for 4.0 heads, not the 4.2. Bolt pattern matches perfectly.

anthrax323 · Oct 24, 2018

Just got off the phone with Clifford... and found out it’s not a Clifford. No clue who made this thing at this point.

cal · Oct 24, 2018

That's a stock early valve cover.

anthrax323 · Oct 25, 2018

cal said:
That's a stock early valve cover.

I thought early valve covers were actually plastic, then came the stamped crap we saw through the vast majority of the 4.0's life?

anthrax323 · Oct 25, 2018

...the more I look on GIS, the more I realize you're right. No idea where the hell I got my last idea from. Thanks man.

cal · Oct 25, 2018

Lol no worries.

It looks good painted that way.

anthrax323 · Oct 25, 2018

Given your experience in this arena... Would it be wiser for me to run my original 2001 stamped valve cover (with the internal baffles for valvetrain lubrication) than this older cast one? I'm waiting on Comp to grind a modified 68-201-4 (same specs but with 113° LSA instead of 110°)... meaning only slightly more lift than stock (0.447"), using stock rockers. Seems like this cover is unnecessary (beyond aesthetics), and the stock/original one should work well enough (and possibly provide better valvetrain lubrication?).

cal · Oct 25, 2018

I can't say that I know anything either way there. Either is probably fine.

Heavyopp · Oct 25, 2018

I don't think there is a gasket made for the aluminum cover -- you must use RTV

There are gaskets for the steel cover

cal · Oct 25, 2018

cal · Oct 25, 2018

You can use either the early cork gasket or the late rubber gasket with either cover.

Heavyopp · Oct 25, 2018

Is the felpro gasket different? -- I had both the aluminum valve cover and a steel one when I did my engine swap and the felpro gasket wasn't even close with the aluminum cover

I didn't look real hard but thought I had read on here that I had no gasket option with the aluminum cover

My mistake...

cal · Oct 25, 2018

Has nothing to do with brand.
Up thru ..95? It's. Cork gasket and aluminum cover, then rubber and steel.

But either works with the other just fine.

Heavyopp · Oct 26, 2018

I was working on a 2000 XJ with a swapped motor from a 98 grand

Don't remember which one had the cast Aluminum valve cover -- my guess was the 98 grand and I had to pull the steel one off the 2000 to make it work with the gasket

cal · Oct 26, 2018

I don't know what issue you ran into, but I have run both covers with both gaskets, with no problems.

Clifford cast aluminum valve cover?

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