Valve Cover Gasket Seating

[240nspec]

Pulled Valve Cover today, purchased a new Valve Cover gasket, both outer and inner. Prepped all surfaces, Applied a 1/8" Bead of Copper Based Hi-Temp Sealant (Permatex) on the spark plug chamber and bolt holes. Installed the Inner Gasket and let set. My question for you, should/do I apply the gasket maker on the gasket, install within the valve cover itself, re-apply the sealant on the "dry" side of the gasket along the perimeter, apply a bead say 1/4" dia along again the perimeter of the 4 channels of the head? Do i also add sealant to where the inner gasket seats against the spark plug chambers and valve cover studs?

Iv'e included a few drawing i whipped up, apologize for the crudeness as I only have paint.




Modified by 240nspec at 6:24 PM 6/7/2008

[240nspec]

I read the write up on replacing the timing chain and included was the instructions for the headgasket, however it just seems this is very minimal as in liquid gasket concerns. I have always seen gaskets being sprayed top to bottom with a copper spray gasket, or a bead of rtv on all contact surfaces including bolt holes... even the concept of bare cleaned metal to a dry gasket seems like a poor seal. Not even a thin thin coat of oil where gasket comes into contact of head?

any ideas?

[Moto Man]

I don't know, but I need to as I have to fix my upper timing chain guide.

I couldn't find any mention at all of a valve cover gasket in the factory service manual.

How much did the gaskets cost you?

[240nspec]

About 20 for the Main gasket, or for the set (The main and inner gasket) for about 30. I purchased Copper Hi-Temp Gasket maker at Autozone, and the gaskets at Advance Auto Parts.

hope that helps.

[240nspec]

can anyone help? I shall be installing this gasket within minutes, as i must leave.

[Vegascorbin]

I know you probably have finished the job but this may help others or you in the future.

Remember that the pourpose of a gasket is to provide a seal where two pieces of metal meet. The RTV is the same as a formed gasket. One big advantage is that the RTV will fill areas too small for a "regular" gasket.

Putting RTV on a "regular" gasket is the same as putting two gaskets on. Generaly you want to use one or the other. Auto manufacturers use RTV or liquid gaskets, so that they only have to stock the RTV and not 2700 different gaskets.

You will find people that will only usr RTV and others that will only use "regular" gaskets. There are Pros and Cons both ways.

Most "regular" gaskets come with instructins on NOT useing RTV with them. Some will say what and how. Follow the recomendations, if any, that came with your gasket set. Otherwise just use one or the other but i would avoid both at the same time.

[vancouverbc]

I know you probably have finished the job but this may help others or you in the future.

Remember that the pourpose of a gasket is to provide a seal where two pieces of metal meet. The RTV is the same as a formed gasket. One big advantage is that the RTV will fill areas too small for a "regular" gasket.

Putting RTV on a "regular" gasket is the same as putting two gaskets on. Generaly you want to use one or the other. Auto manufacturers use RTV or liquid gaskets, so that they only have to stock the RTV and not 2700 different gaskets.

You will find people that will only usr RTV and others that will only use "regular" gaskets. There are Pros and Cons both ways.

Most "regular" gaskets come with instructins on NOT useing RTV with them. Some will say what and how. Follow the recomendations, if any, that came with your gasket set. Otherwise just use one or the other but i would avoid both at the same time.

fsm says to use both in specified area due to shape of gasket.

[Moto Man]

I bought new gaskets ($27/each ). They're not like the regular thin gaskets, they are thick rubber.



As you can see, mine has the end plugs built-in.
Modified by Moto Man at 6:44 PM 6/9/2008

[Moto Man]

Well, I took my valve cover off to fix the upper timing chain guide but it appears to not be the source of the noise.

The chain guide looked just fine so I left it alone. Everything else looked really good too. So IDK.

I did replace the gaskets though. The old ones were much less pliable than the new.

[krazydriver]

When i first got my s13 the valve cover gasket had oil leaking out around it so i replaced it.With the new felpro i initially had used silicon sealant, but i took the valve cover off a month later to swap out cams. Pealed the silicon off in the process and just stuffed the gasket back in and tightened it down. No leaks a year later.So as long as your replacing with a nice soft new gasket, you shouldn't need sealant for the outer but i would recommend using a little silicon around the spark plug tubes.

[Vegascorbin]

fsm says to use both in specified area due to shape of gasket.

True. That is the exception that proves the rule.

[BMAR240SX]

So umm any exact place or order to apply the sealant i want to do this today

[vancouverbc]

So umm any exact place or order to apply the sealant i want to do this today

if in doubt, use sealant. seal gasket around stripped bolts. hand tighten bolts plus a little bit more. most people strip these bolts. 5 to 8 lbs torque.

[positron1]

I just put a valvecover on about a week ago and I only put gasket on the four halfmoon sections and the spark plug wells under the valvecover. Hijacker later told me that putting gasket on the spark plug wells is over-kill as the rubber gaskets seal just fine by themselves. That guy knows his stuff.

[BMAR240SX]

I just put a valvecover on about a week ago and I only put gasket on the four halfmoon sections and the spark plug wells under the valvecover. Hijacker later told me that putting gasket on the spark plug wells is over-kill as the rubber gaskets seal just fine by themselves. That guy knows his stuff.

When you say gasket you do mean, sealant correct?

[positron1]

Yeah, my bad. I put the rubber gasket on and the sealant on the halfmoons and spark plug wells with the rubber spark plug gaskets.

[BMAR240SX]

Ok i will do it tommorw

I will add sealant to the halfmoons and the spark plug gasket

[low91240sx]

yep half moons and your good and also anywhere stripped bolts may be, but be careful because they are easy to strip