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Hi folks,
Have the nice massive timing covers to protect my Scorpion rockers.. but the driver side one leaks in the area of the dipstick. I've tightened the bolts a little more last fall, didn't seem to do much. The gasket was too thick originally to put a washer with the bolt, I have plans to put washers there once it warms up. But while I'd doing that, should I remove the cover, clean the surfaces and the rubber gasket and use sometype of gasket glue?
I assume you're talking valve covers. The timing cover is on the front.
I use Fel-Pro rubber gaskets, they seem to seal better than cork. Clean both surfaces (head and valve cover) with brake cleaner and install the gasket DRY. Any silicone (RTV) on a rubber gasket makes it slippery, and it will slip out of place when you tighten the bolts. If it doesn't want to stay in place, a dab of Permatex trim adhesive here and there will keep it in place (not a continuous bead, it's hard to remove if you ever need to). Get longer bolts, and use washers. Any good hardware store should sell 1/4-20 bolts in grade 5. The Fel-Pro gaskets have holes that are slightly small so you can push the bolt thru the valve cover and gasket, then set it in place. That helps position the gasket too. The torque spec is 20-30 INCH/LBS. That isn't much. You don't want to over tighten and crush the gasket.
Bob
tufcj
Ok thanks, I do have the good rubber gasket and did install it dry. I'll examine the bolts and washer situation. I need a small torque wrench, I only have a big bastard.
If you use rubber and you tighten them too tight they leak on any valve cover.