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leaky valve cover?!

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Devanmc

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
May 14, 2007
Messages
589
Location
Novi, MI
Ive replaced my old leaky valve cover with... no take a guess first...

a new OEM leaky valve cover...

how do i get this thing to stop! :mad:
 
but the new one leaks too... since like day2(first day i looked at it after installing it and driving the car)
 
Everything torqued to spec? Follow proper tightening sequence?

How well did you clean up the mating surfaces?

I did mine when the timing belt went since it was leaking and all is well now. I used a felpro gasket though.
 
Same thing happened to me.

I replace the gasket on my brothers Mystique in May when I saw the old one leaking like crazy all over the engine. I bought the set from AutoZone, replaced it and didn't think twice about it. Come to find out it's leaking all over the place. My brother was down 2 quarts since his last oil change. :mad:

Aircougar pulled it off and threw some gasket maker all around to stop the leaks. The gasket had cracks and pieces missing from it. I don't know if I over torqued it, or just had a faulty gasket. :shrug:
 
I had the same problem. If the surface isn't spotless, it could start leaking and probably will.
 
surface was spotless, maybe i tightened it too much. I just used a wrench, not something id pull out a torque wrench for. :shrug:
 
I'm sure a little gasket maker/sealer wouldn't hurt anything.:shrug: I'm Replacing my timing belt and valve cover gasket this weekend and I was planning on using some along with the new gasket.
 
i would think about using a gasket maker that is anerobic. this way it is sqeezes out into the engine it will not harden like a rtv gasket maker would and you will not have that floating around in the engine waiting to get stuck somewhere.
 
Devanmc said:
maybe i should have wet it with some oil like is done when installing a new oil filter?
Click to expand...


nope, should have been installed dry. iirc its pushed into a groove in the valve cover. but it should have been dropped straight down onto the head when installed.

also all of the bolts have sleeves that only allow them to compress the cover so much to the head. those could have collapsed over time and the cover was to tight causing the seal not to seal ...
 
BrApple said:
also all of the bolts have sleeves that only allow them to compress the cover so much to the head. those could have collapsed over time and the cover was to tight causing the seal not to seal ...
Click to expand...

The "sleeves" are just part of the gasket set. It's not a metal sleeve so you can actually over tighten it.
 
CSVT1214 said:
I'm almost positive it's just the rubber inserts. You can crunch them down as hard as you want when you tighten it.
Click to expand...

Correct. The gasket is a rubber insert. So maybe it wouldn't hurt to wet it with some oil like you do with the oil filter, as that also has a rubber seal. That is just speculation, however...
 
Trick is take your time, clean off the valve cover "groove" real well, and before you tighten everything down, make sure the gasket is sitting properly. No gasket maker or oil:shrug: needed.
 
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