Somewhere, I heard a great recommendation for sealing a valve cover gasket on an engine where the cover needs periodic removal for valve adjustments: put goop on one side (only) of the gasket and let it seal to the cover, then put a thin layer of grease on the other side of the gasket where it seals to the cylinder head. The grease will supposedly seal every bit as well as goop, and provides a removeable solution. The same gasket can be resused after you pull the cover the next time.
Because this makes sense intuitively, I have been recommending the solution to others. Recently, for the first time, I've tried it, myself... and I can tell you the *@&# thing leaks like a seive. I tightened all the bolts until snug, let it dry, then snugged them a little more. It drips. A day later, I snug the bolts a little more. It drips less. After 3 iterations, it's better, but not great. I'm afraid to go too tight because (in my experience) the head casting will simply cut right through the middle of the gasket, and the whole concept of reusing it goes out the window. By the time I get to that stage, I may as well just put goop on it and be done with it. Besides, if I have to buy a new one every once in awhile, at least I can do my part to convince FelPro to keep them in production.
And yes, the cover edges look pretty straight.
What supremely obvious thing am I missing, oh great purveyors of wisdom?
- Erik
