Valve Cover Leak - what would you do?

[67SniperHockey]

Took calve cover off - cleaning out bolt holes. Turned over valve cover and looks like gap of rtv when I married the gasket to the valve cover. This is also the area where it seems the leak is.

So should I hit the inside of the valve cover with more rtv in those areas? Check and see if that fixes? Then move onto Indian head on cylinder head as well?

Thanks guys!

 

[33 IMP]

I would put a straightedge on the v.c. and on the cylinder head to see which had the low spot.. then I would get two sets of rubber gaskets and rtv them together. Then I would rtv them to the cover, and use valve cover reinforcement on all the bolts to spread the load.

 

[67SniperHockey]

Could I try to put a bead of rtv on the inside of the valve cover between the gap of the gasket and valve cover itself (area in red) and let dry and try that first? Or should I be worried pieces would come off inside the valve cover and into the heads....?

 

[moparedtn]

Sorry, but to me what you're proposing here would be a bandaid at best and probably not successful.
With these sorts of things, it's best to go back to square one and do it again, armed with the
knowledge you now have.

 

[1967coronet]

Call me crazy, But I would be cleaning all that crap off. Get a new pair of gaskets , leave the RTV in the drawer and just use a little film of gasket sealer to put the gaskets on the covers , checking 1st to make sure all is flat and true, stick some bolts through the covers and leave them dry, just snug the bolts up good when you install. A regular old style cork gasket will conform to any small ridge or nick ect.

 

[coloradodave]

Also, check very closely on the sealing surface of the head in the area where you spotted the leak. Would not be unusual to see a 'bump' or 'divot' in the casting. A good straight edge helps. Tighten only hand tight with a nut driver or 1/4" ratchet held near the head. I don't recommend using 'extra' RTV to try and seal it. I bought an engine once that had lots of RTV caught in the oil pick-up screen. Bearings were toast...
I like to use Gask-a-Cinch or Indian Head to glue the cork gaskets to the covers. Let sit for several hours then install dry to head, tightening as above. After a few heat/cool drives, check the bolts and again, tighten only hand tight if loose. Only once, in over 50 years of working on cars did I have one that would not seal. After checking everything and not finding anything to pin it on I used a THIN SMEAR of RTV on the bottom of the gaskets and installed the covers. Barely put pressure on the bolts, let them sit for an hour, and then hand tightened them. No more leak... My experience with the Moroso blue gaskets was not good with iron heads. Split the gaskets on the head side. I do use them on my Indy heads with cast valve covers. They work great with no sealer and definitely are reusable. The packaging says they are for aluminum heads with machined surfaces.
Good luck to you.

 

[67SniperHockey]

Removed the gasket on the cover - cleaned it all up. Going to put some Indian Head on the cork gasket and mate it to the valve cover and let sit.

In the meantime, I went through and cleaned out the bolt holes on the heads - where I was having the leaks there was some RTV silicone residue from even before that was in there. Also, had to tap and die one of the bolt holes (where the prior leak was). So I think bolt holes are all good - can finger tighten bolts in and they are clean.

It is hot and humid here and the top of the head is weeping oil - it's always wet. Yes there is some residual oil laying at the bottom side by the springs - but can't keep the small surface of the head for the gasket dry. Any ideas there?

Letting cork gasket mate with the valve cover with some Indian Head now - but want to try and get that head surface dry and clean first.

THANK YOU everyone!! Greatly appreciate all of the input so far!

 

[coloradodave]

Removed the gasket on the cover - cleaned it all up. Going to put some Indian Head on the cork gasket and mate it to the valve cover and let sit.

In the meantime, I went through and cleaned out the bolt holes on the heads - where I was having the leaks there was some RTV silicone residue from even before that was in there. Also, had to tap and die one of the bolt holes (where the prior leak was). So I think bolt holes are all good - can finger tighten bolts in and they are clean.

It is hot and humid here and the top of the head is weeping oil - it's always wet. Yes there is some residual oil laying at the bottom side by the springs - but can't keep the small surface of the head for the gasket dry. Any ideas there?

Letting cork gasket mate with the valve cover with some Indian Head now - but want to try and get that head surface dry and clean first.

THANK YOU everyone!! Greatly appreciate all of the input so far!

Yep. Fold up some paper towels or blue paper shop rags and lay them in the 'trough' to absorb the oil. Do this a few times until there isn't any puddle left. Then wipe down the surfaces with acetone, lacquer thinner or brake cleaner until it stays dry... Was the head casting surface flat and free of defects?

 

[67SniperHockey]

Put the valve covers back on after letting them set with the Indian head for a day - didn’t put anything on the cylinder heads as I wanted to see if it worked just with the gaskets.

Let it warm up and slowly smoke coming from #8 header right by the flange on the bottom side - don’t see any new oil coming from gasket or leaking.

Residual oil on underside of header pipe just burning off since I don’t see any signs of a leak? Thanks guys!