I think I may need to redo my valve cover gasket, I think even though I just replaced it, it's still leaking some. Anyway what's a good gasket that you guys recommend. I used a Fel-Pro and even though it fit, it seemed like it really didn't have an easy time lining up with everything. So any recommendations?

 

Nissan, MSA, BDA, CourtesyParts...

Did you torque it to the correct spec? It should only be about 15ft/lbs.

 

Yeah, I torqued it correctly, I had heard that the fel-pro gaskets were good, so I used that, and it didn't seem to want to line up well and it didn't seem to fit as well on the surfaces as I expected a gasket to. Like I had to work with it to get it line up with the holes and such. It's only leaking from the passenger side near the front, but it's right by the edge where the cover has that bit of a bend in it.

 

Almost any brand of gasket will work and work well. If you have the valve cover off, set it on a smooth flat surface and check to see if it sits flat. If it is flat you are good there. Go get your Fel-Pro...it's what I use and it works fine for me, get a tube of gasket sealer or whatever...I use Ultra Copper (Permatex). Smear a thin, even coat of the gasket sealer on the matting surface of the head, place the gasket on the head and align the holes and let it set up a little...a few minutes...you may have to hold the gasket as they like to curl sometimes...the felpro should come out of the box unfolded though. Once the gasket and sealer have set...place the valve cover on carefully...you can also put a thin, even coat on the valve cover...bolt it down. Just make sure you CLEAN the surfaces before you apply any sealer.

Problem solved courtesy of Mike Hood. You don't have to listen to anyone else...I have over 2,000 post which means I am all knowing now

Also, if all else fails...use the sealer and TWO gaskets....we did this all the time on our small block V8's until we found out they make thick gaskets for them.

 

I sent you a PM Duo

 

I know this may be stupid, but don't rule it out. Is it on right? I was in a rush one day using a Fel-Pro and slap the gasket on, well it was still leaking. I come to find out, it was upside down. Just flipping it over was all it took. I looked at the impression it made, that slight curve in the front part of the gasket was all it took to make it leak. Live and learn.

 

I'm pretty sure it's on right. I know I kept looking at it and matching it up. What I did was I got some stupid idea to try and put sealant on the gasket and then put the sealant on the valve cover, so then when I tried to do that the thing got messed up. Then I had to keep trying to readjust the valve cover, and lift it back up and keep trying to realign the bolt holes, while the sealant was holding pretty well. In the end I ended up using too much sealant as well. I doubt the gasket is reusable after all the sealant I put on it. I'm just gonna clean it all up and wait for my new gasket to get here and make sure I have it all set up on the head, and then just put the valve cover over it.

 

Yeah, sealant is not necessary on the valve cover gasket. Make sure none of the sealant got into the low parts of the head. That's the LAST thing you want clogging up your oil passageways.

 

I was reading the haynes guide and it was mentioning to use sealant, now I realize that I didn't need it too. I'm carefully cleaning it all up, I noticed that when I pulled my valve cover back off, that I really hope none got down in there.

 

That's why you let the sealant tack up before you put it all together. Geeez people...who wants sealant squishing all over everything...of course it is going to be slippery when wet...don't be in a rush people to get the job done.

 

 

No really... you don't need to use sealant on the valve cover gasket.

 

JB Weld.... seriously

 

No, you don't NEED to use it but it can help.

 

Indeed... it can help make sure you will have to scrape it all off next time you take off the valve cover. REALLY...

 

ive always had a fondness for the ROL gaskets, but then again i never had a valve cover leak..

 

Sealant should only be used where the FSM indicates and even then, you should question it. The gasket is "supposed" to provide the seal, not the stuff squirted out of a tube and if you do HAVE to use it, use it sparingly on any part that contains moving parts or is responsible for flowing any kind of fluid inside. One of the blown turbo motors I picked up had a crap ton of blue silicon sealer clogging the screen on the pick-up tube in the oil pan... I wonder why the motor froze? hmmm... NO OIL!

 

Yeah, since my gasket and radiator won't be here until Monday. I'm just using my free time to clean up the valve cover and the mating surfaces. I'm never going to use sealant again, or I'll ask on here before I do.

 

:s-redeemer: ROFLMFAO

 

Anyone is going to have problems if they rush things, don't follow directions or use too much of something. When I use sealer (Ultra Copper) for the valve cover gasket I smear it on the valve cover in a thin even coat...then I lay the gasket on it and hold it in place with the bolts. Once it has tacked up then I put it on the head and bolt it down...it's not like I said put a half inch bead on there then the gasket and another half inch bead and then bolt it all up while it is wet more then anything it helps hold everything in place making it less of a hassle to put it all together. Not to mention it will help to keep the gasket from breaking down causing leaks in the future.

 

Yeah I know what you mean, like I did it in a light coating, on each, but the overall thing turned out to be too much, and then the way I had to keep moving the gasket around caused it to all blob up. Like I said I don't know why I didn't just set the gasket in place on the head and line it up rather than trying to someway have it stuck to the valve cover. I wasn't thinking.