valve covers

who makes the best non-leak. valve covers. or is it normal to have a small leakage. not a run. but just accumulation on the edge. have large aluminum ones but they seep. because the bails dont fit right on the ribbing.and do these aluminum ones really make the head and oil temp cooler? thanks bill

Nothing works better than a vented set of stock (German) valve covers. Gene Berg mentions it in his writing, he's right.

I've tried them all, chrome & aluminum, TC is right nothing beats the German OEM covers. ~Alan

Vat are you sinking?!! German OEM all the way!

You can expect some seepage if you reuse the valve cover gaskets.....If not properly cleaned, they can leak badly....

" You can expect some seepage if you reuse the valve cover gaskets . . . "

Like condoms. Use once and THROW AWAY!

no, no, no and no! Well, yes on the OEM German steel VCs -- that's for certain, but no on cork gaskets. Use the reinforced neoprene VC gaskets, not cork. I bed mine in red RTV on the VC, and so when set they stay put when putting the VC in place. Also they do not leak. And can be removed and replaced many times. When renewed, there is a little extra work to clean off the old RTV from the VC, but not impossible. Been doing this for 30 years.

I use Blue Hylomar sealant by Permatex. It makes removal of covers easy and gaskets reusable plus, the sealnat makes for nice leak proof seal. Never had a drop of oil leak through yet after 10 plus years. Con is that I am now having some tough time getting the sealant but I do have a few tubes just in case.

OK, I've learned something new today (just one thing per day is enough at my age, thank you....)

I have NEVER re-used valve cover gaskets, NEVER used anything but automotive grease on valve cover gaskets, and NEVER used Permatex because I always thought it would glue the gasket to the head or cover and then self-destruct it when pulling the cover off. I also get one of those 10-packs of gaskets at Carlisle every year and now have about 20 extras...

Now I hear that it Permatex not only works great, BUT it's the greatest thing on valve cover gaskets since Hassenpheffer.

OK, I'm in.....next time I do a valve adjustment (probably sometime around August) I'm gonna use those funny black composite gaskets AND Permatex'em right on there. Maybe I can park the car at Chris' and see if it leaks on HIS pristine garage floor......

Permatex Ultra Copper (for the temperature). Just a thin skin on the valve cover side of the gasket. Roughness of head casting seems to seal to the raw cork very well without additional agents. Sealant can be troublesome to remove from a head casting. Easy to remove from a smooth valve cover. Let the car sit 24 hours after install to get a good cure before sloshing hot oil all around. Take a short drive, inspect and sneak up on the valve cover hold down torque.

Get it all just right and it will be leak free for many happy miles.

I use Permetex Blue silicone gasket / sealer. I coated the cork gasket entirely with a thin layer and install it. When it's time to adjust the valves, pop of the valve cover easily. First time is the most difficult time . I have never had a leaked or has to change the gaskets in two years and 8 valve adjustments.

Get stock VW valve covers and cork seals. Clean up all mating surfaces really well before installing new seals and you should be good to go.

Hylomar by Permatex is not a silicon or such. It never dries and is greaselike, unaffected by engine tems and oils, solvents, gasoline tec... Makes removeal a cinch and the sealant can be reused and only some added each time. Great stuff and a NASCAR secret as well as it has found its way into the aerospace industry.

Roger the one side business. Just stick 'em down on the VC side, and put a little grease (I use a silicone compound by Dow, and bet wheel bearing or other similar will work) on the head side. They pop on and off numerous times, and do not leak. Again, I use the neoprene reinforced gaskets vs. plain old cork, 'cause they last longer, seal better, and don't get hard over time, etc.

The bolt on, cast aluminum Type 547 replica valve covers I've been selling for Vintage Spyders haven't leaked but, they have a special convex groove in the gasket channel to promote sealing and use a copper sealing washer and crush gasket beneath the acorn nuts that affix them to the cylinder heads.

I have the typical, CB Performance/EMPI, cast aluminum and finned, bolt-on covers. The don't leak, per se, as much as weep - I seldom get drops on the floor below them, but sometimes... I usually get a little wetness on them somewhere and simply don't look under there very often - that seems to solve the problem.

Every time I pull them (usually once a year to adjust the valves) I replace the "O-Rings" around the bolt shafts with new ones cut from a piece of 5/16" fuel hose. I cut the rings about 1/4-5/16" thick (it's not all that critical), put them on each bolt and tighten them down so that the bolthead washer mooshes them down (highly technical term, there). I also now check the inside hold-down nuts to make sure they're torqued properly.....don't want to have another one loosen up and break the rocker shaft....Once is enough!

gn

I just installed the 547 "replica" cast alu covers that Larry Jowdy sells. I used the neoprene impregnated cork, got a big stack from CB Performance years ago. A thin coat of Weldwood contact cement on the cover and one side of the gasket, 10 minute wait and stick them together. A thin coat of bearing grease on the head side and done. Can be removed and reused several times with no leakage/seepage.

For cleanup, carb cleaner or Xylene(paint stores) removes the glue completely. No scraping.

I also previously used Scat stainless covers with 5 tabs to hold the gasket so no "suck-in" happens. Worked well without sealer or glue.