Hello,

I have an 82 Trans Am, 305v8. My valve covers were leaking so I removed them, cleaned out all of the old silicone that they were glued down with, painted them and then installed them with gaskets and no glue.

Now they still leak! Do I need to glue them down as they were stock? What is that stuff and where do I get it?

Thanks in advance! Steve

 

You shouldn't need RTV to get them to seal. A good set of gaskets installed on clean surfaces should do it, as long as your valve covers are in good shape. Make sure that they haven't been bent or warped at the flanges from overtightening. Make sure that surface is flat and straight! Also, you could consider adding some of the special washers they make for valve covers. I used to use a set in which each one was a bar about three inches long to help distribute the bolt load over a larger area of the flange. I liked those. If I were getting new gaskets, by the way, I'd probably go with some of the reusable rubber style ones instead of cork. Not that I've ever had a problem with cork gaskets, I just like the more expensive kind better. Figures, huh?

 

if you can not get a set of valve covers to seal, for gods sake jplease do not try to install new head gaskets.

seriously, get some good rubber reusable valve cover gaskets and make sure you install the washers correctly. if you look at the washers carefully one side says this side down. that is becasue they are bent a certain way like this.

 

Had the same problem with the Valve Covers on my '82. The valve covers were a little warped from being tightened down excessively, because they kept leaking. I finally did it right... Got some extra thich gaskets from Jegs (Mr.Gaskets Brand I believe) and some "hold down" bars, made by Moroso. I Straightened out the Valve Covers around the bolt holes, where they warped with a pair of pliers (I'm gonna hear about that I'm sure, but it was cheap and it did work) I then put them all together, used high temp RTV on the valve covers, stuck the gaskets to them, then threw them on, got some longer bolts, and torqued them down.

Never had any problems with them again.

 

use the clips or whatever they're called to spread the clamping force around. make sure the area around the bolt holes hasn't gotten dimppled from the bolt, if so hammer it flat again. i like to glue the gasket to the valve cover but nothing on the head.

 

But whatever you do, don't try to straighten them with pliers!!!

Just kidding, that would work fine. Clean surfaces, good gaskets, straight flanges, good hold down bars, and you're set.