Same complaint just want to make it stop. was leaking a little from both covers its an 85 so i figured it was an easy fix. removed both sides and checked for straightness both were pretty good. First I bought a set of regular fel pro cork gaskets the one all the old people rave about being so freakin great they are complete idiots if they say these ever worked. I installed them and torqued them with the spreader plates. they leaked like there wasnt even a gasket there with all the smoke pouring out of them. So I removed and added silicone to another set of new cork's bam instantly slowing it to about 5 quarts an hour which is ten time better than without silicone. third times a charm right. Rubber felpro's go on no silicone, not to tight, still leaks like crazy but not as bad. back off again they come and get silconed on both sides. doesnt help a bit. Completely pissed off now and giving up im just going to pay somebody to make it stop. I dont have any jb weld or it would get it tonight. That might slow it down a bit. Still not even as good as before i removed them. Any ideas.

Buy centerbolt heads is the easiest way I can see to stop this problem. do they make steel valve covers that I could weld to the head. That would stop this bs. To pissed off the care might just burn the car.

 

Here's how you do it....

First, bend the flange of the valve covers back straight, or actually, a little bit OPPOSITE the way the bolts bend them. Just a little. Get the flange as straight and flat as you can, and then make the bolt holes maybe 1/8" taller than the rest of the flange.

Clean the flange of the VCs with lacquer thinner until it is SPOTLESS. And I do mean, SPOTLESS. No traces of oil, old gasket material, dirt, sealer, or anything else; use sandpaper or emery cloth to help, if necessary. You want clean, shiny, sterile metal; not even a haze of dirt. Do the same to the sealing surface of the head. You might find it helpful to shoot a coat of paint on the heads, if it's deteriorated.

Then, get a set of the rubber FelPro gaskets, and some gorilla snot. Silicone doesn't work. Gorilla snot is THE DEAL.

Coat the VCs with it, and one side of each gasket. Smear it on good, but not just soppy drenched. What you want is a nice even coat on the entire surface, completely covering it. Let it sit there and set up for about 15-20 minutes.

Note that the gasket has 2 holes at each bolt down one edge, and one hole down the other. The edge with 2 holes goes toward the intake. Look at the VCs; note that one edge has a lip, and one edge doesn't. The edge with the lip is the exhaust side. The way they go, is with the PCV valve to the front, and the oil fill to the rear, on the left; and the PCV's fresh air return to the rear on the right. Lay the gaskets on the VCs CAREFULLY, gorilla snot side toward the VC. Make sure you get them in the EXACT right place the first time. Slide the bolts or something through the holes to line them up if necessary. Once they're in place, let them set up fora nother half-hour or so.

Now gorilla snot the exposed side of the VC, and the mating surface of the head. Again, let it set up for 15 minutes or so; then put the VC on. Tighten the screws ONLY until the VC flange becomes straight; DO NOT continue to tighten until the bolt pulls the VC back through again, like it was before. Tightness isn't what holds the oil in: straightness is.

Re-assemble the plug wires, hoses, and whatever else is above the VS. As soon as you get it back together, it's ready to use.

You should have no leaks any more.

 

This is great info.....I'm polishing my intake and removing the VC's tomorrow (working on the plenum right now) to get the final torx bolt out on the bottom of the passenger side.
I already bought the rubber FelPro gaskets and am hoping that they sell "Gorilla Snot" in Canada.
Thanks sofakingdom !!

 

I don't know, maybe not.... you guys have gorillas up there?

Seriously... I hope they do.

 

Good advice, thanks for the tips.

The head lip is definitely too small on the stock heads and is too easily prone to vc leaks. Been through two vc gaskets already, on fel-pros now. They work much better but if the car sit the oil will seep out just enough to make a slight glaze. If they vc weren't such a pain getting too, I probably wouldn't be considering new heads lol.

 

Excellent reply. Thank you. maybe the JBweld was a little overkill. I will definetly try that tomorow if i get time.