hey guys, just curious how you guys have dressed up your 86+ sbcs, iv never had a motor with center bolt heads so im not sure what to do about valve covers? was curious what corvettes look like or if they are even find able? stock vs chrome? post pics of what you guys have done with your center bolt valve covers

 

I got these on ebay but they are cheap junk. I was tightening the driver's side down and I only snug them enough so the gasket will seal. I heard a pop and found I had cracked it from the oil hole forward through two bolt holes. I put JB Weld on it but I doubt if it will hold.

 

heres mine :

 

stock covers.

 

midnight89 those are extremely cool looking, very old school looking, hate to hear that they cracked easy on you, what are they made of? cast aluminum?

 

Can't remember the brand

 

Yeah, cast aluminum and apparently, not very much of it. They have no strengthening ribs on the underside and I did not have it very tight when it cracked.

Those are Proform covers and were my second choice, I wish now I had went with them. I'm considering some smooth polished aluminum ones if I can find a place to engrave something into them.

 

that would be awsome ^

i was looking on summit and i found a set of those in chome, i also found a set that look like our stock ones but chrome with a red bowtie and stripes, im thinking about getting them, they are around $110

 

I run stock GM valve covers... there tough look factory and cheap... just got a new set with gaskets and blots all Gm for 40 bucks

 

Not to impose on this thread..but you guys have any cleaning tricks on getting the baked on, stained oil off the valve covers? Its so unappealing, and im just wondering if i should just spend the money for some new ones like you guys mentioned above. Ive tried simple green, all three types of engine degreaser from GUNK. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

fabricated

 

Corvette magnesium valve covers with internal drip tabs.

 

Please describe your valve covers..painted, chrome, aluminum?

 

The regular stock ones.

 

Go to this link below. This is what I used on mine. It works great!!!


http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1984-1991.html

 

That was plan b if i couldnt find a way to clean them haha. Still searching for a way to clean them though. Thanks for the link too

 

if you have chrome ones, a great way iv found to clean them is to use that soap soaked brillo pads (steel wool) you can buy for cleaning dish soap, they remove anything including rust off of older chrome anything

BUT i would NOT use it on any new chrome it may scratch it,

 

On anything except chrome or polished aluminum I suggest glass bead blasting at a low pressure.

 

went from polished alum.


To LT4 composit.

 

I like the LT4 composite covers a lot. That looks great!

I also like the fabricated covers.

But when I got mine I ended up with cast covers. I dont like the look of stamped covers at all, but the die cast ones look great to me. I would be just as happy with the fabricated or composite covers, though. Not a huge fan of the vette covers. But I think the vast majority of non stamped centerbolt covers look WAAAAY better than perimeter bolt covers. And it's so nice to just RTV some nice rubber gaskets to the bottom of teh valve cover so tehy will stay in place, and then you never have to worry about valve cover gaskets again no matter how many times you pull the VC's off.

I need to clean mine up a bit, though.

 

The composite LT4 covers are very nice, but they tend to be pretty expensive

 

I've run the Proform model (as has been posted) but I'm having real trouble trying to get them to be leak free.
I've snapped off one the Proform bolts trying to get that last bit of pressure onto the sealing surface however it had bottomed out in the head. I've purchased better bolts and am running the double thickness cork/steel gaskets but still have a leakage issue.

 

Thanks. I got lucky and traded my polished aluminum ones for the lt4 ones. and picked up the fuel rail covers with them also. Im in the middle of filling the corvette logo on the covers and smoothing them out.

 

You will really like this spray paint if you get it, it is a nickel lacquer which sprays like a paint gun. You can't tell that mine were painted. I have enough left over to give my original alternator case a fresh look.

 

I'll have to pick some up and I'll let you know once the wethers nice how they come out. You take them off or just a lot of covering and taping?

 

I took them off, cleaned them, wiped them lightly with a tack rag and painted.

 

I want to say they were aluminum moroso valve covers... rather heavy but very sturdy. Easy to polish to keep clean too. With a little trimming they fit wide 1.5 roller rockers.

 

"Real" LT-4's:

 

wow i like those lt4s, and those other ones shown that arent stamped, to bad i only have an LB9, or would lt4s fit???

 

If they are center bolt heads they will fit. If not you can buy adapters to make em fit.
"REAL " Lt4s will clear roller rockerse xpect to pay $300+ish for a pair.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LT4-LT1-Comp...4623f6&vxp=mtr

 

i had the same thing happen on my proform alum ones. its such a shame since they look so nice. heres the link to summit on the ones i had. the alum covers need a LIGHT touch when snugging down. almost so light to make you think they wont seal.

 

Wow! There are some really nice pics of engines on this thread.

 

yea i have center bolts, its n 85 iroc z tpi but the motor im about to put in was from an 87 iroc z tpi

 

True, no clearenceing involved. They bolted right over my Scorpions. But, yeah, real spendy.

 

cork gaskets leak, theyre next to impossible to get to seal. switch to a rubber gasket and dont look back.

 

Are you running the Proforms? I agree with you completely on your choice of gaskets.
With the OEM valve covers the blue silicone/rubber gaskets sealed up 100%. Tens of thousands of miles and everything stayed bone dry.
The first go round with the Proform covers was with the supplied bolts and the same style gasket.
They leaked.
I made a switch to the double thick cork hoping I'd be able to get a little more pressure applied before the bolts bottomed out.
No such luck. They leaked too.
I have to investigate the amount of contact the rockers are making with the baffles. With the Pro Magnum 1.6 rr I'm sure there is some. My thinking is that there is always a little movement with respect to the covers and they never fully seat themselves. I'll have to experiement with the upgraded bolts and various gaskets to come up with a leak proof seal.
I don't like leaks.

 

Man those valve covers look great did you do them I would like to have a set like them

 

ebay cheapos

 

Thanks for the info

 

I came real close to buying the black Proforms but now that I read your post and the others concerning leaking I am real glad I didn't. I'm working on a new idea now so if this thread is still alive when I get them on I will post pics.

 

Not sure which ones are the "Proform", but I've got pretty generic polished aluminum valvecovers. The machine shop I did all my business with threw em in for me when I was getting my setup together so I have no idea what brand they are, expected them to be something on the cheaper end and if I recall proform made some identical to mine. They're pretty generic really, but thats what I wanted. Regardless, I figure they are made by whoever makes the proform stuff and mine seal great and Ive got Comp Pro magnums also. I love the black proform covers...

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/post...00-post20.html

My valve cover bolts and bosses are a bit different than the proform ones, though. They are countersunk in with allen heads... so maybe not Proform?

 

Here's a pic of my "new" valve covers. Ignore the mistakes they are off again & being stripped to be painted again. This pic is to just give an idea of what I am doing, at least these are sturdy.

 

id like to see more pics of your car Midnight85 that motor is gorgeous!

btw will that intake work on a tpi motor without moding much?

 

Not finished but here are my valve covers.

 

wow i really like yours to jas370

 

Thanks!

 

Thanks, I'm glad you like it.
I'll probably get lynched for posting pics of a Corvette on a Camaro/Firebird forum.
The Pro Flo is a bit too much for a stock L98, it could probably be made to work but the throttle body is an LS style which are considerably larger than the 48mm. Mine is an 80mm. Also my engine is a 383 so it needs the extra air. As far as the install goes, the Pro Flo is sooo much easier to install than the tpi. If you need any more info, just ask.

 

yea im not sure what i wana do yet, its just an LB9 with a cam and headers

 

Tall polished Ball milled,

 

Those look like the Proforms I'm using. Which gaskets are you using and do you have any leaks?