Valve cover gaskets - a little advice
02-21-2005, 10:17 AM
#1
Valve cover gaskets - a little advice Alot of times when people are doing headswaps, cam installs, etc, people usually tell them not to bother with new valve cover gaskets, because you can usually reuse them a few times. Well, I had just finished up my AFR install Saturday, started the car and let it come up to temp without issue. Took it out for a drive, got about 1/4 mile down the road and started leaving a smoke screen out back. Came back, and found a slow but steady drip of oil starting to puddle under the car. Figured I had broke the infamous oil pressure sender buried behind the intake when I reinstalled it, and got pissed imagining another 2-3 hours of work. Well, long story short, I found the leak was coming from the valvecover and had covered about half the head, pulled it and found the gasket ever so slightly muffed up. I had a pair lying around that I forgot to put on, so I replaced it, fired it back up, and no more problems.
So just a word of advice, for a couple bucks keep a spare lying around anytime your pulling the valvecovers. Its such a minor thing, but it'd be annoying as hell to have to let the car sit another 5-7 days while you have to order one and wait for it, especially after your eager to take the car for a spin and test out new mods.
So just a word of advice, for a couple bucks keep a spare lying around anytime your pulling the valvecovers. Its such a minor thing, but it'd be annoying as hell to have to let the car sit another 5-7 days while you have to order one and wait for it, especially after your eager to take the car for a spin and test out new mods.
02-21-2005, 11:03 AM
#3
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I've had my valve covers off so many times I can't even count. I'm still on my original pair of gaskets. Just be careful with them and they will last a long time. They are rubber you know.