LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Canton Valvecovers.. what gasket?

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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 04:31 PM
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Default Canton Valvecovers.. what gasket?

I have the canton valvecovers and am using cork gaskets. They leak like crazy. Would rubber be better? Do the factory rubbers fit fine? Also, I'm thinking the reason they're not sealing correctly is because aftermarket heads have shallow holes for the center-bolts, allowing the bolts to barely press down on the covers and bottoming out early - anyone heard of this? Thanks!
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 04:40 PM
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I just got rid of my Canton's because I couldn't get them to seal for ****. I switched over to fatrodder smoothie covers with standard Felpro rubber reusable gaskets.
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 04:45 PM
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Originally Posted by RamAir95TA
I just got rid of my Canton's because I couldn't get them to seal for ****. I switched over to fatrodder smoothie covers with standard Felpro rubber reusable gaskets.
How bad would they leak? lol If the valvecovers are the culprit in my situation, oil sprays out at higher RPMs and when I slow down/stop, oil starts to puddle under the car. but this only happens while driving through the RPMs, if I let it idle all day long, it wont leak. Sound about right?
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 04:51 PM
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Originally Posted by 1badzee
How bad would they leak? lol If the valvecovers are the culprit in my situation, oil sprays out at higher RPMs and when I slow down/stop, oil starts to puddle under the car. but this only happens while driving through the RPMs, if I let it idle all day long, it wont leak. Sound about right?
Mine would leak only when the car was running, out the back and front. They leaked bad enough where I couldn't drive the car because I was leaking so much onto my headers.
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 04:53 PM
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So by my description, would you say it's the valvecovers?
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 04:56 PM
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Put it to you this way...I fucked with these things for 2 days straight, trying to get them to seal. When I thought I had the gasket on all the way at all four corners, the next day the gasket would literally FALL out of the groove. This is the design of the covers, not the gaskets. The fatrodder covers I bought have grooves all the way around to hold the gasket in the correct position, not just the small individual mounting tabs on the inside (not both sides of the cover rail).

From your description, I'd say yeah. **** the Cantons.

/rant
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 04:57 PM
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Hahah thanks for the input man, that's all I needed to convince me
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by RamAir95TA
From your description, I'd say yeah. **** the Cantons.
In seeing those on engines they really look like a mistake just from their abnormal growth look/perspective...
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted by SS RRR
In seeing those on engines they really look like a mistake just from their abnormal growth look/perspective...
I agree now. In the future I plan on converting to shaft-mounts, so I figured these would be a good investment. Turns out they are garbage.
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by RamAir95TA
I agree now. In the future I plan on converting to shaft-mounts, so I figured these would be a good investment. Turns out they are garbage.

The fatrodders require an alternator relocation though, right?
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 05:50 PM
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I have cantons with rubbber gaskets and they seal up fine. A little bit of patience (and smarts) would tell you to use a few small dots of rtv to hold the gasket to the valve cover.

Just put a dot in all four corners and two one each side. Let them sit over night and you will have no problems with leaks because the gasket will seal up nice and straight on the head.

Don't let one person make your decisions for you... some people just don't have the capacity to be creative.

PM me if you need any help.
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 05:57 PM
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My cantons seal perfectly with the felpro rubber gasket. Never leaked a drop of oil. Just use common sense and put a little bit of silicone to hold the gasket to each cover, then install the cover with gasket together.

Your choices are very limited to clear shaft mounts and some of the wide body RRs. I love the cantons, don't see how they could be called garbage - they do exactly what they are ment to, and my set was very good quality with clean welds and no slag anywhere like a lot of welded products.

**EDIT** To be blunt, cork gaskets are ****.
Attached Thumbnails Canton Valvecovers.. what gasket?-cantons.jpg   Canton Valvecovers.. what gasket?-enginebay.jpg  
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 06:02 PM
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Had the same problem on my dart heads with the threads being tapped too shallow. Use washers
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Old Jul 4, 2009 | 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by pooogy
Had the same problem on my dart heads with the threads being tapped too shallow. Use washers
Washers won't look right with the way the canton covers are set up.. If anything I'll cut the bolts down a tad. First I'm going to throw on some stock valve covers to see if that was even the problem and cause of my leak.
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Old Jul 5, 2009 | 04:27 AM
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forget about the Canton VCs, my stock VCs used to leak so bad,,used a bit of RTV on the gasket(both faces of each gasket),,no more leaking. i guess its a common issue with centre bolted VCs, also make sure the VC bolts are not worn out,they tend to loosen up
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Old Jul 5, 2009 | 09:53 AM
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I had cantons for a short time and used the blue Fel-Pro gaskets and they did not leak. The gaskets pull in on the corners, but still has plenty material to seal...

I did some research and there is a metal-core, cork with rubber facing gasket set available from both Fel-Pro and Mr.Gasket (with the Fel-Pro being twice as expensive as the Mr.Gasket ones) that would be ideal for the cantons. Install them to the valve covers themselves with a VERY thin layers of RTV so the seal to the valvecover permanently, let it sit overnight to cure and then install them. With even minimal pressure there is no way they could leak.

Also, be sure the sealing surface on the perimeter of the heads is nice and flat with no burrs/high-spots. If there are any use a flat file and take them down. I have seen more than a few cases where people were blaming the gaskets/valvecovers and the sealing surfaces weren't flat.

1badzee, the Fel-Pro ones actually are quite a bit thicker at .250", thus if you use those they may keep you from having to cut-down the bolts.

Part #s:
Mr.Gasket: MRG-5867 (normal height, .172")
Fel-Pro: FPP-1648 (thicker, .250")
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Old Jul 5, 2009 | 06:47 PM
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Originally Posted by 95 TA - The Beast
I had cantons for a short time and used the blue Fel-Pro gaskets and they did not leak. The gaskets pull in on the corners, but still has plenty material to seal...

I did some research and there is a metal-core, cork with rubber facing gasket set available from both Fel-Pro and Mr.Gasket (with the Fel-Pro being twice as expensive as the Mr.Gasket ones) that would be ideal for the cantons. Install them to the valve covers themselves with a VERY thin layers of RTV so the seal to the valvecover permanently, let it sit overnight to cure and then install them. With even minimal pressure there is no way they could leak.

Also, be sure the sealing surface on the perimeter of the heads is nice and flat with no burrs/high-spots. If there are any use a flat file and take them down. I have seen more than a few cases where people were blaming the gaskets/valvecovers and the sealing surfaces weren't flat.

1badzee, the Fel-Pro ones actually are quite a bit thicker at .250", thus if you use those they may keep you from having to cut-down the bolts.

Part #s:
Mr.Gasket: MRG-5867 (normal height, .172")
Fel-Pro: FPP-1648 (thicker, .250")
I appreciate it man!
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