Best Valve Cover Gaskets Available?

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DEVIOUSDUSTER

DEVIOUSDUSTER

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Hey A-Body Nation

I'm putting the finishing touches on my 410 sb stroker and have polished fabricated valve covers ready to install. I'm curious what brand/material of valve cover gaskets people have had the best luck with?

Summit has a bunch of brands listed with materials ranging from:

Cork
Rubber
Nitrile Rubber/Fiber
Aramid Fiber
Laminated Cork/Composite
Composite with Steel Core
Rubber-Coated Fiber
Paper with Silicone Coating
Perm-Align Rubber with Steel Core
Cork/Rubber with Steel Core

Does it matter? (Prices are between $10 - $60)

The motor is a roller so valve covers shouldn't need to come off too often. Let me know what's worked (or hasn't worked) for you!

Thanks
 
Thanks fellas. Can you elaborate on how long you've had the Moroso gaskets installed (years/miles) and how many times you've been able to reuse them?

Appreciate it!
 
Mopar (Mopar Performance) grey with steel insert.

I've run them for 10 years on my old 340 with cast aluminum Cal Custom valve covers and stock as-cast rough wavy not machined side rails on original cast iron X heads. Still good, I just put that motor aside to make way for my new stroker motor.

With a head that has machined valve cover rails they should be pretty indestructable.

I've been running those composite/paper covered rubber valve cover with machined Edelbrock heads and those cast aluminum valve covers. Not really any problems, but after 4-6 solid lifter valve adjustments the paper started to come undone. I put white lithium grease between head and gasket and that works real nice. But they have probably been off and on 10 times they started to stick to the head and come apart.

I'm putting on a new set of Grey MP steel core gaskets and I expect them to last 10 years like the last set.
 
I put the Mopar perf grey steel core gaskets on my 408 when I built it 3 yrs. ago. It's a solid cam engine so I have to adjust the valves every so often and each time I take it apart the gaskets look just like the day I installed them new and they seal fantastic. Not even a seep. I'd bet by the description their very similar to the Moroso gaskets mentioned above. Got about 7000 miles on it now and I'm sure I've had the valve covers off at least 7-8 times.
 
I like the Fel-pro neoprene (rubber) gaskets. Tell the parts man that you have a 67 273 (solid lifter car that needs periodic valve lash adjustments). That set should have the "reuseable" neoprene rubber gaskets. They've worked well for me in the past.
 
The MP grey with steel insert is by FAR the damned best money can buy. Here's why. First, they will last forever, unless some dipshit tears them up. Secondly, they are one of ........if not the ONLY valve cover gaskets that will seal LA valve covers on Magnum heads. They are WELL worth the money.
 
A little off topic but still relevant I think...

If you are using anything other then stamped steel valve covers, what is everyone doing to get them to clear the intake runners? I used to run the MP black wrinkle covers and had to use two gaskets AND grind away some material on the cover so it wouldn't hit the intake. The fabricated aluminum covers I'm going to run are the same way.

I thought about using a spacer with a gasket on either side but the guy who was making them is out of stock and he doesn't know if he will be making any more. It would be nice to just use one gasket. Can the intake be safely machined to clear the valve covers? This is probably only a problem with stock heads isn't it?(the aluminum heads have a taller valve cover rail?)
 
burdar said:
A little off topic but still relevant I think...

If you are using anything other then stamped steel valve covers, what is everyone doing to get them to clear the intake runners? I used to run the MP black wrinkle covers and had to use two gaskets AND grind away some material on the cover so it wouldn't hit the intake. The fabricated aluminum covers I'm going to run are the same way.

I thought about using a spacer with a gasket on either side but the guy who was making them is out of stock and he doesn't know if he will be making any more. It would be nice to just use one gasket. Can the intake be safely machined to clear the valve covers? This is probably only a problem with stock heads isn't it?(the aluminum heads have a taller valve cover rail?)
Click to expand...

I had to grind on the covers a lot when I used the MP covers on my old 360 but I got them to clear with just 1 gasket. A guy should also be able to machine the intake down along with the valve covers and get the clearance needed but unless your really good with a die grinder or have access to a mill it may look ragged. I have only used one set of aftermarket heads and they cleared so you may be right about it just being a problem with stock heads.

BTW: apparently Ma Mopar finally recognized this as a problem because the last MP covers I bought were for a magnum headed engine and they had the intake side beveled real good so it didn't hit the intake.
 
Based on the responses it sounds like rubber gaskets with the steel inserts are the way to go. (Moroso or Mopar Brand)

I have had mixed results with cork but have never tried rubber with steel inserts.

Thanks guys
 
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