Best Valve Cover Gaskets Available?

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?)

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.