Best 383 valve cover gaskets to stop all the leaking
- Thread starter jrosey
- Start date
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Shmaako
Well-Known Member
I was told to place a thin skin of RTV on a dry cork gasket...and I'm about to try that myself...
pishta
I know I'm right....
Look for the silicone coated metal ones. They were in the MP small block gasket sets. Not sure if they make them for the B's, HA, Rob read my mind
These are the best and reusable, no sealant needed.
Yes, oil leaks are no fun.
I go to the extream and put a very thin layer of RTV Gasket Maker on the cylinder head valve cover rim, both sides of the Cork valve cover gasket, and the sealing surface of the valve covers.
Always take Brake Parts Cleaner to all sealing surfaces to remove any oil film so the RTV will stick proper.
Then 1 step further, Aviation Sealer (like High Tack) on the threads of the fastening bolts and put it all together.
Whatever little excess RTV that squeezes out, I carefully cut off after 1 hour of set up time.
Makes a nice clean, leak free job out of it.
Want to get it apart again in the future.
Spray a little bit of Brake Parts Cleaner all the way around the Valve Cover seam and wait 10 minutes for it to start loosening up the RTV. Then it easily comes apart, and if you do it right you can reuse the gasket again.
I go to the extream and put a very thin layer of RTV Gasket Maker on the cylinder head valve cover rim, both sides of the Cork valve cover gasket, and the sealing surface of the valve covers.
Always take Brake Parts Cleaner to all sealing surfaces to remove any oil film so the RTV will stick proper.
Then 1 step further, Aviation Sealer (like High Tack) on the threads of the fastening bolts and put it all together.
Whatever little excess RTV that squeezes out, I carefully cut off after 1 hour of set up time.
Makes a nice clean, leak free job out of it.
Want to get it apart again in the future.
Spray a little bit of Brake Parts Cleaner all the way around the Valve Cover seam and wait 10 minutes for it to start loosening up the RTV. Then it easily comes apart, and if you do it right you can reuse the gasket again.
33IMP
Well-Known Member
How about a little more info? Iron heads with a questionable gasket surface? Aluminum heads, with a nice machined surface?
What covers? Cast? Fabricated ?old steel stockers? Steel repops? Chrome? Paper thin stamped aluminum moroso's?
Have you checked if the covers are flat? Are the bolt holes out of shape from over-tightening? Are the valve cover rails of the heads level, checked with a straightedge?
More info=more help.
What covers? Cast? Fabricated ?old steel stockers? Steel repops? Chrome? Paper thin stamped aluminum moroso's?
Have you checked if the covers are flat? Are the bolt holes out of shape from over-tightening? Are the valve cover rails of the heads level, checked with a straightedge?
More info=more help.
Don't overtighten, no sealers, reusable
Dodge Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Silicone Gaskets - Real Gaskets Tennessee
Dodge Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Silicone Gaskets - Real Gaskets Tennessee
The problem isn't the gasket, it is the valve cover. Or possibly the cylinder head depending on which head you are using. Factory cast iron heads are horrible for leaks, aftermarket aluminum head typically have a machined rail and shouldn't leak. Factory steel valve covers are almost impossible to keep from leaking as are many of the cheap valve covers on the market. High quality valve covers don't leak regardless of the gasket used. Cheap valve covers will leak regardless of which gasket you use. I fought valve cover leaks for years and then finally figured out the solution and now I never have any leaks.
The secret is a rigid valve cover with a thick flange. If you have a good valve cover you can use any gasket and have no leaks. I use Cometic valve cover gaskets but Superformance will work as will some of the FelPro gaskets. Even the Moroso gasket will seal with these valve covers.
How much were your valve covers to have CNC?
If any of yall's interested, here's how I did mine. I used the valve cover gaskets I linked to up there ^^^^ First I made sure all the valve cover rail surfaces were good and straight and level. No cracks or porous areas. Then, before I painted the valve covers, I flipped them upside down and put the valve cover rails on the side of the vise edge and gently tapped all the holes back straight and true. You need a small ball peen to fit down inside the under side of the rails. Once that's done, I blasted and painted them and then got some small block Chevy (cheap) stainless hold downs. I also used stainless bolts and washers. Failure to use stainless exterior bolts will result in rust. Real quick like. I thank @CudaChick1968 for that tip years ago. She's a good bit more than just a pretty face. Anyway, here's what mine turned out like. Notice for the corners, I flipped the hold downs around backwards from their normal direction so they would cover more area. If you do all the same thing I did, you very likely will not have any leaks.
That's just beautiful, Andy. I wish I could afford to build one like that. Your whole car really came out fantastic.
famous bob
mopar misfit
Ur covers are kick a$$, but w/ raised port heads , and 2'' headers , all those soft gaskets burned up on mine. The only ones that have stood up are hughs burn proof and a pair of hard felpro gaskets that look and feel just like the hughs gasket , since I removed the dam header wrap, (I hate that stuff) , still have to tighten the covers down after a few heat cycles , a little titer than a guy can tighten a screw driver . Running crankcase vacuum helps a "WHOLE " BUNCH !
Yeah if the headers are close to the gasket then that will kill them quick. I had a car like that once so started using the Mopar motor home exhaust gaskets. The motor home exhaust gaskets have a built in heat shield that protects the valve cover gaskets. It doesn't totally solve the problem but it helps the gaskets live for a year or so rather than just one race.
famous bob
mopar misfit
BEEN WATCHING THOSE ON EBAY , HAVE THE PROBLRM PRETTY MUCH WHIPPED NOW , BUT GOTTEM ON MU WATCH LIST . dam caps button !
Here is a picture of the motor home gaskets. You can see the shiny foil on the other side of the exhaust manifold. It is just enough to reflect the heat from the manifold away from the valve cover and valve cover gasket.
I've read some reviews on the Moroso gaskets saying they don't fit in the valve cover recess on stock valve covers. They must have changed the design, because mine do, all the way around. You can see in the pictures I posted above they are not sticking out past the valve cover lip.
69_340_GTS
Well-Known Member
If you try to use rigid cast aluminum covers on stock heads which are often not machined, you can almost never stop the leaking. In that case use stamped sheet metal valve covers and install them like RRR showed above.
If using cast/machined covers on machined heads, well they really should never leak. I like those Moroso Perm-Align gaskets with no sealer at all.
If using cast/machined covers on machined heads, well they really should never leak. I like those Moroso Perm-Align gaskets with no sealer at all.
That is only true if the cast/machined covers are made correctly. Mopar Performance made a lot of cast covers that are too wide to seal correctly and there is very little that a person can do to solve the problem. The faulty MP covers will tear a Moroso gasket to shreds very quickly. Sometimes the thick FelPro gasket can provide a seal between the head and the cast MP cover but not always.
I did a lot of investigation into valve cover leaks a few years back and figured out the problem. It all has to do with vendors make bad parts. If the parts are bad then the guy doing a backyard build doesn't have a fighting chance of making it work.
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