Valve cover gasket: cork or rubber?

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53ryder

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Looks like the 225cid slant six in my recently acquired '64 Valiant is leaking some oil. I discovered the bolts were very, very loose. Have tried to snug them down a bit but oil still seems to be leaking out. So am considering replacing the gasket. Fel-Pro makes two kinds of valve cover gasket for my car, cork or rubber. Is one better than the other? Is one easier to install? Which should I go with? Or is it six of one and a half dozen of the other?

Any ideas?


Glenn
 
Some say cork with silicone on both sides is better, but I prefer dry rubber.
 
im not a fan of that stiff rubber stuff. now, if someone made the soft blue rubber gasket THAT would be the ticket
 
So 'cork' gaskets need a sealer? The last time I remember fooling around with gaskets I was a teenager. Been a while. So I've forgotten stuff!

Glenn
 
i use the cork gaskets, just enough of a sealer to make it stick so i can get it put back together. works fine for me...i normally check it after a few days to see if i need to snug a bolt on it but usually its fine..


never had a problem with the cork, but then again, ive never used the rubber either.
 
On mechanical cam engines I typically use sealant on one side of the gasket only. Make sure the valve cover is totally clean and the flange is not bent, no warped bolt holes, etc... Then apply a heavy coat of Permatex gasket compound to bond the gasket to the cover. This way you can remove the cover several times without having to replace the gasket.

As for rubber vs. cork, I think the cork probably seals a bit better, but the rubber is less prone to shrink. Either way when they get old and hard they leak.
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
Oh, where I could go with that.
Click to expand...

Rofl you shoosh

C130 Chief said:
On mechanical cam engines I typically use sealant on one side of the gasket only. Make sure the valve cover is totally clean and the flange is not bent, no warped bolt holes, etc... Then apply a heavy coat of Permatex gasket compound to bond the gasket to the cover. This way you can remove the cover several times without having to replace the gasket.

As for rubber vs. cork, I think the cork probably seals a bit better, but the rubber is less prone to shrink. Either way when they get old and hard they leak.
Click to expand...

What is the advantage of using sealant on only one side or the other as opposed to both sides? I've heard it go both ways...
 
i always clean the valve cover flange with rubbing alcohol then i like to use a CORK gasket. i run a bead of rvt. on the valve cover side of the gasket and place it on the cover. i then smear a thin layer of vasoline on the head side of the gasket. that way later on if you have to take it off it doesnt tear the gasket and its attached to the valve cover so it stays in place during install.
 
younggun2.0 said:
i always clean the valve cover flange with rubbing alcohol then i like to use a CORK gasket. i run a bead of rvt. on the valve cover side of the gasket and place it on the cover. i then smear a thin layer of vasoline on the head side of the gasket. that way later on if you have to take it off it doesnt tear the gasket and its attached to the valve cover so it stays in place during install.
Click to expand...

I could see that being extremely helpful against having to shovel gasket remnants out of the head
 
Cork on slant sixes with a bit of RTV on the valve cover side is what I do.
 
I believe that the gasket that charlie s suggested are silicone gaskets and everything I have read about them says very high quality.
 
hi-tack or rtv on the valve cover, then install the gasket into the valve cover. once assembled and cured you can R&R the cover alot of times, im up to 10 times on my 68 without having to replace the gasket, and no leaks.

that being said i have used the rubber ones, and could not been able to get it to seal. Would not seal even with rtv on both sides of the gasket, sand blasting the sealing area in the valve cover, and scotch briting the head surface.
 
I prefer cork with a light coat of silicone, then torqued down light to medium. Should be juuusst right with no leaks.
 
I learned many moons ago rubber caskets are junk and will not seal.. I do the same Cork and rtv on just the valve cover side, I have had mine off 3 times in 2 years, I might by my next one this winter, I just adjusted my Valves this late winter.
 
I use the cork, could never get the rubber to seal. I've never purchased the style Charlie has listed.

I'm cheap-- so a cork gasket rtv'd to the valve cover & a light coat of wheel bearing grease on the bottom of the cork works great & they last fine. Lawrence
 
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