Cam cover gasket (again...)

[frearther]

I have three unused gaskets in the shop, and two of them are delaminating just laying flat on the shelf.

[Jeff@Jae]

The trick with the original cork cam cover gasket for me was to seal it to the cam cover only(Wellseal or high temp RTV and a stack of books on top) and remember to retorque the thing in use about 3-5 times as the gasket settles. Once it settled it was fine for years. That last step is even more important know because the current crop of cork cam cover gaskets will delaminate the glue/foil if allowed to loosen up. That said all we use now are the black synthetic Cometic cam cover gaskets.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

The trick with the original cork cam cover gasket for me was to seal it to the cam cover only(Wellseal or high temp RTV and a stack of books on top) and remember to retorque the thing in use about 3-5 times as the gasket settles. Once it settled it was fine for years. That last step is even more important know because the current crop of cork cam cover gaskets will delaminate the glue/foil if allowed to loosen up. That said all we use now are the black synthetic Cometic cam cover gaskets.

Hi Jeff,

can you provide some more information maybe Photos, Material Spec's & user experince for the "Cometic" Cam cover Gaskets (that you are "all now using") please?
I'm very interested in what could be a great solution.

Thanks
John

[alexblack13]

I have three unused gaskets in the shop, and two of them are delaminating just laying flat on the shelf.

Me too..Bin material. The do not like to be on the shelf at all. I'm going to use the new tech' gaskets... Anything is worth a try and they are liable to be very good, so I'm going to buy the best going and give that a try.

A bulk purchase anyone?

Alex.....

[pamitchell]

I used the Cometic gasket and very pleased with the sealing properties/ I also replaced the oil cap with JAE's screw on cap. Needed slight machining but makes a strong friction fit.

[paddy]

I fitted the Cometic gasket at the weekend.

It looks like it's alloy based with a rubberised coating. Total thickness is around 1.1mm.

D-plugs were already fixed with RTV, including a skim on the top to make them completely flush with the surface of the head.

I used Wellseal to "fix" the gasket to the cam cover and nothing between the gasket and the head.

Torqued to 5 lbs.

After the first trip of 20 miles the joint was bone dry. I hope it stays like that, and I would expect the gasket to last more or less forever.

Paddy

[Jeff@Jae]

There are several versions of the Twin Cam cam cover gaskets and several flavors of the Cometic versions. It seems impossible to get a quality cork/foil/cork sandwich gasket at the present time. Cometic does an aluminum core with a rubberized coating version that works well with a nearly perfect cam cover/head. We have had them make a gasket that is thicker and compressible that seems to work better in the real world.

[andyhodg]

Paddy

Where did you get the Cometic cam cover gasket?

Thanks

Andy

[paddy]

I got it from Burtons: https://www.burtonpower.com/product_mai ... t=FL719COM

Paddy

[dlbarnes1]

I tried the Cometic gasket. Would'nt work because my cam cover is not flat. Probably the result of being overtightened too many times. With the Cometic gasket, there was a gap at the front I could get an 0.008" feeler gauge in. I have to use the cork gasket installed as described by Jeff. The Cometic gasket I have is about 0.060" thick.
Jeff - You mentioned a thicker Cometic gasket. What is the thickness and is the additional thickness all in the rubberized coating?

Dave - 72 Sprint DHC