Cam Cover sealing

[Tahoe]

What is the latest and greatest cam cover sealing method? Mine does NOT leak from the oil cap or studs at all, but does leak all around the gasket. I replaced the gasket by completely cleaning all surfaces and installing one of the new gaskets from RD. There is no gasket movement and it was tightened correctly. The cover is not loose or over tightened, but leaks badly. It's the new gasket with a bead on one side so if you do use sealant it should just be on one side. I didn't use any sealant, but just made sure all was clean and straight.

This obviously didn't work and was much worse than the old crusty gasket I removed. So what is the magic sealing solution you use?

[prezoom]

First, make sure you gasket mating surface on the cam cover is flat. After several tries, I finally threw the cover on the laping plate and found there were some very large gaps that would never be sealed by the gasket. I wound up taking some plastic wrap and laid it down on the flat surface of my metal bench top. Then used some JB Weld on the low spots on the cover. Pressed the cover down on the plastic wrap and put some weight on the cover.

When the JB Weld had cured, I used some spray adhesive on the back of some 220 grit sand paper sheets to glue them to the top of the table and then put the cam cover down on the sand paper and moved it in a figure 8 motion. When it all looked nice and flat all the way around, I then used some Hylomar to seal everything up. No more leaks.

Rob Walker
26-4889

[Tahoe]

Well that sounds like a great solution. Not sure if my cover has low spots or not. When I replaced the gasket everything appeared straight and didn't have any gouges, etc. I cleaned both surfaces real good etc. I'll be taking it off again as soon as I can get a new gasket or 2, and will check everything again. Next time I'll also use sealant on both sides. It's somewhat hard to tell, but it looks like it's leaking only on the side without sealant. With today's latest sealants and gasket makers it shouldn't leak a drop.

[Quart Meg Miles]

I use Instant Gasket on the cam cover and Wellseal on the head using the standard cork gasket. You can then take the cover off and refit it by cleaning up and re-applying Wellseal.

[StressCraxx]

Russ,

+1 on making sure your valve cover is flat. I used a felt tip pen and marked the cover surface all the way round. I then put it on a flat concrete floor surface (sorry guys, the granite platen was out being resurfaced).

I gently pushed it around in a figure eight motion and found the high and low spots. It had been over tightened at one time. I went to an auto machine shop. He used a large mill table with abrasive paper to take away the high spots.

I used the regular cork/foil gasket and "The right stuff" from Permatex to seal both sides of the gasket. I had no leaks for over a year, til the cam bore plugs started to weep.

Regards,
Dan

[Grizzly]

If you are using a Cork gasket clean any oil or grease off the two mating surfaces so they are spotless then just a smear of sealer on the half moons to hold them in place and a dot on the corners to fill any level difference. Fit the Cork gasket dry with no sealer it is very important the two mating surfaces are spotless (i use acetone).

If you have done it right the Cam cover will be stuck onto the head and not easy at all to get off, if its oily the gasket won't stick and it will leak badly. Cork gaskets don't work well with gasket sealer. Now if you have one of the newer rubberised gaskets a smear of Sealer may well help as they don't respond well to uneven areas such as the half moons, the cork gaskets will always take up an uneven surface better as long as its fitted correctly.

[terryp]

I use RTV to stick the gasket to the cam cover, leave to set on flat surface. Then apply grease to other side and bolt to head.
It's then easy to take off and will reseal at least once.

Terry

[Robbie693]

Same as Terry, but with Wellseal instead of RTV as I hate scraping it off!

No leaks apart from the oil cap

Robbie