4 replies to this topic

[maccers]

I have replaced my rocker cover seal with a new cork one, but it seems the oil is actually weeping through it - is this possible? Looking at the seal its just saturated with oil.

 

The rocker cover sleeved nuts are done up tight enough to not allow oil either over or under it. I have a breather hole and pipe connected into a catch tank to help with crank case pressure also.

 

Is this just a normal thing?

 

Engine is a 1293cc SPi block, running twin point eaton charger via non Rover ECU.

 

Oh yeah, Happy New Year all!

[M4TTD05794]

Did you make sure the cylinder head and rocker cover lip was clean and dry?

[KernowCooper]

Possible its a cheap gasket, if there is enough preload on the cover bolts it should not allow oil out

[dklawson]

I have posted my valve cover seal method before but will repeat it as succinctly as possible here.  You may have a bad gasket, though I've never seen one weep through.  If you buy one of the solid silicone ones you will not have any chance for porosity.  If you don't like silicone gaskets, use the normal filled cork ones.  The method below works on them as well.

1. Clean the surface of the head and the gasket track on the valve cover.  Leave no residue on either.
2. Degrease completely the gasket track on the valve cover and apply a very thin bead of RTV silicone rubber to the track.
3. Fit the gasket to the RTV applied to the valve cover but do not push it home, just rest it in the track.
4. Apply a THIN smear of grease all along the cylinder head where the gasket will rest.
5. Place the valve cover with gasket on the head and fit the two securing nuts finger tight.
6. Walk away and give the RTV a few hours to firm up.
7. After a few hours, tighten the valve cover nuts properly and you are done.

Why do it this way?  Valve covers are often distorted from previous over tightening and/or scraping off old gaskets.  Therefore, they are not flat.  However, the clean surface of the cylinder head will be flat by comparison.  The RTV will fill the voids and distortions between the gasket and valve cover.  Tightening the cover finger tight while the RTV is curing allows the bottom of the gasket to conform perfectly to the cylinder head top surface.  The thin layer of grease provides both a release agent and a bit of sealing.  In the end you will have a cover that does not leak and is easily removed in the future.

Edited by dklawson, 04 January 2014 - 03:13 PM.

[maccers]

Thanks for the advice on this, will give it a go very soon.