Valve cover gaskets too short

[Darrell]

Get rid of those rubber POS gaskets. Used these cork Fel-pro #1648. Should not have to use glue tack, tape to stretch and hold or any other crap to keep a gasket in place.

 

[92SlammedC1500]

You may have gaskets off of a 4.3l V6?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Cork is GARBAGE as an engine gasket, the factory style rubber valve cover gaskets easily last 2-3 times as long without leaking and never need to have the valve covers retorqued due to shrinkage like cork will.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

You may have gaskets off of a 4.3l V6?

Those are the V8 gaskets, they are all like that. The rubber gaskets and center bolt covers were a HUGE upgrade to the SBC when GM started using them.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Get rid of those rubber POS gaskets. Used these cork Fel-pro #1648. Should not have to use glue tack, tape to stretch and hold or any other crap to keep a gasket in place.

The only time I have used cork was on a perimiter bolt SBC, glued the cork gasket to the valve cover and rubbed grease on the cylinder head side. Then when you remove the valve covers the gaskets stay in place and easily lifts off without sticking to the head. That was a solid roller engine that needed semi frequent valve lash adjustments.

 

[Darrell]

Cork is GARBAGE as an engine gasket, the factory style rubber valve cover gaskets easily last 2-3 times as long without leaking and never need to have the valve covers retorqued due to shrinkage like cork will.

Odd, been running the fel-pro cork on mine for about 5 years now. Zero leaks and have never had to re-torque the cover bolts...and when I was running the rubber I had leaks..lol

I guess it's what works for you at the time

 

[Scooterwrench]

Where's that gasket stretcher when you need it.
High Tack those suckers to the valve covers and carry on.
I fell in love when they came out with the one piece rubber oil pan gasket and haven't bought cork since. My 355 has the perimeter bolt valve covers and I put the Fel-Pro rubber gaskets on it, it don't leak nary a drop!

 

[Erik the Awful]

Back in the day the only way to get the corks to seal was to "gorilla-snot" them with interior adhesive. That crap would dry in place and you'd have to use a chisel to get the valve covers back off, but while they were on there they didn't leak.

The rubber gaskets are significantly better. If installed correctly they don't leak and are somewhat reusable.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Back in the day the only way to get the corks to seal was to "gorilla-snot" them with interior adhesive. That crap would dry in place and you'd have to use a chisel to get the valve covers back off, but while they were on there they didn't leak.

The rubber gaskets are significantly better. If installed correctly they don't leak and are somewhat reusable.

A trick I used to use to help those old cork gaskets seal was to go over the rails on the heads with a file and smooth the casting porosity. A magnet on the file will keep the shavings from falling into the engine. Then use a small riveting hammer to straighten the valve covers at the bolt hole areas. Now the with the center bolt VC's and the head rails being machined there is no need to do all that.