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In talking with people from all over the world, you get about 50/50 when you ask; How Do You Seal Your Valve Cover? While 50% affix the gasket to the Cover, others affix the gasket to the Head. Most guys who are on the Gasket-to-the-Cover Team say they do it because "That's the way I have always done it". Fair enough, this is not a life or death issue, however with the 216/235/261 GM 6 Cylinders, there is no ledge for the Oil to stay IN the head. This causes a little Oil to leak out (usually from the back near the firewall) and make you think you have a rear main leak or something.
By sealing the gasket to the Head, you are creating a Dam that keeps the above from happening and the bonus is, it's no big deal to pop the valve cover and tweak your valve adjustments or check on upper oil flow. While you are at it, don't just order a new Valve Cover Gasket like you always do. FelPro makes two gaskets for these engines. The standard one (the one you get when you do not ask) is a 5/32" cork gasket. The other one, Part Number VS50190C is a 7/32" gasket. Available at RockAuto for about $7. To install the gasket, just put a finger swipe of sealer on the engine side of the gasket, temporarily lay it in the cover and bolt it to the engine. Make sure no sealer can stick to your cover. To do that, just put a light coat of oil on the cover side.
Be sure to hand tighten using very light torque to hold the cover down. If you do not have them already, get reinforcement hold-downs for the 235/261 covers so the metal does not warp around the screw holes. Those are available at Speedway Motors ( Sku # 92612799) or Summit. With a nice flat cover and a nice tall gasket sealed to the head, your top end will never leak again. Seeya Next Week! Happy Easter!
By sealing the gasket to the Head, you are creating a Dam that keeps the above from happening and the bonus is, it's no big deal to pop the valve cover and tweak your valve adjustments or check on upper oil flow. While you are at it, don't just order a new Valve Cover Gasket like you always do. FelPro makes two gaskets for these engines. The standard one (the one you get when you do not ask) is a 5/32" cork gasket. The other one, Part Number VS50190C is a 7/32" gasket. Available at RockAuto for about $7. To install the gasket, just put a finger swipe of sealer on the engine side of the gasket, temporarily lay it in the cover and bolt it to the engine. Make sure no sealer can stick to your cover. To do that, just put a light coat of oil on the cover side.
Be sure to hand tighten using very light torque to hold the cover down. If you do not have them already, get reinforcement hold-downs for the 235/261 covers so the metal does not warp around the screw holes. Those are available at Speedway Motors ( Sku # 92612799) or Summit. With a nice flat cover and a nice tall gasket sealed to the head, your top end will never leak again. Seeya Next Week! Happy Easter!
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