The Dodge Challenger Message Board

OK, so I made my fourth attempt to get my passenger side valve cover to seal properly. I've been through the cork, fiber and recently- those expensive Moroso rubber/ steel core gaskets. NO LUCK.
It ALWAYS leaks at the two lower center areas.
RIDICULOUS!
I've even done the following:

1. Test fit the gasket
2. Applied Ultra Grey/ Ultra Black to valve cover, install gasket and touch up top of gasket areas
3. Clamp- let sit for 24 hours
4. Apply sealant to top of head- mainly around the bottom and about 1.5" up both sides
5. Install Valve Cover, hand tighten and let sit 1-2 hours, then tighten to proper specs.
6. Let vehicle sit 24 hours- I let it sit nearly 2 full days before starting it.
7. Re-checked & tightened to re-seat

Fired her up. Nothing for about 10 minutes- then the leak and subsequent smoke from those same two places.

Any ideas?
I'm OK with a drop or two on the floor- heck- EVERY Big Block leaks a bit, but this is nuts!

Time to get creative Chuck

You can buy paint for the inside of blocks that helps oil to drain back to the sump.
It also sort of seals the pores in the casting too, so that could be an answer.

On a Mopar head years ago, I had to get that top edge of the head (where the valve cover sits on) machined down an 1/8th of an inch to get a cover to stop leaking.
It is possible for a casting to be porous, so you can never get a proper seal without taking more drastic measures.

Funny thing is- when we broke in the cam- the engine was out and we were using the stock valve covers and it wasn't leaking.
I don't like the stock covers as they're ugly.
Don't want to take off the heads at this point- so- what is this paint you are talking about? I can get to the bottom rails of the heads for sure, so I'll give that a try.

It's call Glyptol and it's been around for years Chuck.
It was originally widely used to paint electric motor windings, how it first got tried in a block to seal porous surfaces & aid oil drain back I'm not sure of.

Check this link on MoparChat......

http://www.moparchat.com/forums/archive ... 01318.html

OK, so I did everything I set out to do.
Even let it sit to make sure everything dried.
Installed...properly torqued.
and it still leaks.

This is ridiculous. Its not rocket science. What am I doing wrong here?
Does anyone make an RTV that handles Manifold heat- being as close as it is to the valve cover?

I can't remember Chuck but did you try just a dry cork gasket and nothing else?

I'm on to cork gaskets and some Permatex Right Stuff. Problem is- the valve cover sits SO CLOSE to the manifold.

Look at the photo of the valve cover ON the engine. Is that normally how close it's supposed to be to the manifold?
I think so.

Have you placed the 2 types of cover against each other & compared all the dimensions?

Yes, the ProForm covers (Moper Perf/ Milodon, etc) are slightly narrower than the Moroso covers, but I can always file down the edge slightly.

All of these are stamped overseas:

PROFORM
MILODON
MOPAR PERFORMANCE (Chrome/steel)
EDELBROCK
RACETECH
SPECTRE