250 ci. Side Cover Sealing Issues

[Stock72c10]

I have had a heck of a time trying to get my side covers(push rod cover) to seal on my I6 250ci. I tried new cork gaskets with RTV first with no luck, then rubber seals, still no luck. I bought a new set of covers tonight from LMC as i believe the old covers must be bent enough to not seal. Has anyone else had this type of issues? I plan on putting the rubber seals back in on the new covers. I have been putting them in without any additional sealant, is any required on the rubber type? Any help is appreciated as this is really starting to frustrate me.

[kyull67]

On my 250 I use the rubber gaskets. I glue them to the plates first and then bolt them up. Make sure the bolts gaskets are good too.
When installing them, it's a good idea to wipe down the surface of the block with some carb or brake parts cleaner.

[Stock72c10]

I was thinking last night, are there drain holes that might be plugged up around the push rods behind the cover? Maybe that would be causing the problem to some point due to oil building up behind the covers? What would cause pressure in that area to force the oil out?

[kyull67]

That's probably a good idea to check that. There's not a whole lot of clearance in the block for the pushrods, so I guess some of them could possibly be blocked. I know that when I shut off my engine I can hear the oil running back down into the pan.

[Stock72c10]

I here the trickle of oil as well but it is hard to tell where it is coming from. Hopefully the issue becomes obvious when I open it up.

[Stock72c10]

I got the covers today from LMC and they seem pretty heavy gauge, but there is no lip on the outside edge to hold the gasket in. I am not sure if they are actual covers, or just pretty cover plates. Has anyone used these before?

[hilandr452]

I like cork gaskets on valve covers because they seem to give more to form to the uneven surfaces. I clean up the valve covers really well using a solvent. Then I put a thin bead of blue permatex on the valve cover and spread it with my finger or a good putty knife to hold the gasket in place while I fit it. You don't want permatex on the engine side of the gasket.

I've heard that it's common for people to over-tighten the bolts or tighten them unevenly. Both methods contort the gasket and cause it to leak. Set the bolts for each hole, making sure the holes line up properly and hand tighten them, then do a cross pattern like you would when mounting a tire, tightening them in small increments until they are snug, but not too tight.(there may be a torque setting but I don't know it)

I've never had any troubles using these steps on v8 or straight 6 applications. Hopefully it will help your application as well.

Dan