Centerbolt Valve Covers and Gaskets

[ehuth1]

Does anyone have any tricks to get these in? I've tried setting them with adhesive to stay put until tightened. I've tried setting them on the head then wiggling them into place under the valve cover??? Am I missing something here, because this is just ridicoulous...

Any help is appreciated.

[Sinister]

Haven't had to deal with centerbolt valve covers, but I would stick the gasket to the valve cover with a thin layer of RTV or Gaskacinch. Let dry and bolt em up.

[scooterskoolkustoms]

There is a right side and a left side.do you have them on the right way?

[68GMCCustom]

I've always used RTV to glue the gasket to the cover...let dry...then just a little oil smeared on the bottom side of the gasket and bolt it up.

[ehuth1]

I'll try some rtv and I think the gaskets are identical just from laying them on top of each other. The instructions claim they stretch to fit??? Whatever that means.. They are like a quarter inch off on each side but when stretched that fit perfect, but won't stay.

[1949gmc]

I was having this same problem last week. This is my first time dealing with centerbolt covers and the FelPro stretchy gaskets. I found that stretching them onto the valve covers first and then holding them on all four corners with my fingers worked. Once you get the gasket held in place with your fingers, put the valve cover on the head very carefully, slipping the ends of your fingers out from under the gasket just before the cover/gasket actually touches the head. Hold them down with your hand until you can get a bolt or two tightened down so that the gasket doesn't slip out. Not sure how easy this will be reaching over the fender and under the m/c: my engine was on the stand when I did this.

[Arad68]

There is a left and right side to centerbolt valve covers and heads. Aftermarket valve cover manufactures often miss these things during their R&D. The difference is slight.

I lined up and adhesed the Felpro blue "stretchy" (neoprene) gaskets to the valve covers and cranked them down using ARP hex head bolts. Be careful not to tighten them so much that you crack the covers or the head.

Thats a good looking engine you have.

[GASoline71]

I have always used Gasgacinch to "glue" the gaskets to the valve covers. Put a light coat on the cover, and a light coat on the gasket. Let it dry a little, and stick the gasket on the cover. It won't budge... I do this whether they are the center bolt variety ot the perimeter bolt variety.

If the gaskets are the neoprene type with the steel insert... then I go real light on the Gasgacinch.

Gary

[GASoline71]

On a different note... is that vacuum line going from the bottom front of the carb going back to the vauum advance on the distributor? If it is... you should cap that on off on the front of the carb and use the "timed" vacuum port off of the metering block on the passenger side of the carb.

Gary

[BADPURPLE70CHEVY]

Originally Posted by Arad68

There is a left and right side to centerbolt valve covers and heads. Aftermarket valve cover manufactures often miss these things during their R&D. The difference is slight.

I lined up and adhesed the Felpro blue "stretchy" (neoprene) gaskets to the valve covers and cranked them down using ARP hex head bolts. Be careful not to tighten them so much that you crack the covers or the head.

Thats a good looking engine you have.

Thats what i was thinking.

[piecesparts]

I use Permatek Form-A-Gasket (red gasket sealer). It is great for setting gaskets to the valve cover and then after it sets up put them onto the heads.

[ehuth1]

Tried for 2 hours... Its tough with the engine in the bay! I'm going to walk away and try again tomorrow. Thanks for the ideas though!!!

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

On a different note... is that vacuum line going from the bottom front of the carb going back to the vauum advance on the distributor? If it is... you should cap that on off on the front of the carb and use the "timed" vacuum port off of the metering block on the passenger side of the carb.

Gary

Gary

[hayhauler71]

If you are using cheep chrome covers I have found that the ridge on the cover that holds the stretchy gasket on is not as tall as the OE covers and they want to fall off. If you use the covers I would glue cork gaskets to the cover than install.

[1949gmc]

Originally Posted by hayhauler71

If you are using cheep chrome covers I have found that the ridge on the cover that holds the stretchy gasket on is not as tall as the OE covers

I was wondering about this as I don't have a pair of OE covers to compare to. Mine say 'Made in Taiwan' on the inside and I thought that maybe the ridge wasn't tall enough. What did I expect for $63 bucks.

[jim zag]

The aftermarket valve covers do not grab the gaskets the way OEM covers do. I buy Victor gaskets because they have little nubbies along the length that help hold them in place. I also use mineral spirits solvent to make the gaskets SWELL UP. Be careful because you can make the gaskets expand TOO MUCH!!!!! You might also try ADJUSTING the covers around the corners with a HAMMER! GO EASY!!!!!

[ehuth1]

Has anyone used these?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FPP-1648/



These I'm assuming do not stretch and fit perfect in the valve cover. Any advantage to the cork/lam?

[KSCHEVYUP]

This may be a little off topic;
But on the subject of center bolt valve covers;
I have a set of aftermarket heads that have the holes to mount up either the center bolt valve covers or the old style perimeter bolt covers.
Do you have to use special offset rocker arms to use the center bolt covers or are the original style rockers going to have enough clearance for the center bolts?
Thanks
Ron

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

On a different note... is that vacuum line going from the bottom front of the carb going back to the vauum advance on the distributor? If it is... you should cap that on off on the front of the carb and use the "timed" vacuum port off of the metering block on the passenger side of the carb.

Gary

I am not entirely sure what this is about...and why you felt the need to repeat it? Especially since, in the opinion of most (including me) that this is wrong.....but, it does matter how the distributor is calibrated. You can't just go swapping that vacuum line around. It has to be connected to the proper source for the way the advance curve is set.
IMHO, that means full vacuum and the distributor calibrated to match.

Ported vacuum sucks....no pun intended. That is out-dated and badly engineered "technology". It was bad when it was "new", so we don't want to keep carrying it along. It was a bad attempt at emissions reduction, which killed performance and wasn't so great for economy either.

[GASoline71]

Uhh... no sweat... never mind then... I'll just be old and outdated.

Apologies to the OP if it was a derail...

Gary

[LONGHAIR]

It was never right when is was "new"......

[GASoline71]

I guess I need to check this out then... I've always had the vac advance hooked up there.

If it's been dicussed on here... I'll do a search...

Gary

[hayhauler71]

Originally Posted by ehuth1

Has anyone used these?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FPP-1648/



These I'm assuming do not stretch and fit perfect in the valve cover. Any advantage to the cork/lam?

As from my last post that's what I would use.