Valve cover gaskets 250 6 cylinder

[Woody52]

Good morning to all

Not having to replace a valve cover gasket in a very long time. I have to replace the gasket on my 1969 c-10 250.

The question is do I use RTV on the rubber gasket? Or just use enough to hold it in place.

Thanks

[68gmsee]

I have used rubber gaskets in the past and just didn't care for them. If they work for you, I'd use a minimum amount of sealant. As you mention, just enough to hold them in place.

My preference now is to find some that are cork/rubber mix. On these, I never use sealant on any part that touches the engine block. Makes it easier when you replace the gasket and not have to scrape it off the block surface.

I use Felpro mostly. This site from Jegs explains the differences.

http://www.jegs.com/p/Fel+Pro/746660/10002/-1

[Sinister]

I use a little bit of RTV thinly spread on the valve cover side.

[El Jay]

I prefer cork, my ownself.

As for holding the gasket in place, I throw the valve cover bolts away, and put studs in the head(s) then set the gasket(s) on the head. Install the valve cover(s), & secure with nuts & washers.

Before I started doing this, I used to put a light coating of bearing grease on the valve cover(s) to hold the gasket in place.
The next time it came to changing the gasket(s) there was no scraping to get the "gunk" off.