[Roadsters] Torque for Valve Cover...

[Keith0alan at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/25/2008 11:26:09 PM Pacific Daylight Time,  
konadave1 at hawaii.rr.com writes:

Anyone  know of a good 'ball park' value of correct torque for the two 
11/16ths  nuts for the valve cover of an SPL 311, R-16?  (new gasket, 
carefully  cut from 1/8th" thick NAPA rubberized cork, leaks with 5 
ft-lbs, but I  don't want to crack cover!)

Thanks,
Dave
'68  1600
Kailua-Kona



Aloha Dave!
 
    Here's the trick. Get some "yellow death" super  strength weather strip 
adhesive. (a good car parts place will know what "yellow  death weather strip 
adhesive" is, 3M and I think Permatex make versions of it.  Glue the gasket to 
the cover. Make sure and get the lip of the cover clean so it  sticks will. 
Get some Permatex red spray on gasket adhesive. After the glue sets  holding the 
gasket to the cover then spray the red stuff on the gasket face that  mates 
with the head. Put the cover on before the red stuff dries. Tighten the  nuts 
till they seat then just snug, one turn at the most. You should see no more  
than a small amount of deformation of the cover. The gasket is now perminantly  
attached to the cover and will not shrink or wander around. The red spray 
seals  the other side. This way you have no leaks with minimum torque on the bo
lts. In  order to revove the cover take the nuts off and tap the side of the 
cover with a  soft hammer. This will pop loose the red stuff. To reinstall either 
just put it  back on or spray a little more red stuff. I've had my cover off a 
number of  times and the gasket is still in place and in good condition. If 
you don't glue  the gasket to the cover it squishes out, shrinks and is hard to 
keep sealed.  Over tightening the cover will distort it making it leak more.
 
keith



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