[Healeys] Sealants and fasteners

[WILLIAM B LAWRENCE]

A couple of items that may or may not be interesting or pertinent on this topic. Since I once found myself needing a valve cover gasket and not wanting to wait a week or more for delivery I started making my own using sheets of cork gasket material. I first take a sheet of the material large enough for the valve cover to fit on. I apply a bead of silicon gasket maker or Right Stuff to the sealing surface of the cover and place it on the gasket material trying not to move the cover too much while setting it down. I wait overnight for the sealant to set up completely and then cut away all of the excess gasket material with a razor knife. (You can remove any blobs of sealer at the same time to protect your oil pump and passages.) This leaves me with the gasket securely attached to the valve cover so they can be removed together to adjust valves. In using Right Stuff I've found it difficult to scrape off, but it comes off easily if you wipe it with lacquer thinner first. That probably won't work if the cover is glued in place.

I've been having a lot of trouble with oil leaks from my engine and try as I would couldn't get the valve cover to seal. As I was installing the cover with gasket attached a few days ago I discovered that when I put the cover on to the head it came down with a clunk, but it would rock. It is the aftermarket alloy piece with the Austin Healey script engraved (somewhat sloppily) in the top. What I found was that the alloy casting steps down to accommodate the oil filler cap and the profile is reflected inside the cover so there was interference with the stud on the back rocker pedestal which did not allow the cover to fully seat on the head. I pulled the stud and cut off about a quarter inch and reinstalled it and now my leak (at least that one) is solved.

Bill Lawrence
BN1 #554
________________________________
From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of Steven Kingsbury via Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2020 11:06 PM
To: Michael MacLean <rrengineer.mike at att.net>
Cc: 'Healeys' <healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Sealants and fasteners

I know what you mean! But since I found Valvoline 20-50 with ZDDP, I'm set there. As for sealing things up? Well it's still up in the air for where I am in the day!
S

On May 31, 2020 at 12:21 PM, Michael MacLean <rrengineer.mike at att.net> wrote:


Wow!  There are as many answers to this question of sealing up the tappet cover as there are list members.  It runs the gamut of using nothing but a bare gasket to Hylomar to a silicone adhesive to glue it down.  I might as well have asked what oil to use in the engine too.   Still undecided.
Mike MacLean



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