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Valve Cover Woes.... FE help..

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by bloodyknucklehill, May 28, 2011.

  1. I'm hoping some wise old sage can give me some help here.. I've had my valve covers off three times now trying to get them to seal up to no avail.. What are some good methods you've all used so I can compare them to what I've tried so far? I've tried both the cork and rubber gaskets, using very little Permatex Black stuff, using a lot of it, using none.. Each time i made sure to true up the gasket surface on the valve covers and scrape the crud off of the head surface.. I'm not sure what else to try.. I must be missing something cause I've never had such a problem with valve covers before.. Are FE's prone to this?
     
  2. spot
    Joined: Jun 10, 2009
    Posts: 212

    spot
    Member
    from usa

    Are you using stock stamped covers? If so I have never been successful in getting those to seal on my FE's. I was able to slow the leaks down by adding spring bars long the lower bolts to spread the clamping pressure along the length of the lower valve cover lip. I finally gave up and switched to a cast aluminum cover and that did the trick.
     
  3. Mart
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 4,893

    Mart
    Member

    You running a decent PCV setup? If not, that could help a lot. If you already are, sorry I can't help.
     
  4. Dan Timberlake
    Joined: Apr 28, 2010
    Posts: 1,530

    Dan Timberlake
    Member

    X2 on the crank case pressure from a clogged PCV.

    Are there certain areas that are leaking? Is it possible its the manifold to head joint, and not the VC to head or manifold joint?
    How even is the joint where the VC gasket surfaces of between the intake and head? I picture a gasket would have a hard time sealing much of a "step" at that transition. A little silicon might be needed there.

    Stamped covers often need the gasket surfaces massaged. After gently flattening and cleaning most of the surface I like to run a fine flat file over things to ease down local high spots. Finally I use a ball pein hammer and a small dead blow or plastic faced hammer (don;t hit steel hammer faces together) to gently create a slight reverse dimple at each bolt hole. If I was having leak issues I'd check that the hold down bolts can thread completely into the tapped holes, so when tightened they will definitely clamp the cover and gasket. Permatex Ultra gray is my current favorite for gasket dressing.
     

  5. factory stamped covers.. as far as the pcv setup there's just a tube that runs from the back of the motor to the air cleaner..
     
  6. MeanGene427
    Joined: Dec 15, 2010
    Posts: 2,307

    MeanGene427
    Member
    from Napa

    Is it an early engine that has the oil filler tube in the manifold, and no holes in the valve covers? And somebody ran a hose from the old road draft tube port at the back of the manifold up into the air cleaner? If so, a real PCV setup into manifold vacuum should help. You can plumb a PCV into that same port, then a hose to the oil filler cap to close the system
     
  7. fiveohnick2932
    Joined: Mar 29, 2006
    Posts: 918

    fiveohnick2932
    Member
    from Napa, Ca.

    I allways take steel valvecovers and find a hard flat piece of steel and pound all the gasket surfaces flat again. Also dont over tighten them because all it does is split the cork and cause a leak. Also make sure there is nothing blocking the oil from draining out of the head back in the engine.
     
  8. shoprat
    Joined: Dec 23, 2006
    Posts: 1,109

    shoprat
    Member Emeritus
    from Orange, CA

    Never had a problem with them. Make sure the surface of the cover is flat and check to make sure the intake man is flat where it meets the head. I prefer the high pent
    tin covers to alum.
     
  9. bloody, after you have made sure of the crankcase ventilation issues if any try this. NAPA/PERMATEX HIGH TACK Spray-A-Gasket SEALANT, you cant miss it , guess what there is a valve cover on the front of he can. Part# 765-1224. Also get yourself some laquer thinner if you dont have. Now prep the tins with a hammer/dolly to make sure everything is flat and the holes aren't bulging in toward the head. Now clean everything, head and cover like you would clean a new born baby and finish with the laquer thinner and let air dry. Now put the gaskets on a big piece of cardboard and spray one side nice and even and not too much. If your careful you can spray a little on the lip of the V/C. Let them sit in the sun a few minutes until they both become real tacky. Now apply the gaskets to the V/C taking care to get them real even and seated well. Wait again 5 minutes. Now put them in place, and with a 1/4" drive ratchet or driver tighten just what you think is NOT enough and stop.
     
  10. I think it's an early one.. The oil filler is in the manifold but the covers have had breathers put on them by previous owner.. The tube going to the air filter comes out of the back of the block if I remember right but I'll double check.. Here's a pic of the engine if that helps
     

    Attached Files:

  11. nope it does come out of the back of the manifold.. So that's not how it's supposed to be huh? Sorry to sound retarded but this is the first FE i've owned..
     
  12. railroad
    Joined: Feb 3, 2010
    Posts: 242

    railroad
    Member

    Maybe your drain back holes in the heads are plugged. Oil usually runs to the rear and back down the holes in each end of the head. The head gasket does not line up good sometimes and reduces the size of the hole making it easy to get stopped up with a piece of valve seal or valve cover gasket. I start with a wire like coat hanger and worm and dig until I think I have it clear. A shop vac with a small hose taped on may be able to pull out something solid. It's asking a lot to not leak if you have a couple of inches of oil in the back corners of the valve covers.
    good luck,
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2011
  13. von zipper
    Joined: Nov 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,015

    von zipper
    Member

    Clogged PVC makes a big difference!
     
  14. Ok starting to think the intake manifold gaskets may be the culprit here.. trimming them down right now to even the surface up right now but I had to come in the house for more beer.. I'm still interested in this PCV problem I may be having.. Anyone have a picture or diagram of how it should be set up properly?
     
  15. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,751

    Deuces

    Ditto! ^^^^^
     
  16. The crankcase has to be ventilated, whether by road draft or PCV.

    Can you provide a photo of the rear of the intake and the intake Casting I.D. No?

    Shown are the two styles of PCV for the period. The first Ill is also indicative of road draft (58-62).

    Yours should be the OPEN TYPE, i.e., the systems draws outside air from the breather cap instead of the air cleaner (except CA).

    You might also consider using studs instead of cap screws and pay particular attention where the head surface meets the intake manifold. Both have to be level with one another.

    I always glued (PERMATEX 2) that gasket (not cork) to the cover and then apply a small film of chassis grease to the head surface for easy removal later (valve adjustment).

    TORQUE TO SPECS!
     

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  17. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    [​IMG]

    My PCV system for the early intake. I cut an old road draft tube off and welded on a hose nipple. I used a heavy copper srub pad from the grocery store as an oil baffle. I used a sheet metal screw through the side to lock the scrubber in place. I could not find the early PCV fittings for an FE. I know that they are out there but I was not interested in paying the premium price.

    My intake was NOS Edelbrock so it had none of the Ford parts. Your intake probably still has the Ford oil baffle that it came from Ford with.
     
  18. Dirk35
    Joined: Mar 8, 2001
    Posts: 2,067

    Dirk35
    Member

    I really dont know, but can tell you that I have the typical PVC on my cheapo chrome steel stamped valve covers and had the same PVC on the original Stamped covers (the ones with "Powered by Ford" stampes on them) and never did more than just the little triangle type hold-downs with the bolts. I used the normal cork gasket and just put down enough gasket sealer to hold the gasket in place. I built the engine when I was 16 years old with the stock valve covers, switched over to the chrome ones at age 21 and my sister wrecked the truck when I was 25 years old. Thus, 9 years of loyal service and two different steel covers and no leakage. You can see from the pic that the only leaking I have is a little weeping at the intake to head on the passenger side.

    Id say either your surfaces are not true, or you are over tightening the bolts and squishing the gasket.


    Perhaps it's getting even with you for not taking the extra 5 minutes and $3 to rattle can paint them to make them look a little decent after having them off and back on three darned times and still not making the extra effort.
     

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  19. I had the same prob on a 390 a while back. I trolled the FE forum and found that over oiling combined with poor design of drainback holes (a head bolt runs right thru the back drain holes) was the culprit. Lots of oil ends up collecting in the firewall end of the cover.
    FE's get too much oil up top and one of the fixes is to slow it down by inserting a holley jet (fits just right) under the pedistal where the oil comes up to the rocker. I used about a 53 jet.
    Then you remove the culprit head bolt on both sides and turn a little off of them just in the appropriate spot to open up the drain back hole.
    Worked for me.
     
  20. Thanks man.. It's a C4SE casting and it looks to be set up just like the first illustration except the hose goes directly into the air cleaner..
     
  21. Really man, was that last part necessary? It takes longer than five minutes to do it properly and since I didn't have the time to do it right I wasn't gonna just half ass it.. Since you're so worried about the way my motor looks I'll return the favor.. I bet it looks funny with all that PVC pipe on it....... Oh you meant PCV.. Right.. I get it now.. Thanks..
     
  22. Ain't no problem. View the thumbnails. This is a conversion kit for earlier setups before yours (someone butchered it).

    If you don't want to go through the challenge of finding OEM correct parts, this kit is offered through SQUAREBIRDS.com. Remember, you need an open filtered oil fill cap for fresh air inlet.
     

    Attached Files:

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