Am I Insane?

[davem222]

Hi all,
About to try to get this puppy up and running and I just checked the valve clearances (1979 2F), I noticed that the only oil seal on those valve covers are the o-ring on the inside of the covers. Should I have a gasket between the cover and the engine? They didn't come with my top end kit. Perhaps the kit makers are remiss here or perhaps some years didn't have em. Thoughts?

Dave

 

[rdvance]

use yamabond or 3 bond on the flat sealing sufaces

 

[5twins]

Your model used o-rings to seal the valve covers, not gaskets. Gaskets were used on the early models. Your set-up is correct and you're not missing anything.

 

[davem222]

Sweet. Thanks fellas

Dave

 

[gggGary]

Do NOT use yamabond or any other adhesive sealer there! The O ring does the seal. Look at the sealing surface on the covers. Often, there are some globs of clear coat stuck on the flat surface, Use a utility blade (wrap some duct tape to protect your hand) and carefully remove any clear coat. I think those globs often keep the covers from sealing well. I like to remove the o-rings and make sure some PO has not smeared them with silicone seal and get rid of any strings of rubber that might be found. I bent up a little removal tool out of the stainless strip from a windshield wiper. (I find a lot of uses for those stainless strips.) Note the end was angled with a file before the angle was bent. keep the bend very close to end the of the strip.

 

[good2bsims]

(I find a lot of uses for those stainless strips.)

I always save mine, they can make great lock picking tools!

 

[retiredgentleman]

Hi all,
About to try to get this puppy up and running and I just checked the valve clearances (1979 2F), I noticed that the only oil seal on those valve covers are the o-ring on the inside of the covers. Should I have a gasket between the cover and the engine? They didn't come with my top end kit. Perhaps the kit makers are remiss here or perhaps some years didn't have em. Thoughts?

Dave

If you have no oil leakage then the 0-ring is fine. If you have oil leakage, you can use gaskets as well as the o-rings. Call me crazy if you want , but I use both on my covers.

 

[OakBehringer]

Gary is right. I actually put the late model o-ring style on a '73 I used to own b/c I find the gaskets to be ugly (especially when Mikes sends you ones that are nuclear green). Never have had a drip, after cleaning the surfaces, of course.

 

[Patches]

use yamabond or 3 bond on the flat sealing sufaces

Do NOT do this. Gotta love that the first guy to reply has the worst advice....

 

[davem222]

Well, haven't put oil in my newly rebuilt engine yet, so I figure I'll leave it just w/ the O-rings and see what happens. If there's a leak, then I'll have to figure a plan b

Dave

 

[OakBehringer]

There won't be a leak, man. There's no pressure up there. Why are you so worried about it?