Valve cover gasket 4.2

Hi,

I tried to stop the oil leak on my valve cover gasket and re-installed it
with silicone.(as advised in alldata)

I guess that didn't work............

Probably leaking even harder.

Does anyone knows who sells gaskets that are not made of cork.
I've seen they sell cork gaskets but just don't like cork.

88 wrangler 4.2
Alu cover

T.I.A.

Johan

Never mind , just found other messages about same problem

Thanks anyway


"johanb" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi,
>
> I tried to stop the oil leak on my valve cover gasket and re-installed it
> with silicone.(as advised in alldata)
>
> I guess that didn't work............
>
> Probably leaking even harder.
>
> Does anyone knows who sells gaskets that are not made of cork.
> I've seen they sell cork gaskets but just don't like cork.
>
> 88 wrangler 4.2
> Alu cover
>
> T.I.A.
>
> Johan
>
>

The RTV works fine, the surfaces have to be CLEAN since the RTV can
withstand the oil, just not stick to it.

johanb wrote:

> Never mind , just found other messages about same problem
>
> Thanks anyway
>
>
> "johanb" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I tried to stop the oil leak on my valve cover gasket and re-installed it
>>with silicone.(as advised in alldata)
>>
>>I guess that didn't work............
>>
>>Probably leaking even harder.
>>
>>Does anyone knows who sells gaskets that are not made of cork.
>>I've seen they sell cork gaskets but just don't like cork.
>>
>>88 wrangler 4.2
>>Alu cover
>>
>>T.I.A.
>>
>>Johan
>>
>>
>
>
>

johanb wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I tried to stop the oil leak on my valve cover gasket and re-installed it
> with silicone.(as advised in alldata)
>
> I guess that didn't work............
>
> Probably leaking even harder.
>
> Does anyone knows who sells gaskets that are not made of cork.
> I've seen they sell cork gaskets but just don't like cork.

Cork is your friend... first get EVERYTHING out of your way... that
means all vaccum lines, heater hose (goes from the intake to the core)
air cleaner housing etc. if anything is in the way it will cause you to
jimmy with the cover trying to get it to fit... which is probably why
there are so many 4.2's with leaking valve covers.

RTV both sides of the cork gasket... My theory is the cork helps
insulate the aluminum cover from the hotter steel head. Aluminum expands
and contracts at differing rates than steel which contributes to the
problem. Also I'm in the "tighten it down a little and torque down the
rest of the way after 24 hours" camp.

3 years no leaks

"RoyJ" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> The RTV works fine, the surfaces have to be CLEAN since the RTV can
> withstand the oil, just not stick to it.
>
I cleaned and degreased it with brake cleaner but didn't get the brown stuff
(oil residue ?) off

Any cleaner that will get that off ???

"Simon Juncal" > wrote in
message news
>
> Cork is your friend... first get EVERYTHING out of your way... that

:-) Why is it that people (me) always try to get the least stuff out of the
way to do a job
Yeah, I did struggle a little getting it back in


> means all vaccum lines, heater hose (goes from the intake to the core)
> air cleaner housing etc. if anything is in the way it will cause you to
> jimmy with the cover trying to get it to fit... which is probably why
> there are so many 4.2's with leaking valve covers.
>
> RTV both sides of the cork gasket... My theory is the cork helps
> insulate the aluminum cover from the hotter steel head. Aluminum expands
> and contracts at differing rates than steel which contributes to the
> problem. Also I'm in the "tighten it down a little and torque down the
> rest of the way after 24 hours" camp.
>
> 3 years no leaks

I "ll give it a try

Thanks

I do them super clean with a cork gasket and RTV torqued properly in
order, (center first then zig zag out to the ends for the perimeter
ones) the first time and don't touch it for 24 hours.

I have a plastic cover and only the two top center rocker nuts holding
mine on. No perimeter bolts on my '78's head. 5 years and counting
with no leaks.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Aug./05 http://www.imagestation.com/album/in...?id=2120343242
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

johanb wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I tried to stop the oil leak on my valve cover gasket and re-installed it
> with silicone.(as advised in alldata)
>
> I guess that didn't work............
>
> Probably leaking even harder.
>
> Does anyone knows who sells gaskets that are not made of cork.
> I've seen they sell cork gaskets but just don't like cork.
>
> 88 wrangler 4.2
> Alu cover
>
> T.I.A.
>
> Johan

All I've ever seen for my 4.2 (258 ci) is a cork gasket.

I'd like to offer up the idea of bolting it down by starting at the back of
the motor instead of the center and working to the ends. My reasoning is
that your VC is probably warped, and if you put it on a table and pressed
down on one end, the other end would rise off the table. Assuming this is
true, if you start in the middle (as the directions state), by the time you
get to the end -- the rear end to be precise -- you are pulling the bolts
against the cover that is resisting being pulled down, and therefore it
fails to seat well against the gasket.

The engine is raised a bit at the front, so all of the oil flows to the back
(against the firewall) while draining to the bottom to be sucked up by the
oil pump. If you start bolting the cover down at the rear, you will seal the
part that is prone to leaking before you seal the other parts of the cover.
Worst case is that the leak will move to the front of the motor, which is
higher than the rest of the motor, and not likely to leak.






"johanb" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi,
>
> I tried to stop the oil leak on my valve cover gasket and re-installed it
> with silicone.(as advised in alldata)
>
> I guess that didn't work............
>
> Probably leaking even harder.
>
> Does anyone knows who sells gaskets that are not made of cork.
> I've seen they sell cork gaskets but just don't like cork.
>
> 88 wrangler 4.2
> Alu cover
>
> T.I.A.
>
> Johan
>
>

Jeff, if you have the plastic cover, your bolting method will snap it.
If you have a bent metal one, that bolting method will split the cork
gasket.

I have seen both.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Aug./05 http://www.imagestation.com/album/in...?id=2120343242
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
> All I've ever seen for my 4.2 (258 ci) is a cork gasket.
>
> I'd like to offer up the idea of bolting it down by starting at the back of
> the motor instead of the center and working to the ends. My reasoning is
> that your VC is probably warped, and if you put it on a table and pressed
> down on one end, the other end would rise off the table. Assuming this is
> true, if you start in the middle (as the directions state), by the time you
> get to the end -- the rear end to be precise -- you are pulling the bolts
> against the cover that is resisting being pulled down, and therefore it
> fails to seat well against the gasket.
>
> The engine is raised a bit at the front, so all of the oil flows to the back
> (against the firewall) while draining to the bottom to be sucked up by the
> oil pump. If you start bolting the cover down at the rear, you will seal the
> part that is prone to leaking before you seal the other parts of the cover.
> Worst case is that the leak will move to the front of the motor, which is
> higher than the rest of the motor, and not likely to leak.
>
> "johanb" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I tried to stop the oil leak on my valve cover gasket and re-installed it
> > with silicone.(as advised in alldata)
> >
> > I guess that didn't work............
> >
> > Probably leaking even harder.
> >
> > Does anyone knows who sells gaskets that are not made of cork.
> > I've seen they sell cork gaskets but just don't like cork.
> >
> > 88 wrangler 4.2
> > Alu cover
> >
> > T.I.A.
> >
> > Johan
> >
> >

On the head I normally use paint thinner with steel wool, followed by a
rinse of carb cleaner. Brake cleaner won't cut it. Keep the steel shreds
out of the head area. On the plastic cover I dunk it in a 5 gallon
bucket of very hot water and Tide.

johanb wrote:

> "RoyJ" > wrote in message
> nk.net...
>
>>The RTV works fine, the surfaces have to be CLEAN since the RTV can
>>withstand the oil, just not stick to it.
>>
>
> I cleaned and degreased it with brake cleaner but didn't get the brown stuff
> (oil residue ?) off
>
> Any cleaner that will get that off ???
>
>