Edelbrock Valve cover gaskets.

Part # 7546.
I'll be using them on a 430.
Can get them for 10$ local new.

Has anybody ran them? How do they hold up? Do they leak? Will they raise or lower compression? Are they just as good as an oem gasket or worse. Are they intended for use with Edelbrock heads?

Why did Edelbrock make the gasket, are they just tryng to make more money by having gaskets available because it's not really a "performance" part like a carb, or heads.

Thanks for looking and thanks for answering.
Ronnie.

 

Valve cover gaskets go between the valve cover and top of the head, that's why their probably 10 bucks.
Or are you asking about HEAD gaskets?

 

Hey Mark,
I'm talking these
.
I haven't opened up my valve covers yet, but when I do are the stock 430 valve cover gaskets reusable or do they crack?

 

I believe mark asked if you meant head gaskets because of this:

I sure wish valve cover gaskets could raise compression....

 

I knew it was some type of gasket, just wasent sure . Thanks and heck yeah me too lol

 

Morning Ronnie
Those are the valve cover gaskets, kinda hard to tell from the pic but they "look" like the rubber/fiber mix (don't know what else to call 'em) and I've re-used mine over and over and over.
If they are the "non cork" gaskets I think they're more re-use friendly.

 

Morning Shawn

 

Your mileage may vary, but here's my experience with valve cover gaskets. (Caveat being in this case I'm using aluminum heads and TA cast valve covers). I bought the fancy space age wizbang rubber jobs and when I showed up at the builder they said "these are going to leak". I told them no way, these are the latest and greatest. They said we'll use them,but when they leak we told ya so. I used them anyway, and they leaked like a siv. I checked and tightened and reinstalled and repositioned, didn't matter. I ended up throwing some cork ones on there with permatex on the cover side. I've had those valve covers on and off a half dozen times, no leaks, no problems. Go figure....

 

Hi Mark.... Haha

 

Goodmoring Guys.
Thanks Mark and Shawn. That sucks they still leaked.
Funny how someone is always tryig to make a product better than something that works already.

 

This was just one example, I'm sure some folks have used them successfully, but that was just my experience. If you've got them already and they're bought and paid for, give em a go. Worst case scenario you do swap them out later and that's not very time consuming.

 

They worked great on aluminum valve covers for me, but not for the stamped steel. For the stockers I only use cork.

 

This right here. Those fiber/rubber gaskets require more clamping force to seal, and cast aluminum valve covers with good thick rigid flanges can make that happen. Stamped steel stock type valve covers will just distort and make matters worse if you try to torque them down enough to get those gaskets to seal. Always use cork with stamped steel valve covers. Same goes for factory transmission pans as well - no fiber, just cork, unless you're using a cast aluminum pan with thick flanges, and even then I still use cork. No RTV on transmission pans though as the fluid will eat it up over time.

In fact, I still always use cork with any valve cover on an engine like this, as they just seal better, regardless of valve cover type.

On engines with non-adjustable valvetrains where I do not expect to have to take the valve covers off again after assembly, I use a thin smear of grey RTV silicone on both sides of the gasket. I will finger tighten the bolts evenly use just a socket in my fingers, let them sit 24 hours, then properly torque the bolts. I let them sit another 24 hours after that before running or adding oil. I've been doing that method for years and have never had one leak.

On engines with adjustable valvetrains where the covers might need to come off again, I use that same thin layer of grey RTV on just the cover side, and install with the same procedure as above.

 

Good point!

 

Thanks for your experienced advice. I'm going to do as you have been doing. Have a good week.

 

When we used at covers I got some of the long spreader bars. Like these

http://www.jegs.com/p/Trans-Dapt/Tr...ts-Valve-Cover-Spreader-Bars/1619271/10002/-1

Most big box stores have them. Might have to buy a few sets to get 10 long ones. I put a small washer under them, helps keep them from bending when tightened down. I prefer to use small studs rather than bolts too. The have less of a chance to strip out.

 

Hey Nailhead Ronnie fwiw I have those same type (maybe different manufacturer) of gaskets on my 455 with aluminum valve covers and no leaks! If you zoom in on the pic you can see the tabs sticking out the bottom of the covers.

 

Just glue the cork (or rubber) gaskets to the valve covers with 3M Weatherstrip Adhesive (letting both surfaces tack up a minute or two) and you can install/torque immediately, ..... no need to wait around and they won't leak. Learned that from an old timer mechanic more than 35 years ago and have been doing it that way in my shop ever since without any failure (stamped steel or aluminum). I'm sure folks will have different opinions on this but we never use silicone sealants in conjunction with any gaskets, ......... too slippery even when set up.

Larry

 

I trim those tabs off when installing them on aluminum covers, ...... (just for a cleaner look).


Larry

 

On mine, I do not use any adhesive whatsoever.
I like those breathers Larry