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I can't seem to get my valve cover to stop leaking. I bought a new gasket and grommets and semicircles VS50097C which fits apparently a 79 LUV and a 83 trooper, I'm not positive what my motor came from but it seems the part would be the same no matter what. I adjust one side and then it leaks out of the other. Any tips?

Thanks

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1979 4wd Mikado. G200, Gemini 250 Turbo, Clive Cam, Offenhouser Intake, JE Pistons, maXspeeding Forged Rods, Blow Thru Weber, Trooper 5spd, Intercooled

Hi Mike....Not sure what you are doing wrong but I had a passel of head trouble several years ago and I sealed the valve cover gasket every time by using the red RTV sealer. I did clean off the head surface and valve cover surface with carb cleaner first. Then I squeezed a lot of RTV on to the gasket and I used both thumb and forefinger to 'rub it in' to that gasket everywhere I could get it. I try to leave a heavy film of red sealer on the top and bottom surfaces. The thing gets stickier than heck.... Assemble the two pieces pretty quickly and tighten it down well but not too tight. You don't want to smash the gasket cork. I found it best to do as the last thing of the day so you'll let it set up and dry overnight. Don't run it 'till tomorrow. Then, if it is still leaking, tighten the 4 valve cover bolts only about I/4 turn. Wait and see. Still leaking?....another quarter turn. I suppose you could have a bad head valve cover surface or the cover itself is tweaked. maybe you could check that by laying it on a tablesaw table or whatever big table tool you have. Maybe a big piece of floor tile. Who knows?.......Anyway, that method has always worked for me.

I just went through a similar issue. The leak wasn't coming from the valve cover, it was coming from the semi circles! Put rtv on the bottom of them before inserting them. If your valve cover is flat, you shouldn't need sealer on the head side of the cover gasket. If you put sealer, it's a pain in the but to do a valve adjustment.

Thanks guys!

I ended up losing one of the semi circles into the timing chain area so I had to go buy a new gasket set anyways. Well when I opened it, it was a bit tighter fitting than the last one I bought, even though they were both fel pro vs5009 somethings. I was sealling the first with black rtv and it was still all over both surfaces so I left it on and bolted it down. I haven't run the engine yet but I'm guessing this will work better.

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1979 4wd Mikado. G200, Gemini 250 Turbo, Clive Cam, Offenhouser Intake, JE Pistons, maXspeeding Forged Rods, Blow Thru Weber, Trooper 5spd, Intercooled