[T3] Valve Cover

[Jim Adney]

On 15 Aug 2018 at 19:25, Jeff C wrote:

> What is the current way to ensure the valve covers are sealed?

I use a small dab of sealer in the middle of each long side, between the 
gasket and the cover. That keeps the long side of the gasket from "drooping" 
inward. If the gasket you use is the right size, that's all you need. NEVER 
glue the gasket to the head!

Late valve covers have a little dimple pushed inward on the top to prevent 
that "droop" on the top, but I've seen gaskets creep upward along the 
bottom.

Berg recommends keeping a spare set of covers on a spare set of heads, so 
the sealant will be dried/set when you need them. I've never done this, but it 
sounds reasonable because wet sealant could still allow slippage.

On the head side of the gasket, I run my finger along the full length of the 
mating surface of the head, to make sure it's smooth. Then I wet that finger 
in some old oil from the head or cover and wet both the mating surface of the 
head and the head side of the gasket.

I find that the gaskets last thru many valve adjustments. I replace them only 
if I can no longer push a fingernail into them. There seem to be 2 common 
types of gaskets: black or beige. The black ones are good, but the beige 
ones, that seem to come in the gasket sets, are undersize and don't fill the 
cavity in the cover. I understand that they can be expanded by a minute or 
so in boiling water in a small frying pan, but I've never done that. (I 
remember seeing mechanics doing this in the 60s at my dealership. There 
was a hotplate on one side of the shop that everyone used. I didn't 
understand what they were doing until Russ explained it.)   

Don't ever try to get away with a gasket that is undersize. Either boil it, or get 
a better one.

-- 
*******************************
Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
*******************************