I should have asked the experts...

[mechanicaldj]

first of all this post was during last year


second, you don't need sealer when using a Fel-pro gasket kit, unless you know that you have a crack or warpage.

i use Fel-pro all the time, never had a problem

just don't over torque the valve cover bolts, 44 - 80 INCH POUNDS

[Festeve]

Hi mechanicaldj,

first of all this post was during last year

As a message board Admin, myself I know that if I had begun a whole new thread on "valve cover leaks" it would have been less pertinent to the topic.

second, you don't need sealer when using a Fel-pro gasket kit, unless you know that you have a crack or warpage.

i use Fel-pro all the time, never had a problem

just don't over torque the valve cover bolts, 44 - 80 INCH POUNDS

Right on, thanks. I wonder what rotinaj13 meant when he posted:

You DO need sealent. Those valve cover design sucks and they leak like hell! use permatex ultra black will seal it first time every time!

Steve

[taxcider]

second, you don't need sealer when using a Fel-pro gasket kit, unless you know that you have a crack or warpage.

i use Fel-pro all the time, never had a problem

just don't over torque the valve cover bolts, 44 - 80 INCH POUNDS

That's good to hear... I plan on replacing mine this weekend. Guess I best get a torque wrench!

[Festeve]

That's good to hear... I plan on replacing mine this weekend. Guess I best get a torque wrench!

Hey, all right - another valve cover safari guy.

Something I just saw in the Chilton Manual for all 1992 domestic cars is that you have to FIRST remove the upper timing belt cover (one hell of an operation, by the looks of Chilton's description) - on the stock 1.3L Festiva engine - in order to remove the valve cover.

Is this true? God I hope not - hopefully, it's just be more Chilton C.Y.A. B.S.

I do see that there are two bolts attaching the valve cover to the upper timing belt cover. BUT - it looks as if you can just remove those two bolts and wiggle the valve cover away, without removing the timing belt cover.

Is this true? anyone?

Steve

[Tim]

I do see that there are two bolts attaching the valve cover to the upper timing belt cover. BUT - it looks as if you can just remove those two bolts and wiggle the valve cover away, without removing the timing belt cover.

Is this true? anyone?

Steve

You don't have to remove the cover. The 2 bolts are all you need to remove.


Regards,

Tim

[Festeve]

Hi Tim,

You don't have to remove the cover. The 2 bolts are all you need to remove.

Yeah! Happy Steve.

Steve

[darkdan]

I've taken my valve cover off about 5 times now and reused the same gasket with no leaks and no RTV on it.

[Festeve]

Hi darkdan,

I've taken my valve cover off about 5 times now and reused the same gasket with no leaks and no RTV on it.

Wow, that's great.

How many miles on your valve cover gasket? Mine is the original with 84K miles + 13 1/2 years of daily heating and cooling.

Could Auto-rx save my valve cover gasket from having to be changed? It is only leaking slightly - at high temperature load.

Also - Auto-rx sounds a lot like Rislone.

Given that Auto-rx appears to cost about five times as much per-volume - in what specific ways is Auto-rx better than Rislone?

Thanks -

Steve

[darkdan]

Auto-rx will not help your valve cover gasket. Front/rear main, valve stem seals....usually. Gaskets....nope.

Rislone crankcase cleaner is napthenic pale oil solvent.

So it's like pouring a quart of kerosene into your crankcase.

Rislone stop leak or smoke or whatever is nothing more then an oil thickener.

Auto-rx is made of organic esters which are wonderful little cleaners and will help out your seals by cleaning them and restoring oil flow to them.