Thread: FE 390 valve cover gasket help.

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i just recently picked up a 67 thunderbird with a 390 in it. the valve covers leaked bad when i got it, so i changed the gaskets and 2 days later they are leaking again. does anyone know a better gasket to make these covers seal? they are the stock stamped steel covers. any help would be greatly appreciated.

tin covers often become the victims of over tightened valve cover bolts. Might be best to start with removing the covers and all the gasket remnants, then ping and ding the sealing surface nice and flat with a small hammer and a body dolly or similar piece of flat metal. Then try some new gaskets and torque the bolts to spec....

What Dave said is quite true and I would add that your mating surfaces are not clean. After ensuring that the mating surfaces are devoid of any gasket material I would get a clean rag, shop towel, etc and a can of brake parts cleaner and a pair of rubber gloves. Spray a bit of the cleaner on the rag and wipe down the mating surfaces and it will clean the mating surfaces of any oil residue which will allow the gaskets to seal better.

i cleaned them . razorblade, and brake clean the first time. i looked at them again this moring and realized that some of the oil on the passengers side is coming from in between when the head and intake mani seal together on the back of the head. and both valve covers do appear to had a rollto the flanges. im gonna go ahead and do the intake manifold gasket as well, and i may find some cast aluminum valve covers. thank you for the input

Stay upwind of the brake cleaner. Nasty stuff for your lungs.

thanks i heard lots of skin contact makes it go to your liver too.

make sure the oil return holes at the ends of the heads are`nt stopped up .. cover could be filling with oil ..and i actually use those chevy type expanders to spread the torque load along the cover lip .. i dont know what they`re called

i know what you mean with the expanders. and the oil holes are clean. i pulled valve covers againa nd both are warped up in numerous spots. also pulling the manifold just cause. a new set of gaskets cant hurt anything i figure.

valve covers are 8 - 10 ft/lbs or (96 - 120 in/lbs)

Im not messing up. covers were already bent. where did you get your 4-7? because i have an original 67 ford shop service manual and it says 10.

Originally Posted by shifty347

Im not messing up. covers were already bent. where did you get your 4-7? because i have an original 67 ford shop service manual and it says 10.

Shifty,
I agree, the references I see state 10ftlbs for valve covers in 1967
Ford 352 360 390 406 427 428 V8 Engine Specs | Torque Specs - Cylinder Numbering - Firing Order - Distributor Rotation
I'd say 4ftlbs is really light for valve cover bolts.

I have a 1980 Ford manuel that says 5-7

Originally Posted by Louey

In reference to rspears reply. I worked at a Ford dealership for 6 years during that time period. All the dealerships had revisions all the time. They class it as warranty then.
ps: The purpose of the bolts is to secure the cover, and not let oil leak out on the manifold, not hold back pressure.

Whatever, Louey. If you have the information why not simply tell the guy the right range?? Why ask him,
"Do you know what the bolt torque is for the valve covers when you tighten them ??", when you have what you believe to be the accurate answer at hand? Seems to me the helpful way would be to say, "The revised torque value from Ford in that era was 4-7ftlbs." Whatever floats your boat.

I worked at a Ford dealership for 6 years during that time period. All the dealerships had revisions all the time.

you ask a question you get more than an answer. with mechanics like you i can see why revisions need to be made. have fun spending your remaining days as a prick.

What did you lift the manifold with?