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By oldcarmark - Last Year
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I have the Cast T-Bird Rocker Covers. Changed the Gaskets. Still getting Oil Drips from lower Rear Corner of the Covers. Are there some Gaskets preferred over others? Are "Best" Gaskets better than others? Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks!
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By FORD DEARBORN - Last Year
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I've had excellent results with the one and only pair of thick neoprene gaskets purchased from Mummery many years ago. I'm using them on the old style steel covers, if that makes any difference.
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By MoonShadow - Last Year
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As usual I didn't completely read the initial post.
If the covers have been overtightened you can use a ballpeen hammer and a socket to pop them back out. Also make sure the gasket surfaces are flat and clean. Some of the older covers are very bent from use.
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By Robs36Ford - Last Year
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Sadly no is making he neoprene gaskets. They really worked best.
Cast valve covers are rigid and if not true/flat to the head surface then it may seep. It is also possible the head is not true also as machining there is minimal. I use Permatex Grey on both sides of the cork composite gaskets from anyone and never have a leak! It is non hardening and thick so you can remove the covers for services and re-apply after washing.
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By miker - Last Year
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Deleted
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By miker - Last Year
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I glue the gaskets to all the cast aluminum covers I’ve used. Then use a little grease on the head side. Stops them from slipping, and seals but let’s them release to set the valve. I think Ted has something on that, hope he’ll chime in.
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By Daniel Jessup - Last Year
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FWIW, this is the way I do my Thunderbird aluminum valve covers and over the past two years I have been very satisfied. I use pretty much the same method as Miker.
The link to the pictures and the article is here:
https://www.hotrodreverend.com/post/1955-ford-part-111-valve-cover-restoration
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By Ted - Last Year
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The Best Gasket full set of gaskets includes two different pair of cork gaskets for the Y. The thin set with the tabs is for the 1960 and newer tin covers while the thicker set without tabs are for the both 1954 thru 1959 steel covers and the aluminum Thunderbird finned covers. I have no leakage issues when using the thick gaskets on the aluminum covers. I will glue the gaskets to the covers using small dabs of ‘black’ 3M trim cement and then a thin film of white grease on the surface that contacts the head rail so the gaskets don’t stick to the head.
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By Deyomatic - Last Year
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Anyone use Gasgacinch? I wish this question was posed a week ago, because that's when I ordered Gasgacinch.
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By oldcarmark - Last Year
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Thanks Ted. I didn't know the early Gaskets are thicker than the later Ones. I pulled the Covers and blew out the drain holes. See if that helps. Oil shouldn't get high enough on top of Heads to cause leakage. I did find some small Pieces of old Cover Grommet around the Drain back Holes so maybe some got down inside the Head. Take it for a long Drive and see if it still drips.
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By oldcarmark - Last Year
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John Mummert lists the Neoprene Ones on his Website. As a matter of fact those are the only Ones He lists.
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By oldcarmark - Last Year
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Update. Still dripping Oil after blowing out drain Backs. Oil is not draining as fast as it should. How far back in the Head is the "down" for Oil. Not at the end so it must be around middle somewhere. Must be something stuck blocking the "down" opening. Going to try a piece of wire if I have an Idea where the opening is.
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By Robs36Ford - Last Year
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Both heads have s drain hole at both ends.
The drivers side head would have the rocker drain tube at the rear and the passenger would have it at the front.
Are your rockers with higher flow or pressure oil than stock? Possibly overfilling the heads?
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By oldcarmark - Last Year
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No just regular pressure. I have used Air to blow out the Drains at front and back but still not draining at rear which is where its dripping. The drain goes straight in but how far back into the Head is the "down" run?
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By Robs36Ford - Last Year
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It's odd that both covers are leaking. Is it possible they have pinholes in the casting ?
What is the head valve cover gasket surface like at the back edge ? is it rough ? missing some ? big bumps ?
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By oldcarmark - Last Year
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Its just the One on the Left Side. Dripping down the side of the Head below the Cover..
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By Joe-JDC - Last Year
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Those end holes at both ends of the head go into the lifter valley if you have a long enough tool. The holes are huge in terms of oil drain back area, and should be able to drain the area easily. There could be an umbrella seal piece lodged deeper down where the head gasket mates to the block. If you push it in, you will need to remove the intake, valley cover, and clean out the debris so that it doesn't clog the oil pick-up screen or worse get sucked into the oil pump and stop the rotors. If you have a scribe with the 90* end you might be able to retrieve the blockage if that is the case. Just some ideas. Joe-JDC
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By oldcarmark - Last Year
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Hi Joe. I just took it apart again. Using a piece of Coat Hanger Wire I was able to get in about 7 inch's. Seemed very narrow about half way. Just big enough to get Coat hanger through. It was I think plugged up until I worked the Wire through. Is there a very tight Area normally? Feels like part of the Head Casting maybe. Going to go for a Drive later and see if there is Oil drip in AM. Thanks
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By DryLakesRacer - Last Year
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Tim McMaster has a YouTube of an engine running with the rocker arm shaft overflow tubes blocked. It shows how much oil the drains in the heads to the valley can take. Sounds like something else is the cause…
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By Ted - Last Year
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If the oil system is modified to increase the amount of oil to the top end of the engine, then the potential for the oil to be above the cylinder head valve cover rail is greatly increased. I find it necessary to install restrictors with a 0.078” orifice at each rocker arm assembly to control the amount of oil that gets to the cylinder heads when making modifications to increase the oil flow around the center cam bearing.
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By Kingfisher - Last Year
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I have had similar trouble. I took both (aluminum) valve covers off last week and checked the oil flow at idle. It was comforting to see a good flow at all rockers and out of the overflow tube. I installed neoprene Best Gaskets. RTV to the covers, gaskets taped into place and left to cure overnight. Then a small smear of non hardening goo to the other side. Tightened lightly, no leaks!
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By 1946international - Last Year
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Have these covers ever not leaked? are they new? Are they aftermarket, I don't know if there are any aftermarket T-bird valve covers.
This may or may not help but I'm running a set of Offenhauser cast valve covers that I bought new from Speedway and they leaked, both of them. I checked the gasket surface and found it was not flat, I set them up in a mill and ran around the gasket area to make it flat and no more leak.
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By KULTULZ - Last Year
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Ted (6/30/2023)
If the oil system is modified to increase the amount of oil to the top end of the engine, then the potential for the oil to be above the cylinder head valve cover rail is greatly increased. I find it necessary to install restrictors with a 0.078” orifice at each rocker arm assembly to control the amount of oil that gets to the cylinder heads when making modifications to increase the oil flow around the center cam bearing. miker (6/26/2023)
I glue the gaskets to all the cast aluminum covers I’ve used. Then use a little grease on the head side. Stops them from slipping, and seals but let’s them release to set the valve. I think Ted has something on that, hope he’ll chime in. 1946international (11/24/2023)
Have these covers ever not leaked? are they new? Are they aftermarket, I don't know if there are any aftermarket T-bird valve covers. This may or may not help but I'm running a set of Offenhauser cast valve covers that I bought new from Speedway and they leaked, both of them. I checked the gasket surface and found it was not flat, I set them up in a mill and ran around the gasket area to make it flat and no more leak. ALL of the above ... I would be concerned if the rocker cover decks are square and also the cover rails on the heads. And IF the covers are OEM or import copies. Think rifle brushes when clearing/cleaning orifices.
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By PF Arcand - Last Year
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... I'm wondering if the Rocker covers purchased from Speedway were made under the same circumstances as the poor performing Offy Tri- Power intake that Ted Eaton tested, along with 6 others quite some time back?.. Long story short, the Intakes were not made by the original Fred Offenhauser's company, but by a nephews company of the same last name. A law suite resulted. many years ago, but a Judges bad ruling in the case did not really resolve the issue.. Recently, an out fit in Canada popped up advertising new Offy parts.. So ??..
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