[Syty] Valve-Cover Gaskets...?

[DOlivares]

OK!

I'll wait for your hands-on tests.  Assuming you're using stock heads with stock guides, my guess is that the naked Intake Valve will only drop to the top groove before it is stopped by the TDC piston-- and certainly no more than have the tip disappear into the guide by 1/8th-inch.  I could live with that... could pull it out with a decent magnet, especially with the guide all oiled-up and badly worn.

Not to be critical, Dave, but RTV is a GASKET-SUBSTITUTE, not a gasket-sealer/adhesive.  Depending on one's plans for eventual or repeated disassembly of a gasketed part, he should use something on the spectrum from Hylomar to "Gorilla Snot" 3M Weatherstrip Adhesive....  Using RTV for a closed-groove gasket would generate a lot of cure-gas and weaken the contact points where the original "set" took place as the vapor tried to escape.  I'd never use RTV-silicone for that application; besides, the curing and subsequent re-heating outgases tend to foul, coat, and prematurely disable oxygen sensors!  Just a thought....

Thanx in advance,

D.O.
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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dave Goodhue 
  To: DOlivares 
  Cc: SYTY 
  Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 6:51 AM
  Subject: Re: [Syty] Valve-Cover Gaskets...?


  >So lemme tell ya what I want... what I really, really want, what I
  really, really, really... [Stop
  > it!] wanna know from your experience or research:

  >If I had each respective piston at TDC and happened to DROP A VALVE (again, no
  >pressurized cylinder and assuming the old valve-stem O-ring had
  rotted or tore off so that
  >nothing could stop the valve from falling all the way through a badly
  worn guide) INTO THE >CHAMBER, HOW FAR WOULD THE INTAKE FALL THROUGH
  THE GUIDE?  Would the >tip disappear completely into the valve-guide
  before the valve came to rest at the top of >the piston?

  >Ditto... HOW MUCH FARTHER WOULD THE EXHAUST VALVE DROP?  (This is
  strictly >theoretical since I'm only planning to replace the
  'guide-boss seals on the intakes and will >likely leave the exhaust
  O-rings alone.  They're easy to test for leakage fully assembled
  >anyway... just a few drops of penetrating-oil on the keepers.  And,
  remember, I'm in a hurry >on this job!  Still, ya never know....)

  >That old VALVE-COVER GASKET THANG....

  I have my motor out my truck and with the heads already removed, later
  this week I will take some picture of the valve cover clips and I will
  test out dropping the valve.  I think it will complete disappear, but
  I am not 100% sure.

  >Why not use sealer or gasket adhesive on the recessed surfaces of the
  covers?  When I >spoke of my Trans Am covers and those recessed orange
  gaskets, they were really >permanently installed and I never had to
  worry about 'em "falling out" or even getting >loose.  It was
  beautiful-- better than I used to set up my Fel-Pros or Mitchells on
  my old >chrome covers for '60s engines!  I don't get that stuff about
  binder clips at all... hope >you're not just trying to spook me.  Know
  where I could get a PICTURE of the inside of >one of these covers?

  I actually did try to use some RTV blue, but it didn't adhere (I
  didn't use a ton of it though)  Maybe I didn't get enough of the oil
  residue off the inside of the valve cover groove.  My TPI Corvette had
  rubber gaskets and they stay perfectly fine in the valve covers.  I
  actually tried 3 set of gaskets to see which ones worked in my Sy's
  OEM valve covers.  My orignal OEM, the new one I had used but had 1000
  miles on them and a brand new set, they were all to loose to manuever
  through the motion of putting the valve covers on.
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