Need your experience with different types of valve cover gaskets!

[RedCoupe]

I've owned my 964 for a really long time and never had any concern about what type of valve cover gaskets to use. It has the o-ring style gaskets, and they always worked fine. One of the few places that my 964 didn't leak! But, I'm about to do my first service on the 1986 Carrera since acquiring it, and was blown away by the eight different types of gasket sets that our host sells! There is the set with all gray gaskets, the set with upper gray and lower green gaskets, the set with upper gray and lower green with silicone bead, the set with graphited upper and lower gaskets, the set with graphited upper and graphited lowers with silicone bead, the set with graphited gaskets with silicone bead on both uppers and lowers, and finally there is the silicone valve cover gasket set. I think I'll just go bang my head against the wall!

[Joe Bob]

years of leaking valve cover gaskets

[HarryD]

I have been using the OEM gasket set with no problems.

I use all the parts in the kit (I do not reuse the crush washers or nylock nuts).

I tighten the covers like I would a head: Start in the middle and criss-cross outwards. I make the nuts snug on the first pass and then tighten them (in the same pattern) in a second pass by turning them about 1/4 of a turn. If I have a slight leak, I will tighten again anther 1/4 turn in the leaking area.

[RedCoupe]

Thanks, Harry. I was about to place an order with our host, but the amount of different valve cover gasket offerings was making me dizzy. I'm still hoping that there are some opinions pro or con out there on the some of the different gasket sets.

[impactbumper]

I have been using oem gaskets for years with very little failure rate also. Those silicone gasket pelican sells is interesting though.


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[tobluforu]

The key: Do not crank them down, less is more with these gaskets/surfaces. I use to crank them down and wonder why they leaked with new gaskets and hardware, then read to just snug them down.

[Discseven]

Where's Brother Jim?!

[DRACO A5OG]

In Joe Bob's link :-D

gradual torque is the key and check 3-4 times. What I noticed with both OEM and Silicon type is when you start from the center and star pattern it, once you get to the ends, the centers come loose.

So check 3-4 times, then drive her get several heat cycles and check again.

Just do not over torque.

So far the silicon gaskets are working perfectly, removed them 3 times already to check valves and rockers within this month.

[ClickClickBoom]

Been using the Pelican silicone gaskets. They are bone dry, the trick is to use an inch pound torque wrench, and torque and retorque every nut until there is no more tightening. When I first used them I did one run through the nuts for torque, and they leaked like a screen door. Tighten properly, and they are bullet proof and dry as a desert.

[dtw]

On all my air cooled cars I have always used either the graphite, or graphite w/silicone bead gaskets. Super clean surfaces, no boogers on studs, no boogers on washer sealing surfaces on covers. Snug down all nuts then torque in star pattern working from center. Honestly, though, I use whatever my parts guy hands me and they never really leak.

Of greater importance is having flat valve covers. Seems like everybody spends all this energy on a better mousetrap trying to get the right leak-proof gaskets. The right answer is a leak-proof (flat) valve cover.

[Jesse16]

Stock paper/disposable gasket kits have never failed me yet. Not interested in re-inventing this wheel. Comes clean and with new bolts/washers, is ready to install with a quick wipe down. Use my light range torque wrench to tighten bolts. I do the tightening pattern twice, it never leaks (guess the valve covers are decent) and I don't re-check later. Keep a kit on my parts shelf from our host ready to go.

[gtc]

I ran a set of the orange silicone gaskets for something like seven years and 150,000 miles. Paid for themselves several times over, and no leaks. Eventually they started showing some cracks, so I need to buy another set.
You can buy the nuts and washers in bulk... i generally reuse them once.

[john walker's workshop]

Thick graphite all around. Anything i have to leave the nuts loose on doesn't fly.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

Thick graphite all around. Anything i have to leave the nuts loose on doesn't fly.

^^^

[walt]

I've used the silicone ones for 10+ years now. No leaks, just don't over-tighten.