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View Full Version : Felpro gaskets ?????



tmdog
05-05-2003, 04:32 PM
Rebuilding sbc. Put on new vortec heads, intake and had to buy valve covers to fit the heads. Bought felpro valve cover gaskets made of silicone. Top shelf. Instructions state not to use any sealer and that gasket is made smaller and need to be stretched to fit cover. I stretched till I was blue in the face, still did not fit. Layed them in sun to soften, than trying pulling them to fit. No luck. Anyone have a similar problem? Jim

MOP
05-06-2003, 06:53 PM
A trick I learned rom a stock car buddy is to use the red high temp silicone. He cuts the tip to where it will make a wide bead but leaves what I call a leg on the tip about 1/4 long on one side. The leg keeps the thickness very even, you run the bead with the leg in front, you run your finger inside as a guide and the out lip is the other. He lets it sit about 20 minutes then fingers a light coat of oil on the cylinder head edge and places the valve covers on and presses very gently then leaves it till the next day before securing. By doing it this way he can take the covers off and on with out damaging the home made gasket. Important do not over tighten, it works very well have been doing it for along time and with no leaks.

tmdog
05-06-2003, 07:43 PM
Thanks M.O.P. for the comeback. Carried the gaskets down to the local parts store. Man said to use heat gun to help stretch gasket to fit. What a bunch of bs. I'm going to give it one more shot and if it doesn't work, I'll try your method - silicone. Unless someone has another method to install gaskets on vortec valve covers. Lets hear it. Jim

Rootsy
05-06-2003, 08:58 PM
Get the orange silicone rubber gaskets directly from your local GM / Chevrolet dealer... no sealers needed and they fit without stretching.

center bolt valve covers with an inner and outer rail to form the gasket track correct?

if you are gonna use any kind of RTV then permatex ULTRA BLACK is the only way to fly... on all other gasket surfaces where you use sealer then i highly suggest loctite gasket eliminator... very hard to find on the shelf anywhere but it is some amazing stuff...

MOP
05-07-2003, 06:51 AM
Rootsy as I can see I am again behind the times again. Is the GM gasket reusable? Sounds like a no sweat solution. I like to be able to pop the covers check the vavles without going through the gasket drill.

Forrest
05-07-2003, 09:53 AM
Are you sure that you have the right gaskets for those valve covers? I assume that you purchased the Fel-Pro Perma-Dry Plus valve cover set, which are about as good as it gets. If so, those gaskets should fit perfectly. If I'm not mistaken, the Perma-Dry Plus valve-cover gaskets have a hard plastic core and for that reason, really can't be streached much. Something's not right. . .

tmdog
05-07-2003, 07:40 PM
Forrest- Not the wrong gasket. Parts guy took same gaskets from shelf, no difference. He is the one that told me to use a heat gun. Gaskets are perma dry plus like you stated. I don't think they have a core in them. Gaskets feel and stretch like 100% silicone, but contract back to original shape.Tomorrow going to GM for gaskets. These fancy ones are going back for a refund. Jim

Forrest
05-08-2003, 10:37 AM
I running the Perma Dry Plus valve-cover and oil-pan sets on all of my small-block Chevrolet engines and you just couldn't ask for a better fit. But then again, I'm using the old-style premeter bolt down valve covers. I've never seen the center-bolt versions of this gasket. Best of luck - nothing more messy than an oil leak in a boat.