Do You Own Big Block MP Valve Covers?? Please Read This ... and Share

Jarlaxle said
OK, I make no claims to be a metallurgist or a machinist. Therefore, all I ask is: please do not laugh at this probably-stupid question. Could (gently) shot-peening them help by removing what I figure are stress riders from a crappy casting job? Also, to reduce stress on the mounting ears, am I right in thinking that you want the LEAST-compressible gaskets?

Note to self: make sure to stick with stamped-steel valve covers on all Mopars.

Edit...here's a scary thought: what would the new MP valve covers look like if someone were to Magnaflux one, I wonder?

Once that they are cast with hairline cracks in them, you can't fix them by shot peening. In mateirals class they teach you that an interstitial defect (imperfection) will eventually propogate (get worse). Like that crack in your windshield that keeps growing over time. Peening it will just compress the metal around the cracks, not fix the cracks. Once the cracks are in the metal, you can't get rid of them without remelting the metal.