How did you fix your valve cover leak?

cruiser said

Guys/gals: The valve cover gasket on my 1974 225 slant six leaks. The valve cover itself is not bent or deformed. How did you eliminate your valve cover leak? Cork gasket or something else? Did you use RTV on the cork gasket before you installed it? Tired of cleaning oil off my garage floor. Please let me know how I can permanently eliminate this problem. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Main thing is to make sure your gasket surface is clean and flat on both the valve cover and head surface. I use a body dolly to flatten any distortion from the bolts. Thin film of RTV on the valve cover, Clean the head sealing surface with lacquer thinner, and install. If there are any casting flaws a very small dab of RTV should seal it. Don't over tighten the bolts. You are better tightening them 2 or 3 times after running for a while, than over tightening them once.