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Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to see...

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 3:57 pm
by kulluminati777
...me angry lol



but anyway i was wondering why do the valve cover gaskets leak so easily i mean it seems im replacing these things once a month like wow it is pissing me off and sometimes i turn into the hulk. Is there any brands or gaskets that i can get that last longer then 1 year :shrug:

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 4:25 pm
by Daninski
Do you install as shown in the manual using silicone caulk at every transition point? I caulk then wait for the silicone to skin over then, do a partial torque then a final torque. No leaks. If the truth be known I run a very thin bead over the entire valve surface. Works.

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 4:40 pm
by mazdaspeed23
i do the same also i run it all over the valve surface. :D

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 5:04 pm
by marcdh
IMO if you don't want them to leak buy genuine mazda ones. Every other one I've tried leaks. Also torque to spec, it's really not a lot.

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 5:10 pm
by Daninski
Yes and it's inch pounds NOT foot pounds. Cranking those babies down does nothing but squeeze out the gasket. I remember when they use to sell rubber gaskets, you could use them again and again and again.

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 5:25 pm
by mitmaks
I siliconed between gasket and valve cover and between gasket and head.

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 6:15 pm
by mikeinaus
Daninski wrote:Yes and it's inch pounds NOT foot pounds. Cranking those babies down does nothing but squeeze out the gasket. I remember when they use to sell rubber gaskets, you could use them again and again and again.
what are they made of now? a set came with the timing belt kit i ordered on ebay and they look rubber to me. i havnt had that good of a look at them thow.

you shouldnt need to use sealant on the gasket. perhaps your valve cover is warped? make sure both surfaces are clean before you put on the valve cover. a light sanding with some emery cloth and then wiping it all down with some brake cleaner on a rag is good practice.

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 7:09 pm
by mazdaspeed23
i use blue silicone (cant remember the name of it) but i put the gasket on the valve cover then use the silicone on the gasket, then i put some silicone around surface on the engine.. i torgue them bitches down, and sometimes i put just a light cover of silicone around the cover on the outside then scrap extra off with a knife no leaks here lol

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 7:24 pm
by Ryan
I think torquing them too much makes them leak... I don't understand how, but it seems that way.

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 10:30 pm
by mazdaspeed23
if you crank them to tight it will crack the vavle cover and it can also make the seal become to thin and it just leaks

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 10:56 pm
by Daninski
Thats true, less is more. The valve covers really are only containing static pressure (ambient), so applying any thing but standard torque isn't advantageous.

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 11:44 pm
by crazycanadian
Also make sure it really is your valve cover gaskets that are leaking... Its not someone filling the oil to fast and it over flowing, or posibly cam seals leaking.. ect... Also have a close look where they are leaking make sure they aren't cracked at all...

My old B6T I did the valve cover gasket... When torquing it down it cracked one of the mounting locations... :evil:

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 19th, 2012, 4:23 am
by jamestakay
It's always best to buy oem for some parts, valve covers are one of those parts that I would buy oem. And what everyone else has said.

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 19th, 2012, 11:14 am
by kulluminati777
wow thank you everyone for all the replies this is the most i have ever gotten so fast for a question on here lol

Re: Valve Cover gaskets making me angry..you dont want to se

Posted: January 19th, 2012, 12:31 pm
by jamestakay
It just depends on who's on and who wants to reply. Most kl owners will help out with anything because we all want our cars to stay on the roads for as long as they live.