Oil Leak from Rocker Cover

[Chris.Porter]

Some time ago I bought a smart looking alloy rocker cover however I can't stop oil leaking from between it and the cylinder head and making a mess. I've just bought another cork type gasket but these seem more suited to the original type rocker cover which has an edge to hold it in place.

 

I've also used joint sealants along with the gasket. Tightening the bolts just seems to squeeze the gasket out.

 

Has anyone else had this problem? Would a paper thin gasket be better? Or just a good sealant - and what's the best sealant to buy?

 

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

Chris Porter

[Motorsport Mickey]

Bearing mind that this is your first post Chris I suggest use the search box first to save continued rehashing of the same posts.

 

Mick Richards

[RogerH]

Hi Chris,

welcome to the forum.

 

some of these Ali covers are like bananas.

Use a decent straight edge and see if there is any distortion to the gasket face.

 

Cork may do the job but a silcon O ring type may be better.

 

And as Mick says there is a stack of stuff on the search facility.

 

Roger

[Motorsport Mickey]

Chris,

 

Try "Blowing Rocker cover" for the search facility,(white box top right) it was posted June 17th.

 

Mick Richards

[GT6M]

Ive just med a replacement for me v v low sloping type rocker box

the ends slpe, so the RR rockers adjusters touched sloping bit

 

went to Walkers, a local gasket meker, and got some 10 mm thick rubberised cork gasket stuff

great stuff, cannot break it,, and it seals great

 

So, go find a Gasket meker spot, or a spot that sells gasket stuff, an mek yer own,

v v easy t,doo

the stuff is caled Nebar, v v good stuff

mine was the broon stuff

cos it wer 10 mm tik. i used a jig saw

butt, if yer only needing 4-5 mm, then a stanly knife,or scissors will suffice

 

 

 

http://www.tiflex.co.uk/nebar/nebar.html

 

M

[Kevo_6]

Some time ago I bought a smart looking alloy rocker cover however I can't stop oil leaking from between it and the cylinder head and making a mess. I've just bought another cork type gasket but these seem more suited to the original type rocker cover which has an edge to hold it in place.

 

I've also used joint sealants along with the gasket. Tightening the bolts just seems to squeeze the gasket out.

 

Has anyone else had this problem? Would a paper thin gasket be better? Or just a good sealant - and what's the best sealant to buy?

 

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

Chris Porter

Hi Chris

Welcome to the forum, I came across these the other day http://www.ratsport.com/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=22665866&XMLOpt1=-1&XMLOpt2=-1&RelatedPdtIDs=&PackagingID= No idea what they're like but worth a look.

[Stoker]

I have an aluminium rocker cover and always smear the standard cork gasket with thick waterproof grease----never had a leak yet and you can re-use the same gasket several times.

You can also get a thinner gasket from Rimmers.

 

John

[marki]

+1 for the silicon gasket, works a treat and taking the cover off again isn't a problem.

Mark.

[Clarkey]

Hi Chris

Welcome to the fold

I had the same issue some years ago now.

Go on to Ebay and buy some clear RTV silicone sealer.high temperature rated

run a small bead on the inside of the rocker cover where the gasket fits, then place the gasket in the recess . then turn it over and place it on a very very flat surface (piece of glass is best)and put a weight on top(half a house brick will do or anything around that weight so as not to distort the cover) and leave it for 24 hours.

then when you fit it to the car finger tight the retaining nuts then half a turn.

I did this with mine over 7 years ago now, never had a leak

This advice was passed onto me by a very prominent contributor to this forum

Worked a treat

[john.r.davies]

Anyone referenced silicone gaskets?

 

http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/silicone-rocker-cover-gaskets-42359.html

 

John

[Nigel Triumph]

I've found over a couple of years the silicone gaskets can expand and start to slip out from the corners of the cover.

 

The best results I've had came from using a cork gasket, smeared in grease, after making sure the rocker cover face is perfectly flat.

 

GT6M's rubberised cork sounds interesting and probably better than the original cork - must try that next time.

 

 

Nigel

[Hamish]

Hi Chris

Welcome to the fold

I had the same issue some years ago now.

Go on to Ebay and buy some clear RTV silicone sealer.high temperature rated

run a small bead on the inside of the rocker cover where the gasket fits, then place the gasket in the recess . then turn it over and place it on a very very flat surface (piece of glass is best)and put a weight on top(half a house brick will do or anything around that weight so as not to distort the cover) and leave it for 24 hours.

then when you fit it to the car finger tight the retaining nuts then half a turn.

I did this with mine over 7 years ago now, never had a leak

This advice was passed onto me by a very prominent contributor to this forum

Worked a treat

Welcome

 

+1 to this advice

And ditto

"This advice was passed onto me by a very prominent contributor to this forum

Worked a treat " ????

[john.r.davies]

also http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/gasket-material-various-thicknesses-resistant-gasket-materials-code-4544-gasket-/322571023406?hash=item4b1abb342e:g:hksAAOSwGtRX1lzr

[Chris.Porter]

Many thanks for the numerous suggestions and advice - I've decided to go for a silicon gasket, which is now on the way.

 

Chris

[Bill Bourne]

Hi Chris

 

Just to add a thought. I have bought a std ally rocker cover and like you had some oil leaks. The covers are just not well made. As mentioned above, they are typically not flat.

I therefore went to a local machine shop that have a CNC machine and got them to cut a small shoulder all around the inside edge, so that the silicon gasket won't slide about.

It wasn't that costly - can't remember exactly - but about £30. Well worth it, in my opinion. No leaks. - But check you have enough thickness in the outside edge 1st as they vary.

 

best Bill

[KiwiTR6]

Hi Chris

Welcome to the fold

I had the same issue some years ago now.

Go on to Ebay and buy some clear RTV silicone sealer.high temperature rated

run a small bead on the inside of the rocker cover where the gasket fits, then place the gasket in the recess . then turn it over and place it on a very very flat surface (piece of glass is best)and put a weight on top(half a house brick will do or anything around that weight so as not to distort the cover) and leave it for 24 hours.

then when you fit it to the car finger tight the retaining nuts then half a turn.

I did this with mine over 7 years ago now, never had a leak

This advice was passed onto me by a very prominent contributor to this forum

Worked a treat

 

Was this a standard cork gasket or the silicon one Clarkey?

 

Gavin

[Clarkey]

 

Was this a standard cork gasket or the silicon one Clarkey?

 

Gavin

Hi Gavin

Standard cork one

[jogger321]

Hi ...Just trying to sort out a leaking Rocking Cover on my 6 ...I suspect many years ago when I worked on it and had no idea what I was doing I tightened it down far too much and distorted it (standard cover)..

 

I'm going to purchase some clear RTV silicone sealer .....I notice a lot of the tubes of it are 40G on Ebay.... Is this enough or do I need to buy two ?

 

 

Hi Chris

Welcome to the fold

I had the same issue some years ago now.

Go on to Ebay and buy some clear RTV silicone sealer.high temperature rated

run a small bead on the inside of the rocker cover where the gasket fits, then place the gasket in the recess . then turn it over and place it on a very very flat surface (piece of glass is best)and put a weight on top(half a house brick will do or anything around that weight so as not to distort the cover) and leave it for 24 hours.

then when you fit it to the car finger tight the retaining nuts then half a turn.

I did this with mine over 7 years ago now, never had a leak

This advice was passed onto me by a very prominent contributor to this forum

Worked a treat

[RogerH]

Why not go for this.

Designed for the job.

 

 

https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?search_group=&q=silicon+sealant

 

 

Roger

 

Thank you Stuart

Edited July 26, 2018 by RogerH

[stuart]

Why not go for this.

Designed for the job.

 

Roger

?

[john.r.davies]

Hi ...Just trying to sort out a leaking Rocking Cover on my 6 ...I suspect many years ago when I worked on it and had no idea what I was doing I tightened it down far too much and distorted it (standard cover)..

 

I'm going to purchase some clear RTV silicone sealer .....I notice a lot of the tubes of it are 40G on Ebay.... Is this enough or do I need to buy two ?

 

 

 

Jogger,

The standard cover is fairly flimsy tin as you know, so it's also fairly easy to reshape it, unless it has actually stretched, which I doubt. Straight edge the sides, using hand pressure to reshape. Place it in a flat surface, not a plane table, a kitchen one will suffice, and shine a torch at the edge from the other side, twist and tweak it until it's flat.. The stud holes can get stretched - a light hammer on a wood block can reshape them.

 

Then, tighten to hand - barely more than finger - pressure. The official figure is 1.5 lb-ft!

 

JOhn

[Bill Bourne]

My solution was to:-

 

Take the cover to a machine shop that has a CNC machine. Have them cut a shoulder on the inside to enable a siicone gasket to be fitted. there's not much land there, but it's doable. Carefully glue the gasket to the shoulder. No sealant. It never leaks and you can take it on/off as numerous times as you like without having to re-seal very time. And don't tighten the cover down too hard.

 

Machine shop cost - £30 ish - depends where you go.

Silicone gasket - Can't remember, but not that expensive.

 

best

Bill

Edited July 26, 2018 by Bill Bourne

[Paul J]

I met a club member recently who was given an alloy cover for Christmas, very pleased with it he was too until closing the bonnet, it put another crease parallel with the carbs in a TR4, so be careful with some of the shiny things.

Ouch!

Paul

[jogger321]

My solution was to:-

 

Take the cover to a machine shop that has a CNC machine. Have them cut a shoulder on the inside to enable a siicone gasket to be fitted. there's not much land there, but it's doable. Carefully glue the gasket to the shoulder. No sealant. It never leaks and you can take it on/off as numerous times as you like without having to re-seal very time. And don't tighten the cover down too hard.

 

Machine shop cost - £30 ish - depends where you go.

Silicone gasket - Can't remember, but not that expensive.

 

best

Bill

 

Cheers Bill for that advice but I notice you can buy a silicon gasket that fits the standard rocker cover without machining it...Wondering what folks experiences of using those is?

[Bill Bourne]

Cheers Bill for that advice but I notice you can buy a silicon gasket that fits the standard rocker cover without machining it...Wondering what folks experiences of using those is?

Hi Jogger. Yes, and I Think the silicone gasket will work well with a standard rocker cover as well, but I’ve never tried it. The machining of the shoulder simply stops the gasket moving as you tighten.