How to cure persistent rocker cover gasket leaks

I'm not sure exactly what the design of the cover is, but maybe the nuts are not pulling the cover down tightly enough. Put some washers under the nuts to apply more pressure if they've reached the end of their threads.

Rob Graham

Either the R/C is warped or cracked or the cyl head is warped !!!! I would try a S/H R-Cover.... should be plenty in any breakers yard.

JK

Make sure the crankcase breather pipe that goes down the passenger side rear of the engine is clear, especially the metal tube at the bottom. Also use a genuine Ford gasket as alot of the motorfactor ones are thin and use cheap cork.

Check the recommended torque settings for the bolts, they're usually very low and a lot of people do 'em up too tight causing leaks.

After years of leaking A series ones, I glue the gasket to the rocker cover with Evostik - then just use a smear of grease between the gasket and head face.

Make sure your engine breathers are clear - excess pressure in the crankcase will encourage leaks.

The message from "Dave Plowman (News)" contains these words:

Same here only with red Hermetite which worked well. As others have said

- overtightening the bolts is a common cause of leaks.

Check that there isn't a modified cover/gasket. There was a problem with the original Pinto OHC engines where the cam-cover leaked - Ford issued a service- kit that had small metal spreader-plates that went under the retaining bolts to give more even clamping force, and a redesigned cork gasket which had small metal pins in it designed to prevent the cover crushing down too tight. Not sure if they did the same with the "Valencia" motor.

Also, make sure you use genuine Ford gaskets; some of the no-name ones are of diabolically-poor quality.

Is that a CVH engine? The Ford gaskets are better than the aftermarket ones. They have metal dowels next to the bolt holes to prevent overtightening. Silicon sealant is the stuff to use if it fails to seal. You may also just have a worn bottom end or blocked breathers which is pressurising the crankcase. Hard to seal anything properly if that's the case.

Many thanks to all for the very useful suggestions. I'll start trying them out.

Steve

Doubt it's a CVH even M reg 1.3 Escorts had the pushrod thing. The cure? Get a car with a proper engine.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!