Chris
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Walnut Creek, CA
Chris
What is the trick to getting the valve covers off my 1956 F100. I took the bolts off and the valve covers seem stuck. Is there anyother hardware that I need to remove or do I just need more elbow grease. Thanks.
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
IF... the bolts are all removed sometimes you have to gently tap the sides of the valve covers with a rubber mallet. I would avoid prying under the lip of the valve cover as its too easy to warp that surface and cause future oil leaks.
The key is some gently tapping, not enough to damage or dent the valve cover but a fairly decent wollop. You should be able to hear the difference in tone as the gaskets start to come loose
Bobby
The key is some gently tapping, not enough to damage or dent the valve cover but a fairly decent wollop. You should be able to hear the difference in tone as the gaskets start to come loose
Bobby
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Walnut Creek, CA
The engine is a rebuilt 1957 and is either a 292 or 312. I haven't gotten to the main caps to see what is stamped on them yet. I've heard that externally there isn't any difference between these two.
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From: Valley Center, CA
On my 272, I ended up having to pry up gently only on the top edges so as not to deform the sealing edges on the bottom. Use wide pieces of wood like a 1x2 for a lever and a fulcrum. The covers are probably strongest in the corrners, but like pointed out above, you do not want to bend them. After you remove the two nuts there may be some rubber grommets on the posts. These are actually supposed to be mounted under the valve cover, but some people put them on top between the cover and the nut. Pull them off before you try to pull the covers. Worst case senario: You bend the crap out of the covers, then let me know and I'll let you have one of the extra sets I have. 
Jag
Jag
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Walnut Creek, CA
Thank you for the info. Indeed the rubber grommets are on the outside under the nuts. Do you know of any good products to paint or coat the covers with after I am finished cleaning them? Thanks.
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From: Akron Ohio
Sea wolf, knock off any sludge underneith the covers, then grab a scotch brite and lacquer thiner and start scrubbing. A final wipe with towel and more thinner should have them looking clean. Outside, if there's paint, you can coat them with paint stripper and wire brush any remaining paint off. Prime/Paint with quality rattle can paint.
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From: Valley Center, CA
4-Speed is right. I have also used carb cleaner but you should keep all this stuff away from anything painted that you care about, and you should wear gloves. Also, do not paint the inside of the covers. If you are going to paint them black, don't go gloss. I think that semi-gloss looks much better. I recently redid mine and added a step to the process that I did not use last go around. I wet-sanded the primer before the top coat. I used 400 grit, a cup of water, and dried thoroughly. The results were much superior to my last effort from 5 years ago. Post some pix, Jag
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From: Akron Ohio
Although some may disagree, many times people will use regular spray paint not designed for high heat temps and it works well. You could use eastwood if you'd like, but I wouldn't pay the high price. Also, if your covers are dented they sell new chrome ones on ebay, I'm sure the cheap chrome would come off and you could paint them silver. -4speed
Roast em' if you got 'em
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
I havent used it. I've only ever used regular high temp engine paint from a rattle can and have had good luck with it. A few weeks ago I was cruising around the internet trying to find the right color for my Cadillac engine. I think it was on the Por15 website that had a great list of the engine colors and a mocked up picture of an engine that you could click on to show the color you chose.
I didn't buy it though, I ended up at PepBoys and bought the rattle cans of Ford Dark Blue (thats as close as I could get to the Cadillac dark blue without special order and the engine is in a Ford truck so its all good)
Bobby
I didn't buy it though, I ended up at PepBoys and bought the rattle cans of Ford Dark Blue (thats as close as I could get to the Cadillac dark blue without special order and the engine is in a Ford truck so its all good)
Bobby
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
Check out this link, right above the color chart there is the link that lets you change the colors on the engine.......fun toy
http://www.por15store.com/page/por15/PROD/Kits/EE
Good luck with it, post some pics so that we can ll OOH and AAH over it
Bobby
http://www.por15store.com/page/por15/PROD/Kits/EE
Good luck with it, post some pics so that we can ll OOH and AAH over it
Bobby
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From: Waynesville, OH
Originally Posted by Jag Red 54
... After you remove the two nuts there may be some rubber grommets on the posts. These are actually supposed to be mounted under the valve cover, but some people put them on top between the cover and the nut. ...
For the past two days I was waiting for a little time to take my rocker arm covers off and put the rubber seals on the studs under the covers, instead of on top between the cover and the nut (the way I have them now). Then I was looking at my shop manual (1956) and noticed this passage:
Now I'm confused - the shop manual says to put the cover on first, then the rubber seal, then the nut? That's how I have them now. Am I missing something?
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From: Valley Center, CA
George, Your manual may be correct. I cannot remember if I have ever seen it in writing, but have been told by several suppossed y-block experts that the rubbers go on the inside. However, they could be wrong. (I just installed NOS covers on my 272 and I put the rubbers on the inside) Another point to consider is that if your valve covers have been installed with the rubbers outside already, the without the support from the rubbers underneth, the valve covers, as my old ones were, are probably caved in just a bit. In light of that, I would put them back on the out side, metal side up. Just don't turn them down too hard. It may take several sequences of tightening them after the engine is heated up to get the gaskets to seal. Sorry if I caused any confusion. Jag 
Last edited by Jag Red 54; Jun 20, 2005 at 11:27 AM.