pulling the valve covers
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2000
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pulling the valve covers
guys-
i'm about to pull the valve covers on the 360, to replace the gaskets. (and give the covers some nice blue paint).
my question- is there anything else i should do/inspect while i have the covers off? i'm no mechanic- so let fly with the suggestions.
thanks,
sam
i'm about to pull the valve covers on the 360, to replace the gaskets. (and give the covers some nice blue paint).
my question- is there anything else i should do/inspect while i have the covers off? i'm no mechanic- so let fly with the suggestions.
thanks,
sam
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 166
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pulling the valve covers
Not really, if the motor is running fine. Just replace the gaskets, visually inspect the rocker assemblies and continue on. Now if you're having any sort of problems, then that's another story.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,281
Likes: 18
From: Northern California
pulling the valve covers
I'd pull the rockers and inspect them for wear and take a screwdriver and clean any buildup out of the corners of the heads, look at the valve stems for wear.
Cross-Country
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 73
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From: Utah
pulling the valve covers
Sam,
Be very careful not to over torque the covers when you reinsall
them. I am not sure of the torque for your 360 but on my 351M it was 3-5 ft.lbs. I overtightened two sets before I got smart enough to check the specs.
Another trick I learned was cut the heads off of enough 1" X 1/4"
bolts to replace the actual valve cover bolts and then use the bolts with no heads as a stud. Only screw them in a couple of turns, then you can place your new gasket with the adhesive over the studs, place your covers over the studs and then remove them one at a time and replace them with your actaul bolts. That way nothing slides out of place.
Hope this helps,
Terry
Be very careful not to over torque the covers when you reinsall
them. I am not sure of the torque for your 360 but on my 351M it was 3-5 ft.lbs. I overtightened two sets before I got smart enough to check the specs.
Another trick I learned was cut the heads off of enough 1" X 1/4"
bolts to replace the actual valve cover bolts and then use the bolts with no heads as a stud. Only screw them in a couple of turns, then you can place your new gasket with the adhesive over the studs, place your covers over the studs and then remove them one at a time and replace them with your actaul bolts. That way nothing slides out of place.
Hope this helps,
Terry
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 42
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From: Norman,Oklahoma USA
pulling the valve covers
HI. JUST MY 2 CENTS WORTH, DON'T USED CORK GASKETS, I LIKE THE BLACK GASKETS AND THEN I USE THE BLACK SEALER, GET YOU A CAN OR TWO OF THAT DEGREASER AND SPRAY DOWN THE VALVE COVERS AND THEN SAND THEM DOWN AND PAINT IT, I LIKE TO USE THE BRAND DUPLICOLOR,
I GET IT WALL MART AND AFTER IT DRYS YOU CAN RUB IT DOWN WITH A RAG AND GET A GOOD SHINE OUT OF IT ALSO.
I GET IT WALL MART AND AFTER IT DRYS YOU CAN RUB IT DOWN WITH A RAG AND GET A GOOD SHINE OUT OF IT ALSO.
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 60
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pulling the valve covers
Do you know a brand name and style for the black gaskets and black sealer? I don't think that description will go very far in my local auto parts store. 
I expect to be pulling mine shortly, and I've always had leaks with the cork gaskets, so I'd like to find these items.
I expect to be pulling mine shortly, and I've always had leaks with the cork gaskets, so I'd like to find these items.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Powell RIver Canada
pulling the valve covers
A good thing to check while you have the valve covers off is by tapping the rocker arms with a screw driver or something to check if they're loose or bent valve.....etc..... I used felpro rubber gaskets on my 351 C, and used ULTRA BLUE RTV Silicone. Seems to work fine, no leaks
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From: Virginia
pulling the valve covers
Always turn the valve covers over onto the edge of a table or board and hammer down the areas of the valve cover where the bolt holes are. These are usually always pulled out of shape and will cause leaks on your new installation. As far as anything else, you can usually tell how well the motor was taken care of and how often the oil was changed by how much crud is on top of the head.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2001
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pulling the valve covers
If you are getting a little lifter noise (tapping that increases with engine speed), you might torque the rocker arm shaft bolts while you have the covers off. I believe the factory spec is 40-45 ft lbs but am not certain.
Torque the valve cover bolts to 5 ft lbs when you reinstall the covers. If you are having leak problems that you wich to forever banish, there is no finer sealant than spray-on vinyl trim cement. The poor soul who has to remove the covers the next time will need a rubber mallet to get them off again and a can of ford blue paint to refinish the covers after removal.
FEs are a problem here because the intake manifold tucks under the valve covers, creating a three-way seal that is prone to leak, and also because the valve covers do not have enough bolts to create a good seal.
Torque the valve cover bolts to 5 ft lbs when you reinstall the covers. If you are having leak problems that you wich to forever banish, there is no finer sealant than spray-on vinyl trim cement. The poor soul who has to remove the covers the next time will need a rubber mallet to get them off again and a can of ford blue paint to refinish the covers after removal.
FEs are a problem here because the intake manifold tucks under the valve covers, creating a three-way seal that is prone to leak, and also because the valve covers do not have enough bolts to create a good seal.
Senior User
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pulling the valve covers
If you remove the rocker shafts, BE SURE to follow the manufacturer's directions on the order of bolt loosening. You must follow these orders that are like loosed bolts two turns at a time in this numeric order: I don't remember the order, but if you need it I can look it up in my Chilton's manual. If you don't follow the instructions on removal and installation of the shafts, you'll bend pushrods and unleash a whole nasty pile of problems.
On the gasket and sealer, I'd recommend getting the black gaskets (not the cork) like the other guy said, just ask for rubber gaskets when you buy them at Kragen/Autozone/whatever, and I don't really think RTV gasket sealer is necessary... and that stuff is so messy I don't really bother with it. I used the rubber gasket and Permatex brush-on high tack sealer (it comes in a little can like rubber cement, and has the same consistency) and I have no leaks whatsoever. I did have my heads resurfaced right before though, so that might be why I have no leaks.
Greg
67 F100 CCS 390 cruise-o
On the gasket and sealer, I'd recommend getting the black gaskets (not the cork) like the other guy said, just ask for rubber gaskets when you buy them at Kragen/Autozone/whatever, and I don't really think RTV gasket sealer is necessary... and that stuff is so messy I don't really bother with it. I used the rubber gasket and Permatex brush-on high tack sealer (it comes in a little can like rubber cement, and has the same consistency) and I have no leaks whatsoever. I did have my heads resurfaced right before though, so that might be why I have no leaks.
Greg
67 F100 CCS 390 cruise-o
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pulling the valve covers
Also check to make sure the oil drain hole in the head are open and not obstructed with pieces of gasket or broken valve seals.
If you do want to use some RTV (silicone sealer) in spots like where the head/intake meet, use BLACK RTV, some of the blue RTV's are not rated for oil use, and black will hide better. Beware that RTV on a rubber gasket will make it very slippery and it may squeeze out of place easier.
'79 F150 Stepside 4x4
351C-2V, 4 speed, 32/11.50 BFG MT's
'73 Mustang Grande
351C-2V, c-6
If you do want to use some RTV (silicone sealer) in spots like where the head/intake meet, use BLACK RTV, some of the blue RTV's are not rated for oil use, and black will hide better. Beware that RTV on a rubber gasket will make it very slippery and it may squeeze out of place easier.
'79 F150 Stepside 4x4
351C-2V, 4 speed, 32/11.50 BFG MT's
'73 Mustang Grande
351C-2V, c-6
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