valve cover oil leak

[c00nhunterjoe]

Frustrated with the oil leak. Thought I finally had it beat. Its been squeaky clean for about 2500 miles now. 516 heads with moroso steel core rubber molded gaskets and indy aluminum covers. Out of the blue the right side is leaking. Dont notice it til she sits and restart. Then plumes of smoke off the header. Can see it comes from the rear lower corner. Midway up head is dry. Definatly the corner. Loosened and retightened, then loosened wiggled and retighted. No change. 

[cudaken]

 Are the 516 heads 6 bolt or 4 bolt valve covers, I have been out of the game for a while.

I have found the valve cover gaskets for a 1974 440 work the best. They are a composite gasket, very stiff and easy to install. In fact you can hold them by the end and they will darn near stick straight out. I first used them when my LPS did not have gaskets for my 68 Runner in stock.

Check or change your PCV and check to see if you have blow by. I would all so check the valve covers to make sure they are straight.

Hope I was of a little help.

Cuda Ken 

[Kern Dog]

Aluminum valve covers are much better at sealing than the steel ones that have been bent from repeated R&R jobs. I have the MP cast aluminums on my Charger.
A guy on Moparts gave some good advice. He suggested to thouroghly clean the valve covers as well as the head, then put a thin bead of RTV on the gasket rail. Lay the gasket on the cover, then put another thin bead on the gasket. Install it before the RTV begins to skin over. Let it sit long enough to fully dry, then start it up.

[RIDELIKEHELL]

I have a leak on my passenger side at the rear and am using the MP cast aluminum as well...good advice thx guys 

[firefighter3931]

I have a leak on my passenger side at the rear and am using the MP cast aluminum as well...good advice thx guys 

Marc, the Moroso VC gaskets we talked about work great !

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-93055/overview/make/chrysler


Ron

[RIDELIKEHELL]

I have a leak on my passenger side at the rear and am using the MP cast aluminum as well...good advice thx guys 

Marc, the Moroso VC gaskets we talked about work great !

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-93055/overview/make/chrysler


Ron

Another project  Thx again Ron!!!!

[c00nhunterjoe]

Ron, those are the gaskets I am using. Paired with new indy aluminum covers. I've had no leak since installed but now all of a sudden I do. Not sure why. Guess I can pull it clean it up and try a little rtv on the head. Currently they are installed dry.

[RuNvS69]

Why does summit say the Moroso valve cover gaskets "Only fit Moroso valve covers"?   

[MAC]

I use to have the same issue with the valve covers on my 74 440, I tried every gasket out there then finally tried Mancini's (spelling) fel-pro type gaskets. I don't remember the part number but you will recognize them by the 53.00 dollars a set price tag that comes with them  But I wasted that in the first 3 sets I tried so I thought what the heck and what do you know they worked like a charm.

[1974dodgecharger]

I have those same and mine leaked, but found out they were cracked later.  I used black permatax around it now no leaks.....(temp fix)

[charger Downunder]

Just nip them up again by hand/feel when engine is hot and see if it fixes it.

[Cooter]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Those that actually get a set of old skool iron heads to seal, ESPECIALLY on the passenger side lower corner, are just plain out lucky. You will never get a 'good' gasket for these heads. The actual seal rail is too shallow and oil puddles there. Plus, not enough bolt holes. Only way a buddy got his to seal is to have the sealing rail machined down flat and a 'spacer' bolted/sealed down and THEN the valve cover gasket on top of that.

Hell, after damn near 20 years of this engine, one would think Chrysler engineers could come up with some thing more than a simple "Hell, let's add 2 more bolts. That outta do it" fix for leaks. Ever see the Eddy aluminum head valve cover rails? Nice, straight, flat, and tall.

ALOT of work, but it worked. Only other thing to try is to simple replace the gaskets every other month. Same thing with pesky rear main seals that leave drips on your garage floor/driveway. These engines SUCKED when designed in 1958 [350 GC engine], for oil leaks.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Those that actually get a set of old skool iron heads to seal, ESPECIALLY on the passenger side lower corner, are just plain out lucky. You will never get a 'good' gasket for these heads. The actual seal rail is too shallow and oil puddles there. Plus, not enough bolt holes. Only way a buddy got his to seal is to have the sealing rail machined down flat and a 'spacer' bolted/sealed down and THEN the valve cover gasket on top of that.

Hell, after damn near 20 years of this engine, one would think Chrysler engineers could come up with some thing more than a simple "Hell, let's add 2 more bolts. That outta do it" fix for leaks. Ever see the Eddy aluminum head valve cover rails? Nice, straight, flat, and tall.

ALOT of work, but it worked. Only other thing to try is to simple replace the gaskets every other month. Same thing with pesky rear main seals that leave drips on your garage floor/driveway. These engines SUCKED when designed in 1958 [350 GC engine], for oil leaks.

I concur....I am so sick of chasing leaks with my 440.  I now look at the positive side of having a 440 that leaks oil.... my chassis from the engine rearward will never rust 

[MAC]

74 Like you I also used the black permatex on my valve covers, I was using Mopar performance valve covers and could not stop them from leaking (Brand New Set) (waste of money)Out of aggravation I cleaned up my originals, painted them and put em back on the motor , I replaced all the bolts with the threaded studs and nuts in every whole, run a bead of black permatex on the head after cleaning it, set the gasket in place with all the studs in place keeps the gasket aligned better, run another bead of black goo on the valve cover itself and set into place. Hand tightened the nuts, started the motor until it gets hot and tightened them more .....call me LUCKY but the aggravating son of a biscuit eater don't leak, not even on the passengers side  Now the main bearing leaking on the garage floor is under the microscope for my next fix..... 

[ws23rt]

With all this leaking going on one would think we are talking about old school Harley's. I had a auto trans input shaft leak that healed it self before I got around to fixing it. But what appears to be a rear diff. input leak took it's place. So my fix is to watch and check oil level while I wait for it to heal it's self.
I like this kind of repair

[Cooter]

Thing is, with cork, it leaks by design. It's wood. I expect it. I don't even have any luck with the rubber ones either. I just keep replacing them every so often. Good thing it's not a Hemi I guess.

[1974dodgecharger]

74 Like you I also used the black permatex on my valve covers, I was using Mopar performance valve covers and could not stop them from leaking (Brand New Set) (waste of money)Out of aggravation I cleaned up my originals, painted them and put em back on the motor , I replaced all the bolts with the threaded studs and nuts in every whole, run a bead of black permatex on the head after cleaning it, set the gasket in place with all the studs in place keeps the gasket aligned better, run another bead of black goo on the valve cover itself and set into place. Hand tightened the nuts, started the motor until it gets hot and tightened them more .....call me LUCKY but the aggravating son of a biscuit eater don't leak, not even on the passengers side  Now the main bearing leaking on the garage floor is under the microscope for my next fix..... 

I dont know if its a temp fix or a permanent, but only time will tell I guess.  I ran the black stuff on the valve cover grooves and ran a little on the heads so you get a sandwich effect on the gasket itself.  I also seated them like you did hand tighten ran the motor for like 5 mins and then retighten them and they have not leaked.

I did that for my headers also I ran gray permatex on the header side, but none on the heads itself and I dont have exhaust leaks either hopefully its a nice fix.