Valve cover leak has defeated me for 10 years, need help!

[Kern Dog]

NO gaskets?
Which engines were built this way? That would be a strange practice.

[AKcharger]

So far so good, but will take a bit to be sure, it usually is good and starts leaking after about 2 hours of operation.

[John_Kunkel]

NO gaskets?
Which engines were built this way? That would be a strange practice.

I didn't say "engines" in particular, I said "installations". Such things as rear end covers have used only sealant for decades.

[Kern Dog]

The inference was engines since this thread is about valve covers.
I thought that maybe there was some application that I didn't know about. I'm always anxious to learn new things.

[b5blue]

hear or heard? 

[AKcharger]

I did notice the bolts (chrome tie downs) were loose after every run. might need safety wire

[AKcharger]

Ever so slight leak now, but bolts were again loose. This might have been cause all along. interestingly ONLY the pax sides are loose NOT the drivers side??

Anyway, safety wire in place which SHOULD cure it but now battling an EFI issue again so long test drive will have to wait 

[AKcharger]

Oh! Oh! I think I might have it!! Carb is back on and took car for a good 1/2 hour ride today. at stop light on occasion I would get a quick whiff of oil but upon arriving home nothing, even exhaust pipe (where oil would drip) is dry as a bone!

My new theory is this...it IS the heads. When they were made the Chinese miss-drilled the valve cover holes where they were a tad too big and allowed oll the bolts to loose. IKR SHOCKER! a Chinese made part substandard!? 2008 440 source heads

[b5blue]

 

[cdr]

NO gaskets?
Which engines were built this way? That would be a strange practice.

In the late 70's to about the mid 80's EVERY dang small block Chevy used orange silicon in place of valve cover gaskets, & they leaked lol.

[Derwud]

What Cam are you running and have you checked your PCV?

[AKcharger]

Ingle K54 PVC is fine. I'm gonna swap out heads, enough is enough

[b5blue]

  My aluminum Sidewinder heads valve cover bolt holes are a bit shallow. Factory bolts would tighten and were snug but not clamping tightly on my Cal Custom covers. This allowed seeping of oil. Hardware shorter bolts fixed it.   

[AKcharger]

found some 915 castings...

[metallicareload99]

found some 915 castings...

You really gonna put that old junk on? What are you gonna do with the aluminum heads

[AKcharger]

The covers started leaking again as they have since 2009, done, 15 years of dicking with them is enough. the 915's will be fine when I'm done

The aluminum ones...sell them

[b5blue]

Good Luck!! 

[AKcharger]

915s installed and running good, same as aluminum heads. So far so good but their always good for the 1st few hours miles...time will TELL
HOWEVER I understood the 440 source heads were an EXACT copy of 915s...not so. While chambers and quench is the same but the tops are not. Look at photos, on stock heads valve springs are a good 3/8-7/16 from edge of casting but the 440 source it's less than 1/4..AND a deeper rail. So latest theory is the springs, that close to the cover/gasket acted as a little "hydraulic pump" to push out the oil
Hopefully good news!
P.S. I'm starting with dry cork gaskets and go from there

[AKcharger]

Oops .forgot photos