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Author Topic: 78 valve cover gasket help  (Read 1980 times)

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Offline ToniJ1960

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78 valve cover gasket help
« on: October 27, 2014, 06:10:12 PM »


  The block is crudded and gummed up along the seams of the calve cover. I doubt spraying will take it off. No space on the drivers side of coutrse to get hands in there to scrape it off.

 Can I just remove the darn cover and clean it then, and wipe out whatever junk falls inside?

 Also about this cooler line that goes over the top. Someone spliced in a flushing t, but I still think it will have to be disconnected or loosened at the intake or wherever it snakes its way back to on the drivers side.

 Can someone advise me on this? What kind of scraper will I need, should I spray the old gasket before I scrape it etc.\

 Also chiltons doesnt give a torque spec for the bolts :(

Offline 76hotrodpinto

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Re: 78 valve cover gasket help
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2014, 10:34:01 PM »
If you don't have a pressure washer, squirt some oven cleaner on it, avoiding directly spraying on non metallic surfaces. Let it soak for a while and hose her down, put a bag over the distributor and carb. If there's not enough slack on the heater hoses to clear the cover, remove it from the manifold, after draining coolant, or just get messy with it, your choice. After you get it up off the head, vacuum out all the crap that may still fall into the head. For gasket removal, I use razors, brass and stainless wire brushes and rubbing alcohol. I takes patience and technique. Do not scratch and gouge either gasket mating surface, but get it all off. If it ain't metal color, it's not clean. The alcohol is only to de-grease when you have all the surfaces clean. Do it right, or do it again.
1976 half hatch 2.3 turbo w/t5.

Offline dick1172762

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Re: 78 valve cover gasket help
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2014, 01:42:48 PM »
NO-NO-NO  Never us oven cleaner  on an engine while its in the car!!!! The oven cleaner will remove any paint it comes in contact  with. Its good stuff if you can keep it off the painted parts. Best to go to the car wash and clean the  whole motor. Take a roll of toilet paper to dry out the dist after you do the wash. Works for me Tonij! Make sure you get the Felpro one piece gasket as they never leak and are so easy to install that you'll wonder how you got along with out it. Cost more but its the last one you'll ever have to buy. They are blue in color and are some type of soft plastic . Don't let them try to sell you a cork gasket.
Its better to be a has-been, than a never was.

Offline 76hotrodpinto

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Re: 78 valve cover gasket help
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2014, 02:11:50 PM »
I've used the orange based stuff a million times, won't hurt the paint. Not the bake in style stuff. That crap will fume up the cab for years to come.
1976 half hatch 2.3 turbo w/t5.

Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: 78 valve cover gasket help
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2014, 08:28:39 PM »
NO-NO-NO  Never us oven cleaner  on an engine while its in the car!!!! The oven cleaner will remove any paint it comes in contact  with. Its good stuff if you can keep it off the painted parts. Best to go to the car wash and clean the  whole motor. Take a roll of toilet paper to dry out the dist after you do the wash. Works for me Tonij! Make sure you get the Felpro one piece gasket as they never leak and are so easy to install that you'll wonder how you got along with out it. Cost more but its the last one you'll ever have to buy. They are blue in color and are some type of soft plastic . Don't let them try to sell you a cork gasket.
]
 
 I got felpro 50126

Offline amc49

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Re: 78 valve cover gasket help
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2014, 10:06:08 AM »
Whatever you do, if the mating surfaces are not dead brand new spic-and-span clean and dry you will most likely be doing it again, many do.

Offline slowride

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Re: 78 valve cover gasket help
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2014, 11:41:55 AM »
I don't even bother with that cork gasket anymore. This costs a bit more, but never leaks...... VS50043R-1