redidrum

Sorry to bring up the Leaking 911 valve covers again, but, I was wondering what the conclusion was for us to stop the leaking? I read earlier to change to the later model Turbo Covers and I read an old thread where IA Stephen and Randy Webb had gone around the block on this issue. One guy had used the IA covers with no leaks...

Sanding Flat? New Ones? Pelican Covers? IA Covers?

What really works ???

Thanks,

Ron

911 Rod

Are there not Turbo gaskets as well?
I adjusted my valves 2 years ago and used regular gaskets with my old Turbo covers and no leaks before and after.
Maybe something is not true?

BER

First, make sure you have clean mating surfaces on both the head and the cover. Next, lay the cover (mating side down) on a known flat surface...does it lay flat?

Make sure you have new nyloc nuts on the valve cover studs and they are not over-torqued (I use very light torque on mine). Also make sure you a have a quality gasket and it is not ripped.

What are "IA covers"?

Noel

I did what BER suggested by laying my clean valve covers on my glass coffee table and sure enough, they were warped. They were even the turbo ones. I used sand paper taped to my smooth garage floor to plane them smooth and rechecked on the coffee table. Once they were flat, I reinstalled and they haven't leaked since.

BTW, I also cleaned the engine side surface.

Good luck.

redidrum

Thanks Guys. I'm not willing to pay $300 or $500 for valve covers. Tearing into the job next year... in 2 weeks. the IA Covers look very nice. One of the guys here was discussing earlier their valve covers http://www.imagineauto.com/index2.htm I think I can easily plane mine straight. Only the l/h side leaks. Where is the best place for nylon washers and gaskets?

r911

Pelican is a good place - you might save a few pennies somewhere else.

Use a thick piece of glass and coarse sandpaper to surface the covers. Get all the grit out!

It will be less work on the 2nd oil change.

redidrum

Thanks Guys. I have the entire kit from http://www.overnightautoparts.com/ They have the entire kit with washers, nuts, and all.

KC911

As others have stated, sand the covers flat (if they aren't), and make sure you don't overtighten the nuts. I used silicon gaskets (but I'm not sure that is critical). When tightening the nuts, start with one in the middle and work your way out (diagonally) to each end tightening them to 4 ft/lbs each, then go back and retorque them to 6-7 ft/lbs (using the same diagonal pattern from the middle to the outer nuts). Hope this helps...

Keith
'88 CE coupe

redidrum

Thanks Keith. I understand the cross torqueing. I'll torque lightly and retorque.

art

Are you sure it is the valve covers? It could be the rocker shafts if you do not have the seals installed. I don't know when if ever the factory put these seals in on normal engines, but you can buy them cheap and put them in at least near where the leaks are.

Like all good things they are a pain to put in, and you need to be very careful about reinstalling the shafts so that they do not move.

MRFLATSIX

I just installed a set of I A covers on my '70e. It's too early to tell, but I don't have any leaks yet. These are nice heavy machined aluminum pieces with 964 gaskets. I torqued them to about 8 lbs. I did have turbo covers with Weltmeister silicone gaskets and they still leaked. I've got my fingers crossed now.

Tmack

I have the IA covers and it stopped my leaks. Think of it this way. Multiply your time for sanding the old covers, cleaning, reinstalling and you are probably close to the 300.00. In my case I had the turbo covers that were perfect and it still leaked because the heads were not straight. the IAs did the trick. Just my 2cents.

Bob Westmoreland

Sand flat has worked on several engines I have owned. A hard flat surface such as a metal work bench works well. Use emory paper and start with 200 grit, when all of the surface shines clean change to 500 grit. Use turbo covers for the exhaust and stock covers for the intake. Bruce Anderson recommends 15 to 18 pounds of torque. (latest issue of Excellence and at his engine rebuild class). Use new nylocks and new crush washers. There are after market crush washers which are too soft. Purchase the washers and gaskets through a legitimate Porsche parts supplier such as EBS. If there are nicks or scratches in the covers that cannot be sanded out you can put a bead of two part epoxy on the nick or scratch. let it cure overnight and then sand down even with the surface of the cover. Clean the cover and the surface of the cam carrier with Carb Cleaner. Use new gasket, new crush washers and torque to 15-18 lbs in a cross pattern. Don't cheat and give and extra twist. I use 15lbs.
There is an old saying. "If a 911 doesn't leak it doesn't have any oil in it."

KCPSG

if for no other reason I would buy the silicone gaskets so you wouldn't have to change them every valve adjust, and they supposedly work wonders at stopping leaks for those that have minor uneveness in their covers to head mating surface. I have not had any valve cover oil leaks before but I would reccomend them for a possible quick $45 fix.

redtdi96

this worked for me after buyinh new covers and numerious gaskets

new turbo covers did not help << NG

heavy gasket (yes):
http://www.automotion.com/ProductPag...askets&type=20

teflon thread sealer on the valve cover studs (yes).

Now if could get rid of my very minor other leaks!