The truth about tappett covers

SixOhh

SixOhh

EPA unfriendly
A lot of threads about leaky covers, i know....

Everyone and their mom has a tappet cover available, which is fine, but no one wants to go thru that job just to have a machined cover leak.

I have had customers bring me unbranded or ebay covers just to have them leak and i would like opinions on fit and finish v.s. the prep work people are doing.


I know that when doing this job "in frame" a lot of people do it without pulling the V.P. and some don't. A job like this is like welding = 90% is preparation i.m.o.

For those of you that have done a lot of these, are you seeing poor billet covers fitment from certain brands and are you ALWAYS using RTV gasket maker on top of the seal or are you trusting the aftermarket gasket alone?

thanks for any input.
 
Built mine out of 1/4 plate aluminum I had cut to fit. Located the holes counter sunk the one behind the pump. The rest have flange head bolts with sealing washers, the counter sink has "the right stuff" gasket maker. I layed a stock gasket on the cover and marked it, put a heavy layer of the right stuff gasket maker on it and when installing I loctited the bolts and torqued to spec. All clean now for 10k miles fingers crossed. My valve covers are all vented so I omitted the vents. I personally couldnt justify 250 more or less for a machine cover.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
Right stuff pretty much works the best to seal them. I have more trouble with the vents puking oil because of no baffle.
 
Are the ones with an o ring leaking?
I can't see mine going on for another year or so.
Engine is going to be seized up before i get to it.
 
So what I'm gathering is don't use RTV style gasket maker!


Prep is everything , but I'm glad I asked about the sealant...
 
I just replaced mine and put a 12 valve unit on my truck. I got a Felspar (I think that right) gasket which is thicker than the stock one. I installed it with gasket tack, (can't remember the name)The Felspar gasket is not rubber but neoprene material which should last a lot longer. I should add, that there is no way I could pull of the cover without pulling the injection pump, there was no room to get at the bolt behind the injection pump.
 
Last edited:
Savage Fabrications plate uses a cork gasket an installs with right stuff. My Race engine has a ton of blowby and knock on wood is still dry from the tappet cover. Keatings cover is hard to beat as well
 
Our cover seals with an o-ring but I would never install it without right stuff. It is too big of a job to not use some sealant for peace of mind. Ours is baffled as well to help with oil blowing out but a catch can is still necessary even with the baffled covers for drag racing as you dont want oil vapor building up and dripping.
 
For DD trucks i have preferred a non vented cover and i just address the factory breather setup up top.
 
I like the eBay tappet cover I picked up last year. Probably just going to plug the vents, and vent through the valve covers. Has some nice fat orings. Unfortunately it’s been installed for the better part of a year and the engine hasn’t been run, so no telling if it will leak when my wide/ high tolerance engine comes up on 110psi of boost.

I have to agree with everyone here talking about the tappet cover passing oil, seems like if you’re a semi serious drag racer this is probably the worst possible area to have crank case ventilation. Cummins eventually did away with the tappet cover altogether anyways.

99ec6b701e4b0fabd3f7c794108b18e4.png



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
YOUNG GUNS15 said:
I like the eBay tappet cover I picked up last year. Probably just going to plug the vents, and vent through the valve covers. Has some nice fat orings. Unfortunately it’s been installed for the better part of a year and the engine hasn’t been run, so no telling if it will leak when my wide/ high tolerance engine comes up on 110psi of boost.

I have to agree with everyone here talking about the tappet cover passing oil, seems like if you’re a semi serious drag racer this is probably the worst possible area to have crank case ventilation. Cummins eventually did away with the tappet cover altogether anyways.

99ec6b701e4b0fabd3f7c794108b18e4.png



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Speaking of venting and blowby issues, I went to an evac kit from summit. Just a single bung welded into the hood stack and the baffle in the #1 valve cover. It works absolutely perfect, I don’t understand how it’s not more widely used In diesel as in the gas world. Then I was able to weld up those god forsaken vent holes in the tappet cover.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top