Valve cover torque?

[V8fleetside]

I have put the valve covers back in place but now they are leaking and I found in a book (later) that the torgue settings for valve covers should be 3ft-lbs and I think that is something about 4 Nmeters.
Is it true that it should be so little torgue settings for valve covers?
I have probably tightening them too much, or?

[Robyn]

Hello

Well lets look at the whole process. The valve covers on these engine are nothing to write home to mother about. They can and do warp easily if over tightened.

With the covers off you need to make sure that the sealing surfaces are flat and that there are no bulges where the bolts come through. ( this happens if they are over tightened)

Straighten as needed on a flat hard surface such as a heavy piece of steel and use a small hammer to do the deed. (Place cover upside down and gently tap the bulges back)

GM used a high temp Black silicone to assemble these engines.

You can uses a composite rubber/cork gasket but the goooooo is the better choice.

The secret is to be sure the surfaces are absolutely oil free before you apply the sealant. (Use a product like brake kleen or some other very good non oil based solvent)
Use plenty of the gooo so it will mush down well and form a nice seal between the cover and the head.

If you use a short 1/4" drive ratchet and snug the bolts down all around you should be fine.
Too much torque just warps the cover and will not make them seal any beter. (If you dont get wild with the little wrench you will be fine)

If you decide to use a gasket, glue it to the cover with a good contact cement and let set for a while before installing. Apply a coating of the silicone goo to the gasket surface where it will meet the head and then install.
Again "clean" is the magic word here. If there is oil on the surface of the heads it wont seal good.
With a gasket its even more important to not get wild with the bolt torque.

Good luck

Robyn

[More Power]

Rocker arm cover bolts: 13-25 ft/lbs.

I perfer to not torque them down fully till the silicone has cured some(i.e. lay the covers down over a bead of wet silicone, start the cover bolts and tighten them just a little more than finger tight, then finish torque them the next morning) .

Jim