# Valve cover and gasket
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272
**Category:** PittSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [February 11, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272 "2005-02-11T23:04:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sight\_N\_Sound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sight_N_Sound)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/1 "2005-02-11T23:04:58Z")
I’m going to be pulling my valve cover and send it down to chuck to get polished.
My question is should I just buy a new OEM gasket or is there a better one I sould get to try and help againts gasket breakdown and leaks. Also from my understanding when you do a head gasket you have to use new bolts, is this the same with a valve cover? or do you just use the originals? I never had to replace one before and it seems pretty strait forward. I just want to see if there are any little detalis I don’t know about.
Oh and my current one is starting to leak some thats why I asked about a better one, or a better brand to use.
Any info or suggestions would be appricieated.
No ricer remarks or BS comments please. I’m getting sick of seeing them in threads asking for help.
Thanks
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### Author:  [@BlackZ28](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BlackZ28)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/2 "2005-02-11T23:36:13Z")
you can use the same bolts for the valve cover. the head bolts in stock form are torque to yield and can only be torqued once.
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### Author:  [@Sight\_N\_Sound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sight_N_Sound)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/3 "2005-02-11T23:44:33Z")
So do I just tighten the bolts down as much as I can or torque them to spec. I hate valve covers because of them leaking, I know when Brian was doing my exhaust we were talking about the slight leake and I believe he suguested I just try to tighten down the cover some more. Yet at the same time I know there are tourqe specs, so thats why I ask.
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### Author:  [@whitey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/whitey)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/4 "2005-02-11T23:57:16Z")
i know on my jetta it was like a rubber gasket. I never replaced it and it never leaked.
I just tightened it down, never had a problem
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### Author:  [@Sight\_N\_Sound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sight_N_Sound)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/5 "2005-02-12T00:06:13Z")
> [@whitey](#):
>
> i know on my jetta it was like a rubber gasket. I never replaced it and it never leaked.
>
> I just tightened it down, never had a problem
so you are saying I should just tighten them sumsofbitches down and not worry about using a tq wrench…
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### Author:  [@Pewter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Pewter)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/6 "2005-02-12T03:17:31Z")
if gasket is rubber reuse,just snug the bolts or 18 INCHPOUNDS!
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### Author:  [@Sight\_N\_Sound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sight_N_Sound)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/7 "2005-02-12T03:23:17Z")
> [@PewterSS](#):
>
> if gasket is rubber reuse,just snug the bolts or 18 INCHPOUNDS!
ok is the gasket isn;t reusable, any brands you recommend for a GM?
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### Author:  [@Pewter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Pewter)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 3:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/8 "2005-02-12T03:30:17Z")
> [@Sight N Sound](#):
>
> ok is the gasket isn;t reusable, any brands you recommend for a GM?
is it rubber?
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### Author:  [@Jeff95TA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jeff95TA)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/9 "2005-02-12T04:33:11Z")
Use a torque wrench!
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### Author:  [@Sight\_N\_Sound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sight_N_Sound)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 5:08am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/10 "2005-02-12T05:08:09Z")
> [@PewterSS](#):
>
> is it rubber?
On my car I don’t think so.
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### Author:  [@Pewter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Pewter)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/11 "2005-02-12T05:35:20Z")
i think it is,which means u can reuse!
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### Author:  [@German\_with\_a\_Bowtie](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/German_with_a_Bowtie)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/12 "2005-02-12T06:32:11Z")
> [@PewterSS](#):
>
> i think it is,which means u can reuse!
I would recommend reusing the factory rubber gaskets too.
I believe Shag might have some suggestions reusing rubbers, but I wouldn’t subscribe to that advice! :ugh: :ugh: :ugh:
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### Author:  [@Sight\_N\_Sound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sight_N_Sound)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 8:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/13 "2005-02-12T08:31:20Z")
> [@PewterSS](#):
>
> i think it is,which means u can reuse!
oh ok cool, there isn;t any kit of gasket sealant like whne you do thermostat or anything I have to use is there?
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### Author:  [@Pewter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Pewter)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 10:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/14 "2005-02-12T10:06:29Z")
> [@Sight N Sound](#):
>
> oh ok cool, there isn;t any kit of gasket sealant like whne you do thermostat or anything I have to use is there?
not ifr its rubber!
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### Author:  [@customandsound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/customandsound)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/15 "2005-02-12T21:13:16Z")
you reinstall it with new gasket advance auto and 12 inchpounds of torque ( a good snug turn with a 10mm socket) simple… no need to bust out a toque wrech on a valve cover
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### Author:  [@Stroker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Stroker)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/16 "2005-02-13T01:06:35Z")
1/4 air ratchet\>
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### Author:  [@customandsound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/customandsound)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2005, 1:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/17 "2005-02-13T01:25:54Z")
> [@Stroker](#):
>
> 1/4 air ratchet\>
did you ever try to remove a broken bolt sheared off in a aluminum head ? that there is not a smart thing to use … hell it is not a case harden bolt
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### Author:  [@Sight\_N\_Sound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sight_N_Sound)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2005, 1:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/18 "2005-02-17T13:54:56Z")
Welp I got it in and the oil leak cleaned up. Thanks to Chuck (custom and sound) for the polishing work, and thansk to Brian (pewterss) for the couple questions I called him on (there was just a lot of oil and it cleaned up 🙂 ).
The picture doesn;t do it justice, and I can;t find my meatal polish other wise I would have cleaned the intake and the cover…
\*\*\*\*\*\*Edit - the uploader isn;t working so I will have to wait to post the picture up. I keep getting a fatal error when I try to use the uploader and the Uploader in the “manage attachments” :dunno:
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### Author:  [@Sight\_N\_Sound](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sight_N_Sound)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/19 "2005-02-23T20:09:48Z")
Now that the uploader is back here is the valve cover Custome and sound did for me. Next the altenator will probably be getting done. I will be replacing the hoses to once the weather warms up…
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### Author:  [@Converted2LSX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Converted2LSX)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/valve-cover-and-gasket/172272/20 "2005-02-23T20:28:56Z")
thats better
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