The Best-laid Plans of Mice and Men.......

[MackTheFinger]

Ken, I was thinking the same thing earlier. Permatex #2 would probably work.

[Sam Buchanan]

2 hours ago, MackTheFinger said:

Ken, I was thinking the same thing earlier. Permatex #2 would probably work.

 

Permatex #2 is my go-to for most jobs, the cork gaskets will get stuck (only) to the valve covers with it.

Edited July 26, 2019 by Sam Buchanan

[Sam Buchanan]

Just to come full circle on this little job, here are some photos. These will be old news for the veterans on the forum but may be helpful for those who have not yet replaced the valve spring cover gaskets.

 

The cork gaskets were secured to the covers with Permatex #2 which is a non-hardening sealant to keep them in place when the covers were reinstalled. I also doped up the fiber washers that came with the gaskets for the bolts that secure the covers. I removed crud on the covers and bolts that might inhibit a tight seal.

 

 

 

 

As a belt-n-suspenders approach I drilled the bolts for safety wire. No, they probably don't need it....but I like it.   

 

An unexpected bonus was finding the overhaul tag, something I had not yet seen since I hadn't previously pulled the inside fender liner. Turns out the engine was OH'ed in 1987 in nearby Huntsville. I suspect the engine is very low mileage since the overhaul because the car was painted and an interior installed prior to the twenty-year period when the family I purchased the car from used it sparingly. I now have good reason to believe the paint and interior date back to '87.

 

Also visible is the fuel pump block-off plate I added when installing the electric pump near the gas tank.

 

Hope this is helpful for those contemplating replacing the cover gaskets.

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by Sam Buchanan

[Plymouthy Adams]

ah, the ole safety wire in play.....

[soth122003]

All right Sam,

Gotta put my 2 cents in as a ye old tyme car mechanic, an A&P licensed mechanic and a living legend in my own mind. That safety wire job looks weak. It sags in the middle and it does not have the proper number of twists per inch. Your lucky my old boss isn't there. He would cut the wire and make you do it over. 

 

Sorry Sam, couldn't resist ragging on it. My Agent Orange acted up and sent me into flash back mode from WW Da Nang. 

 

On another note, I'll be up to Florence to see my Dad next weekend or the weekend after (depends on the weather, I'll be on the Harley) maybe we can do lunch or something.

 

Joe Lee

[Sam Buchanan]

4 hours ago, soth122003 said:

All right Sam,

Gotta put my 2 cents in as a ye old tyme car mechanic, an A&P licensed mechanic and a living legend in my own mind. That safety wire job looks weak. It sags in the middle and it does not have the proper number of twists per inch. Your lucky my old boss isn't there. He would cut the wire and make you do it over. 

 

Sorry Sam, couldn't resist ragging on it. My Agent Orange acted up and sent me into flash back mode from WW Da Nang. 

 

On another note, I'll be up to Florence to see my Dad next weekend or the weekend after (depends on the weather, I'll be on the Harley) maybe we can do lunch or something.

 

Joe Lee

 

I agree, that wire definitely doesn't meet AC 43.13 standards and wouldn't fly on either of my aircraft. But since the wire probably isn't necessary I decided to leave it instead of redoing it properly. Nice catch!