Turbo is a runner/valve cover leaks!

saburai

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Hi Gang!
Turbo is in and running, everything looks good so far except for the blasted CDR valve cover is leaking! I cleaned the head and cover meticulously and used high temperature permatex on the valve cover side, letting it tack before installing the new Felpro rubber gasket. I installed it on the head, evenly lightly snugged and torqued it in three steps the next day. I can't understand why it's leaking, the cover looked good and I did everything correctly. Do you think that retorquing it is worth a shot? What about pulling it and if the gasket is adhered to the cover, cleaning it and the head and using permatex on the head side as well?
Many thanks!
 

sjwelds

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I know that what it says in IDIoit's tech article, but to me that seems awfully tight. We're talking thin sheet metal covers that can distort really easily if over tightened... which might be what's causing your leak. Just a thought, fwiw.
 

saburai

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I know that what it says in IDIoit's tech article, but to me that seems awfully tight. We're talking thin sheet metal covers that can distort really easily if over tightened... which might be what's causing your leak. Just a thought, fwiw.

You know, now that you mention it, it does seem like quite a bit of clamping force on thin sheet metal. I wish that some of the guy's who've done this on the idi multiple times woud chime in. FWIW, I did read most of, if not all of the valve cover threads before I turned the first wrench...
 

Thewespaul

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Try backing it off till it’s loose and then retighting it with half the torque, if you still got a leak you most likely pinched the gasket and need to replace it
 

saburai

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Thanks Wes!
How do you feel about the 20ft. lbs.?
The more I think about it, we'll it sure does seem like a lot.
My history is more small fast cars, so I didn't really give it much thought, I just used the posted specs which I'm assuming came from Ford. Perhaps the OE gaskets were not as compressible as some of the currently available ones:dunno
 

Dieselcrawler

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Not sure where idiot got them numbers from, but those are 1/4-20 bolts, even standard torque for that size bolt is 7 ft lbs. here's what my book says for valve covers
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saburai

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So it should be approximately 6 ft.lbs.
FML! I retorqued the drivers side as well, hopefully it won't leak, that one looks to be quite a bit more time consuming. I know I'm a FNG here, but how does information that is 300% in excess of the torque make it in to a tech sticky?
 

Thewespaul

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How bad is it leaking? I’d run it if it’s just a seap, if not just replace the gasket
 

icanfixall

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My guess is the gasket has been damaged from over torquing it. Remove it and replace now or forever have a leaker. Be sure to clean with brakeclean so the RTV sticks to both seal serfaces. Make sure the valve cover rail is straight and flat too. you may have dented it with the torque. Make sure the torque spreaders are installed correctly on the covers too. Sometimes they too get distorted from torque.
 

saburai

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How bad is it leaking? I’d run it if it’s just a seap, if not just replace the gasket

It's more than weeping. I've not had it running under load to get the temp past 190* . I'm getting really pressed for time. We were planning to hook up our heavy 30ft. RV and pull it to Florida next week. After I've got it sorted, next stop is to Corey's in PA about three hours away so that he can time it and help with the exhaust system install. Obviously, I've got to push the schedule ahead...
 

saburai

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My guess is the gasket has been damaged from over torquing it. Remove it and replace now or forever have a leaker. Be sure to clean with brakeclean so the RTV sticks to both seal serfaces. Make sure the valve cover rail is straight and flat too. you may have dented it with the torque. Make sure the torque spreaders are installed correctly on the covers too. Sometimes they too get distorted from torque.

Thanks, any suggestions on how to assure that the rail is straight and flat? Eyeball?
Do you think that it's worth a try just retorquing it to the correct torque?
 

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