[TnVolsRockyTop]

I have a straight 6 and I have changed the valve cover 4 times to try to stop it from leaking but no luck. Does anyone have any ideas? Thinking of buying an aluminum valve cover but i have to tap the head.

[RoscoeJ]

You have a leaking valve cover , what type of gasket are you using? Are you using rtv, or a sealant, on one or both sides? Do you have a (bridge )or 2 nuts on top of you valve cover?
Do you have the "factory" funny nuts that hold down the cover? hahahahha " Funny nuts"?

[danattherock]

I had read somewhere the other day that Clifford makes a nice valve cover for the 258. May look into that myself. Just passing on what I recently read. No first hand experience, but something you might look further into.

[1982cj8]

Don't use gaskets, use RTV, the engine sealant from Chrysler works best, clean both surfaces very well, with brake clean or acetone. Put a good size bead on the cover and bolt it down, let it sit overnight. Mine has been leak free for 8 years after doing it this way.

[Oily]

Originally Posted by danattherock

I had read somewhere the other day that Clifford makes a nice valve cover for the 258.

It is made of gold. A little over two hundred bucks. My name just happens to be Clifford so I had to have one, . They can be found used sometimes. Also note that if you might want to do a 4.0 motor/head swap in the future, the valve cover is different (if I am not mistaken). A Clifford valve cover requires a Clifford gasket as per Clifford mfg but, I had problems with mine. I went Fel-Pro cork instead of waiting for shipping (not sure how pricey it would have been but it is a specialty gasket). I only had to trim it slightly and it has worked fine.

Originally Posted by 1982cj8

Don't use gaskets, use RTV, the engine sealant from Chrysler works best, clean both surfaces very well, with brake clean or acetone. Put a good size bead on the cover and bolt it down, let it sit overnight. Mine has been leak free for 8 years after doing it this way.

I used RTV to glue mine to the cover and let it cure. I have removed and reinstalled it four or five times with the same gasket. No leaks. Seems as though your method would adhere it to the head also. I fear scraping old gaskets or sealants from the head as debris can get down in oil passages.

[JoonHoss]

don't waste any more time or money- tapping the head is nothing to be afraid of, and a good aluminum valve cover can be had for well under $100 shipped to your door. there are VERY good write-ups and tips to be found here on JF, as many many of us have done the swap and had good results

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/new-valve-cover-installled-394824/

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/new-valve-cover-install-follow-up-400239/

Hoss

[BioTex]

Check to see if the cover is warped.

[SuB8HaVeN]

I'm actually of the opposite. When I use cork gaskets I do not use ANY RTV at all, and have no problems. Overtightening the bolts will pinch the cork gasket and make them leak really bad. A lot of people don't realize that with cork gaskets you can't tighten it too much. Most of the time people will see it leaking and tighten the crap out of the bolts, therefore making it leak 10X as bad...

[mjfitz99]

Originally Posted by SuB8HaVeN

I'm actually of the opposite. When I use cork gaskets I do not use ANY RTV at all, and have no problems. Overtightening the bolts will pinch the cork gasket and make them leak really bad. A lot of people don't realize that with cork gaskets you can't tighten it too much. Most of the time people will see it leaking and tighten the crap out of the bolts, therefore making it leak 10X as bad...

x2 on this!

I replaced the plastic valve cover with an aluminum one as well. It looks much better and tapping the head is not a big deal. Make sure that you have a bottom tap. I went to Lowe's and bought a regular tap and made my own bottom tap. Also, don't tap to deep or else you'll hit the water jacket.

[wm69]

The "4.2" logoed cover is the same as the "Jeep" logoed cover, which is just as good as the Clifford head cover. I have one of each and none of them leak.
The directions say to drill the two holes on the driver's side of the engine, then tap the holes. I didn't drill on mine, just went and bought shorter bolts. Tapping the holes is about as hard as screwing a rusty bolt down into a hole. Turn clockwise, back off, oil, turn clockwise, back off, oil, repeat.
Not a hard job, and well worth it. The plastic valve covers just suck. The one on our Scrambler leaked the day we drove it off the lot when it was brand new.

[jcal73]

I have both the clifford and the 4.2 logo cover. The 4.2 cover is better in my opinion.

Jeff

[Mike Romain]

The big trick is to have them super clean. I also have only the two top rocker nuts holding on my plastic cover and was leak free for 8 years. I coat both sides of a cork gasket with a skim of RTV and then set it in place 'immediately' like the RTV directions say, then wait the 24 hours the directions call for to cure it before going near it, That works,

On this one I did a couple days ago, I had to use a gasket maker glue instead of RTV because it is -20 out and even with my 25,000 BTU heater I can't get the snow to melt inside my tent over the Jeep in the driveway so used somenthing that says it can handle the extreme cold and hopefully set...

[careyfl]

My aluminum cover directions said to drill and tap all but the two end 1/4-20s to 5/16-18. I did'nt I used the existing 1/4-20s with pan head ss bolts. The heads are wider than the allen head bolts. The two on the drivers side are 5/16-18. Use a good torqe wrench 50inch/pounds I beleave it was. After an hour or so go over them again and again.