What do you recommend for a good valve cover gasket

[nextgen]

Is Cork still the best as long has you don't store it to long or get a cheap sent that don't fit correctly

Or is there a new material ..

Use adhesive or not and if you do, both sides of the cork or only one.

Did the valve adjustment and that was fine.

Old gaskets lasted for a long time no problem

New gaskets and both sides leaked.
Put in another set and only one side leaked.

They are for my T-4 bug.
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[modok]

The good gaskets are really more like rubber with cork.

the purpose of the cork being to make it more flexible and grippy.
But anyway the quality of the rubber is what matters, cork is cork more or less.

Works with tires too.

[bsairhead]

Type 1 guy here but my 2 cents are that thickness and bail strength have a lot to do with it.

[jbbugs]

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=780188&highlight=cover+gasket
I’m Still having the same issue. I am convinced that the manufacturers have done something different to them.
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[Glenn]

Cork, I use Permatex aviation to the valve cover only, stock valve cover and bail.

Never a problem.
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[richparker]

I’ve been using the blue striped Fel-Pro from Autozone on my T1 engines. Like Glenn I use Permatex aviation to the valve cover only, stock valve cover and bail. These have been working great for me.

https://www.autozone.com/external-engine/valve-cov...er+gaskets
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[Bryan67]

I`ve used the silicone gaskets from Wolfsburg West with good results.
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[Cusser]

I've used only the cork gaskets on my two VWs, since 1972 and 1976 respectively, and have had zero leak issues. I've also been known to re-use such gaskets.

I have factory/vintage unpainted/patina covers and bails on both.

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[raygreenwood]

[nextgen]

Funny my dad once said misery like company. Man I got alot of that on this post. I feel so much better, ha.


I was thought it was only me, to a point were I was thinkiing maybe I put the covers on Reversed !!

OK so use stock cork with Permatex which I did use, on both sides of the cork.

As mentioned they are T-4 covers.

BTW having a hard time trying to remove the double sided Permatex cork.

RAY your are a T-4 guy were are you. T-1 vs T-4 should not be any difference except the T-4 has larger covers.

Thanks again,
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[nextgen]

Oh as for the Permatex, how much do you use? Just a light bit in a few places as a few guys said just to hold the gasket in place or do you do the entire surface?
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[gt1953]

I use the cork gaskets and soak the in water for a while as they swell up..then a thin coat of grease on the cover and on teh cork gasket...works every time.
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[nextgen]

Wow, that is a new one for me. DO you wait till it is dry before using the grease????

Sounds good.

Thanks
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[gt1953]

Like i say i soak them in water and just pat them dry with a paper towel. Thin coat of grease..as someone mentioned it is about the suggness of the bails.
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Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[nextgen]

For sure the Bails hold it together.
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[Who.Me?]

[Glenn]

[Zed999]

Just a smear of grease both sides for me and they don't leak (type-4). I've been doing that for25 years or more.
But... to bump up to free post minimums I had a habit of buying these gaskets (saves thinking) and ended up with quite a lot of them so it's at least 10 years since I bought any. I still have half a dozen sets so I'm good for a while yet. Perhaps as Ray proffers, they aren't the same these days.

The other thing is I don't check my valve gaps every service. New engine I did the first few services but they never changed so I'm happy to check every third time or if I felt the engine wasn't running smoothly and couldn't find a fuel related problem I'd check them.

[Cusser]

[nextgen]

Glenn you hit it on the head.
( Just around the entire rim, enough to hold it in place).

From what I am getting from this post and from from some real old ones on this N.G.

It really is keeping the gasket in position especialy when installing it. If the cover was glass, we would be able to see if the gasket moved while we installed it.

One guy on youtube just does on dot of sealent on each corner and the middle of each side and back and front. Total 8 dots and he holds them in place till they dry a cloth pin.

His story was if you do it all around it is hard to clean it off the cover next time he did his valves.
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