TheSamba.com :: View topic - Bus is Smokin! gasket sealer on used gaskets?

Fri Dec 05, 2014 8:50 pm

So I went through a tuneup on the old bus and I thought I had done pretty well. Set points, valves, timing,spark plug gaps, oil change etc. I thought she was running pretty well but when I got my destination (about 10 miles away 65mph) I got out of the bus and there was a lot of smoke!

The smoke appeared to be coming from under the bus. The first valve cover gasket I used was a little out of shape and did not seal well. it dumped a bunch of oil on the heater box area. I replaced that right after i noticed it was leaking and had dumped a half cup of oil ( a couple days before this trip) and the leak stopped.

I am wondering if I the smoke is the oil burning off the heater box from the old gasket malfunction or new oil leaking from the valve cover and burning.

I did not use gasket sealer. Can I go back and use it after the gaskets are oily and have been used for a few miles or should I replace them if I plan to use sealer.

There do not appear to be any new oil drips under the bus after taking the long way home.

Any other thoughts on the cause of the smoke?

Fri Dec 05, 2014 9:20 pm

It sounds like the smoke is residual oil that was already on your heater boxes. You should wash the boxes off when it's cold with soapy water or brake cleaner to remove the rest of it.

If you use good cork gaskets, you can install them dry as long as your bails are good. I've never glued valve cover gaskets to the covers and never had leaks as long as I used good cork seals.

Fri Dec 05, 2014 10:59 pm

That's what I'm thinking/hoping. I never glued them either, on my old 65 bus.