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MountainKeep Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018 Posts: 124 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 7:48 am Post subject: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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Has anyone had any luck re-bending a loose fitting valve cover bail? Bend it cold? Bend it hot? Re-heat treat afterwards?
Thanks,
Layne _________________ White 71 Campmobile known lovingly as "the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo." |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12688 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:11 am Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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How bent are we talking? Small corrections for fit can usually be done by hand or with pliers. To be honest I usually just press them into whatever pavement I'm working on and move on to the next task at hand.
See you on the road,
Robbie _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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MountainKeep Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018 Posts: 124 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:20 am Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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Just a small adjustment would suffice I think. It is just too easy to get on and off compared to the other one.. and I have had leak issues on that side from the gasket bending/sliding upwards at the bottom after a while. A weak bail seemed to me to be the most parsimonious explanation. _________________ White 71 Campmobile known lovingly as "the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo." |
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aeromech Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006 Posts: 16926 Location: San Diego, California
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 10:58 am Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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If your bales aren't made by VW then I'd replace them. If they are I'd say a slight bend won't hurt. If you decide to buy original bales, I have someone I can recommend. _________________ Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50261
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:09 am Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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If they are a rusty mess I would be looking at replacing them. |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12688 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:11 am Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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MountainKeep wrote: |
Just a small adjustment would suffice I think. It is just too easy to get on and off compared to the other one.. and I have had leak issues on that side from the gasket bending/sliding upwards at the bottom after a while. A weak bail seemed to me to be the most parsimonious explanation. |
I don't think there's such a thing as a bale that's too tight, so go for the bend.
If your gaskets are getting sucked inward, you can adhere the gasket to the cover with shellac. I use this stuff, buy it locally for half price…
https://www.amazon.com/Versachem-Gasket-Shellac-bottle-52000/dp/B0002JN5GK
Once you've followed ALL the directions on the bottle, (apply thin even coats to BOTH surfaces, wait a few minutes, assemble tightly,) run a THIN and even smear of grease around the head-side of the cork. This prevents the gasket from sticking, and keeps it hydrated, which is how I have three laps around planet earth on my RS valve cover gasket.
Robbie _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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SGKent Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007 Posts: 41031 Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:15 am Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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often the leak on a valve cover comes because it is tweaked. Take the gasket off and set it on the head. See if it rocks. If it does use your hands to straighten it until it doesn't rock. You can grab the bale in each hand and bend it towards the center on the line it attaches to get a little more tension. All the tension in the world won't stop a leak if the cover is tweaked. Also make sure the cover gaskets you are using are still pliable. If they have hardened to like a rock they won't seal well. _________________ “Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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ImAddicted Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2012 Posts: 1195 Location: Unorganized Territory, Maine
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:38 am Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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MountainKeep wrote: |
most parsimonious explanation. |
You win...
_________________ 1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR
strfish7 wrote: |
Original condition, which means something different on this forum than anywhere else! |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22568 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:04 pm Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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There’s a guy Gareth in the U.K. who makes good Bales
+1000 points for using parsimonious in Fora _________________ .ssS! |
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SGKent Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007 Posts: 41031 Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:36 pm Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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Abscate wrote: |
There’s a guy Gareth in the U.K. who makes good Bales
+1000 points for using parsimonious in Fora |
Fora as in áit chruinnithe ? _________________ “Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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MountainKeep Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018 Posts: 124 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:51 pm Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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Thanks for the info and links everyone. I believe the bale to be original VW and not rusty, so I will try and bend it back a tiny bit and give it another try. It just obviously needs to be tighter than it is... 49 years of valve adjustments I suppose.
I tend to believe the cover is straight, because it won't leak for some time after new cork seals... then start leaking suddenly... I would think if it the cover were warped it would leak right off the bat... but I will check it when I have it off next.
And "I'mAddicted"... Occam's Razor is the only kind of razor I ever use! _________________ White 71 Campmobile known lovingly as "the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo." |
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SGKent Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007 Posts: 41031 Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:22 pm Post subject: Re: Can a loose bail be rebent? |
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MountainKeep wrote: |
Thanks for the info and links everyone. I believe the bale to be original VW and not rusty, so I will try and bend it back a tiny bit and give it another try. It just obviously needs to be tighter than it is... 49 years of valve adjustments I suppose.
I tend to believe the cover is straight, because it won't leak for some time after new cork seals... then start leaking suddenly... I would think if it the cover were warped it would leak right off the bat... but I will check it when I have it off next.
And "I'mAddicted"... Occam's Razor is the only kind of razor I ever use! |
Until you check it with the gasket off you won't know if it is tweaked. The newer gaskets are thinner and less pliable. If the cover sticks when you are pulling it off, it will twist the cover a tiny bit, and the bale will not pull the corners in evenly. _________________ “Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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