Leaky Valve Covers... To Vent or not to vent...

[danhay]

Guys, I've tried almost everything to get my valve covers to stop leaking:

-Bolt on covers with rubber seals
-Bolt on covers with cork + permatex aviation on the cover side
-Original style German from Wolfsburg west with bails with rubber seal
-Original style with special silicone gaskets from WW they say to install dry.

They all leak, and the last version blew oil out so hard it was dripping off the rear fenders.

I have searched and read almost all threads in regards to leaky valve covers, and venting them.

I don't want to throw money at this thing but I gotta do something.

One thought I had was to drive it around normal and not romp on it to see if it holds. Perhaps the 6500 pulls are pushing it out?

The only venting I have currently is on the oil fill tube. Vent the valve covers? only one side? Both sides?

2028 all forged
78.8 Scat crank x 90.5 pistons
Dual HPMX 44's big beef manifolds, big valves, Web 86a cam with 1.4 rockers.

Let me also say that besides the leaks, this thing runs strong! I have only the samba and specifically the guys who frequent the performance engine forum to thank for that!

[Lingwendil]

Are you sure it's the valve covers and not the lower four head nuts?
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[slalombuggy]

I don't vent valve covers, I vent the case where the pressure builds. IF you have an electric fuel pump you can vent the pump opening. I also use a larger vent on my filler neck or on street engines , the CB breather tower with no baffles in the base.

But honestly if you are pushing out oil that hard I would do a leak down test and see how well your rings are sealing.

[danhay]

The engine has less than 200 miles on it so maybe the rings haven't seated yet. I can definitely vent it additionally at the former pump location, as I do run an electric fuel pump.

And to answer the other questions, the head studs are dry as well as the pushrod tubes.

[rugblaster]

I would research pan evacuation systems. There are several benefits to be realized. The positive crankcase pressure in the case is the same in the valve covers. (via the pushrod tubes)
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[jpaull]

When a engine is first breaking in, this is always the worst time ever for blow by. make sure its not synthetic oil for break in, and keep romping on it. Add every type of breathing you can on the case as mentioned, and i would vent the passenger side valve cover like i have below. Avoid the typical slip on bung, use a AN bung.

If you have a sump, i would run the oil level slightly under the full mark, like half a quart low. If your over filling it at all, that will add insult to injury.

[Multi69s]

As slalombuggy stated, if you are not running a fuel pump, I would vent from the case. I have always ran the stock mechanical though. For a street engine, I always got by with venting just one valve cover. The only time I had to vent both, was when I had my sand rail. In that case you saw long extended RPMs on a climb. Especial at Devil's Slide in Pismo (for those of you old enough to remember).
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[74 Thing]

How are you currently venting the engine. From the photos in your gallery there is an alum oil filler with a filter on it. Those alum oil fillers use a 1/4" npt screw on barb fitting that have a smaller ID than the stock oil filler with the downdraft tube.

[danhay]

[danhay]

[nextgen]

Did you put the covers, on a perfectly flat surface, like a glass table?? If they are not perfectly flat, that can be your problem
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[danhay]

[madmike]

Increase the Vent to,,,,, as big as u can

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[74 Thing]

I am with Mike.

I would put a new breather on there and make sure it has a decent ID to actually vent your engine.

Did you replace the valve cover bails or bend them so they are tighter?

To seat the rings find an incline and go up wide open throttle in 2nd gear and then decelerate in 2nd gear back down. Do it 2 - 3 times and get it hot and they should seat.

[Lingwendil]

The stock 73/74 style breather has no downdraft tube, and a 19mm breather port, run one of those with a length of decent hose up out of the way, and run it to a catch can with a filter on it. It'll be bigger ID than the take off on the cheap spun aluminum dealies.

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73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!

Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884

Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087!

[74 Thing]

[nextgen]

Ok you now when I got on here things get weird. It has Been working for several years. Crank gases go up into the carb top and the crank oils go back down in the case. It is a 2.0 914 engine, maybe a larger engine could use a larger vent box ??

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[bsairhead]

Sounds like you tried everything but stock.

[Zed999]

I had some heads once where the casting just outside of the cover sealing surface was too high to allow the covers to seat hard enough on the gaskets.

[danhay]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to vent the case at the fuel pump mount and report back. I'll probably weld a bung into the 1-2 valve cover as well eventually.

I'll report my findings.