Valve Cover Gaskets

[Dino L.]

On a base motor 350/300 1970.....What were the factory original valve cover gasket material and design? Who currently sells an accurate reproduction? If anyone has a pic of an NOS set, that would be extremely helpful.

Also what were the correct bolt head and washer styles on those steel covers?

[Edward J.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

Dino, the bolts were hex heads, a common marking on the head was RBW there were rectangle washers under the bolts, there were a few other markings that would also be correct.

The gaskets were a cork/rubber gasket sometimes in the 70's they had a silver coating on them which helped them adhere to the cover and head.
Its are pretty rare to see a set of the coated gaskets, unless you find a nos set. You just buy a set of Fel pro v/c gaskets at any local parts store, just paint the edges orange, because when they painted the engine the orange overspray gets on the edges.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

Doc Rebuild sells a very nice set that doesn't have the extra "one size fits all" holes.

[Larry M.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

Doc Rebuild sells a very nice set that doesn't have the extra "one size fits all" holes.

I agree.

Larry

[Terry M.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

Dino, the bolts were hex heads, a common marking on the head was RBW there were rectangle washers under the bolts, there were a few other markings that would also be correct.

The gaskets were a cork/rubber gasket sometimes in the 70's they had a silver coating on them which helped them adhere to the cover and head.
Its are pretty rare to see a set of the coated gaskets, unless you find a nos set. You just buy a set of Fel pro v/c gaskets at any local parts store, just paint the edges orange, because when they painted the engine the orange overspray gets on the edges.

Ed,
Small block rocker arm gaskets were silver coated? I knew Mark IV were, but silver coated small block RA gaskets are new to me. I keep learning new things from you guys.

[Joe L.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

Ed,
Small block rocker arm gaskets were silver coated? I knew Mark IV were, but silver coated small block RA gaskets are new to me. I keep learning new things from you guys.

Terry-----


If silver coated small block gaskets ever existed from GM, I never saw any.

All the small block gaskets I have seen from GM were rubberized cork with no coating of any kind.

There have been 5 different part numbers for small block rocker arm gaskets used for L1959-77 small blocks over the years. With the exception of the first, I do not know what the differences were:

GM #3770632 (no extra holes for compatibility with pre-L59 heads)

All of the following SERVICE all 55+ heads and are "dual upper holes":

GM #3785640

GM #3816380

GM #3884080

GM #3933964 (remains available from GM to this day)

The gaskets used in PRODUCTION for the L1959-1977 heads did not have the "dual upper holes".

[Dino L.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

Is this the correct washer and bolt?

[Joe L.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

Is this the correct washer and bolt?

Dino------


The retainer (washer) looks correct. I can't see the bolts well enough to say. The bolts on my original owner 1969 small block were trimmed head (i.e. "non-indented"), ungraded (i.e. no radial lines), and with a large "D" headmarking. I expect that other headmarkings were used, too, but I would expect that all would have been otherwise similar to the bolts I described.

[George C.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

I've had these Valve Cover Gaskets sitting in my basement since the late 70's-early 80's. One bag still sealed and gaskets have broken apart. Opened other bag to give you a better look. Hope this helps.

[Joe L.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

I've had these Valve Cover Gaskets sitting in my basement since the late 70's-early 80's. One bag still sealed and gaskets have broken apart. Opened other bag to give you a better look. Hope this helps.

George------


The strange thing is that I cannot find that these GM #14082322 gaskets were ever cataloged for a Corvette, either originally or supercessively.

[Edward J.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

Terry-----


If silver coated small block gaskets ever existed from GM, I never saw any.

All the small block gaskets I have seen from GM were rubberized cork with no coating of any kind.

There have been 5 different part numbers for small block rocker arm gaskets used for L1959-77 small blocks over the years. With the exception of the first, I do not know what the differences were:

GM #3770632 (no extra holes for compatibility with pre-L59 heads)

All of the following SERVICE all 55+ heads and are "dual upper holes":

GM #3785640

GM #3816380

GM #3884080

GM #3933964 (remains available from GM to this day)

The gaskets used in PRODUCTION for the L1959-1977 heads did not have the "dual upper holes".

Joe, I thought I rememebered the gaskets were coated, In the 70's to the late 80,s I worked at at a Chev/Pont. dealership. Maybe I was thinking of the pont. engines having the coated gaskets. I know the Chev. big blocks had them.

[Joe L.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

Joe, I thought I rememebered the gaskets were coated, In the 70's to the late 80,s I worked at at a Chev/Pont. dealership. Maybe I was thinking of the pont. engines having the coated gaskets. I know the Chev. big blocks had them.

Edward-----


Yes, Chevrolet big block gaskets were coated with the silver sealer. I'm pretty sure that Pontiac valve cover gaskets were, too. However, I never saw a small block gasket that was. The GM #3933964 has been the gasket that has been available from GM to SERVICE small blocks since February, 1969 right through this day and I don't recall seeing any of these that were silver-coated.

[Joe L.]

Re: Valve Cover Gaskets

I've had these Valve Cover Gaskets sitting in my basement since the late 70's-early 80's. One bag still sealed and gaskets have broken apart. Opened other bag to give you a better look. Hope this helps.

George-----


I've discovered something about these GM #14082322 gaskets. For one thing, they're still available from GM. For another thing, they lack the "dual hole" upper side configuration which makes the 3933964 gaskets applicable to both 1955-E59 as well as L1959-77. Plus, they cost about 3 times as much as the 3933964.