Best Rocker Covers, Springs and Gaskets

Hi All.
I’m damned if I cant stop my covers from leaking.
Tried all sorts of ways, with sealer on one side, with sealer on both sides, with grease and without…without sealer, etc.
Added tension to the springs, nice and tight, hard to get off,etc.
Still leaks.
Got to be the covers?
Both are flat and uniform.
Is/can the engine be making too much pressure?
Or do I just need new covers,springs, gaskets?
Cheeeeers.

 

Are they straight/flat? Nice cork gaskets? They shouldn't leak.

 

I'm tempted to replace mine with ones that bolt on.

 

Don't. They'll leak.

 

No idea...but I can't help but feel that it can't be any worse.

 

Forget what engine you've got, but type 1s in decent shape shouldn't leak a drop. Type 4s...have you got the gasket mispositioned?

 

Don’t

 

Have you got them the right way up?

 

Seem to be.
They don’t rock, when I put them on the head, gasketless.

 

Yeah, bolt on heads arnt good.

 

There are bits like this around the head that the covers can bottom out on which prevents them compressing the seal. Particularly with aftermarket heads/covers or both.
You've tried everything else...

 

That's interesting. Perhaps it's why some folks turn the cover the other way up to stop the metal tab hitting the ledge.

 

I’ve found the GSF gaskets the best

I did have some NOS ones once and the GSF ones were the closest to the thickness unlike the JK ones that were a lot thinner

 

When you say leaks - a little drip or leaks a lot?
My take is a little oil leak is not really an issue - a lot of oil then yeah for sure get that remedied
Mine leaks a tiny bit after new gaskets if I do a lot of hills and long continuous drives - like 3-4 hrs such as we did in Europe this year. But a tiny residue from corner not dripping.

 

Think the ones I got from GSF were pukka Elring jobs. Nice'n'chunky.

 

I have a pair of Type 4 alloy bolt on covers surplus from an earlier engine build, if your interested I'll be in the UK in the next few weeks and could post. They look good but they take very careful assembly to avoid leaks and I prefer the simplicity of the standard covers. If you're using cheap JK style gaskets they'll leak whatever cover you use.

 

Thanks Para.
Il take a look.

 

My ally bolt on type 1 don't leak, been on for 5k + miles

 

My ‘leak’ ends up with oil on the moustache bar , where, I’m guessing, it gets blow back.I know oil tracks, but I’m always having to wipe it off of that, and the heat exchangers. There is minimal drop on the dipstick, but I would rather have all the oil staying inside the engine.

 

So if all over the heat exchangers etc and needs a wipe then more than just a drip I expect so yep prob good to sort out - I hate the smell of burnt oil off heat exchangers coming through the vents so when I smell that it’s my prompt to fix it