Hello,



I was reading an article on Y-Blocks the other day and it stated that the rubber grommets for the valve covers were supposed to be installed under the valve cover.



I had never heard this before so I looked in a couple of parts catalogs and sure enough it show them in an exploded view with them being installed first on the stud, followed by the valve cover, washer and nut on the outside.



Do any of you install it this way? How would you know how far down to install it on the stud and leave enough pressure so the gasket sealed.



I can see how it would prevent over tightening and crushing the metal valve cover and maybe sealing better on the inside as opposed to the outside.



Any thoughts??


"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

hi there

a while back there was an article on building a Y-block that appeared in "Street Rodder" and later in "Classic Truck" magazines by Doc Fromader. it detailed how he did it with a bunch of nuts on the valve cover studs to get the grommets sitting at the right height.  i coudn't figure how you got the right squeeze on both the grommet and the valve cover gasket?

stuey

Hi

There is some pic's and info about this on www.egge.com in the tech info about y-blocks, take a look.http://www.webrodder.com/article.php?AID=385&SID=9&CID=15

Nonne

Bernt, South Sweden. 1956 Victoria 2 Door Hardtop

I've done this both ways. With stock covers it does prevent them from pulling down. With aluminum the pull down problem is gone. They do look cleaner with the rubber underneath.

Question, I have never taken a stock Y-Block apart and found any kind of spacer under the covers. I really doubt the factory did it this way. Anyone else?

I think its old hot rodder logic but it does make some sense. Chuck in NH

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I did not believe it would ever be done that way however the parts books show the configuration of being below the covers.



Strange??

Knowing that the OEM's have a "detail oriented" approach to setting up assembly procedures - it isn't beyond reason that there was once a way to establish the assembly height of the washer/grommet.

I also know that (at my old employer) it took a stack of paper you wouldn't believe to get the parts sheets "re-drawn" (in olden times) if they had an error - especially - if it only involved a change of the "picture" (or illustration) and not the parts list.

Since we are all practical men who do this mechanical handwork (mostly) for our own enjoyment - you can imagine the words from the mouths of the dealer mechanics after they had adjusted the valves - and then had to "adjust" the valve covers. Yep, probably not what we would share with the girls out front.......

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

The last engine I built (with Edelbrock valve covers) I assembled it with the seals below the cover and had to adjust the height of the seal using nuts and washers. An absolute pain in the butt. It does keep the covers clean with no seepage from under the seal. It does expose more of the seal to hot oil so may eventually affect the life of the seal but no problems so far - three years. So I would say that it works well with aluminium valve covers.

The factory steel valve covers however do not have a flat surface on the inside edge of the cover and I doubt they would seal as well. The edge is folded to give the seal more surface area to contact the valve cover when installed on the top of the cover.

Though I installed them as per the manual I am of the opinion that it was a misprint of the original drawing, realizing that they were probably drawn by a draftsman with no knowledge of engines.

If they were meant to be under the cover on the valves surely they would have worked out some method to do the same on the valley cover, realizing that the method to hold the valley cover is with a bolt and not a stud.

Just my two cents worth.

Regards

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

apropos of nothing, one of the old timers around here liked my motor, and showed up one day with some familiar looking objects with center holes drilled in them. did you know a Susan B Anthony dollar was the same size as the valve cover grommet washer?



miker

55'bird

32 roadster F code

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

On both my 54 (312) and my 56 TBird (312) I put the seals on the inside. I also heard that they should be this way. My 239 did not have them this way. Both cars have the aluminum TBird covers. When I put the 312 together, I went trial and error in determining the height and it seems to have worked out ok. What I did was take some self locking nuts (the all steel kind, put them backward on the studs and put a flat washer on that. The seal goes on the washer, but I put in it the valve cover first.



The regular nut that holds the stand goes on first.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

If they did it at the factory I would think they would have used a stud with the right depth thread to set the top spacing or a tube spacer to slip over the stud. I think this could be a debate for the ages. Not doubting the validity of information and opinions on this subject. Chuck in NH

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire