Project 6
Valve Cover Replacement
Applicable Years: C1, C2, C3
Skill Level: 1 Wrench
Tools Required: Sockets and ratchet, razor scraper, gasket sealant
Time Required: 1-2 hours
Parts Source: Paragon Reproductions
If ever a pair of valve covers...
If ever a pair of valve covers needed to replaced, these were indeed the pair.
A 7/16-inch socket does the...
A 7/16-inch socket does the trick for removing the seven bolts that hold the valve covers on each side of the engine. There are three on the top and four on the bottom of the cover. These valve cover reinforcements are not correct, and they'll also be replaced.
With all seven bolts out,...
With all seven bolts out, you should be able to lift the cover off easily, although you may have to pry the edges gently with a screwdriver if they're really sealed on. When you get them off, here's what you'll see. Well, OK, maybe not high-performance roller rockers like these, but it will look similar.
The aftermarket chrome valve covers on my '67 big-block looked nice when they were shiny and new, but that was a long, long time ago, and moisture and age have taken their toll. As part of my overall scheme for revitalizing the engine bay on the old warhorse, I sandblasted and refinished the original OEM valve covers (covered in a separate stand-alone article in another issue of CF), and now it was time to install them. A gasket set was procured from Paragon, along with the appropriate grommets and a new, correct black oil filler cap. This is not a difficult project and well worth the hour or two it will take you. These same procedures apply even if you just want to take your old covers off, clean them up, and give them a new coat of paint.
Use a razor scraper to remove...
Use a razor scraper to remove all remaining gasket debris from the edges of the head all the way around. It's important to get all this stuff off so there's a nice clean surface for the gasket to seal against.
Use a canned dust remover...
Use a canned dust remover or your compressor with a blower nozzle to blow away any cork/gasket debris that fell into the rocker box.
Here are the old and the new,...
Here are the old and the new, illustrating why this project was needed and undertaken. The chrome oil filler cap also wasn't correct. New grommets were ordered from Paragon, although the old ones were probably still serviceable.
So that should keep you busy for at least a few weekends. Keep watching Corvette Fever for more Corvette weekend projects!CF
A thin bead of Permatex gets...
A thin bead of Permatex gets applied to the inside of the valve cover to hold the new gasket in place, then a thin bead is applied to the perimeter of the cylinder head to ensure a nice, leak-free seal. The valve cover is then set in place and secured with the seven bolts removed earlier with cover reinforcements (the correct triangular ones this time, however).
And here's the finished installation...
And here's the finished installation after swapping the plastic wire guides from the old covers. A new air filter and air filter cap with correct decals from Zip Products added a sparkling finishing touch.