Parts Wanted Wanted: OG VW rocker covers

[Moseley]

Not much more to say from the title, I’m on the quest to find why I keep getting rocker cover leaks, and I’ve exhausted all possibilities I can think of, other than the aftermarket cheapo covers being of a poor quality pressing. Let me know what you’ve got, ideally close to Worcester / Cardiff. Happy to take ones needing a refurb, or ones that already have been.

 

[sparkywig]

I'll have a look through some boxes tomorrow, may have some with bale arms.

 

[sparkywig]

pm’d you James

 

[Graham L]

There's a batch of rocker gaskets out there that always leak regardless of what you do, the elring ones are particularly bad as they've changed the compound and it has less cork in it and under a microscope looks like the moon's surface, we are having to use sealant which we never had to do.

 

[ozziedog]

I’ve got all sorts here as in genuine original ones with bales, I’ve got brand spanking new ones from ten plus years ago inc bales I think etc etc. But I do agree with Graham here completely, in that the gaskets available now aren’t that special, so it’s immaterial which rockers you have if the gaskets are made of corky pooh. A couple of years back I went over to the bolt on covers and even these need a bit of sealant with corky Pooh gaskets. There was quite a scientific thread over on the LateBay about the silicone gaskets and a similar conclusion was reached there. If you had some ancient silicone gaskets you were ninety nine percent sure they wouldn’t leak but ones bought in recent times, not only would they leak but they would swell in certain areas and not in others then leak but also some reported bits in their strainer during oil changes. Eventually I dug a couple of gaskets out of an old set of rocker covers, cleaned them up, then used some sealant and bolted my covers on but not crazy tight and they are pretty tight, I won’t say 100% tight because of engine misting etc but I reckon 99 point 999999 percent. So the ally rocker covers bolted on and cleaned up old gaskets sealed on seems to be the top solution in Ozzziedogggville.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,or don’t put any oil in,,,, perrrfect

 

[garytype2]

I have original covers and old stock of Cork gaskets

 

[Moseley]

Ever since we’ve had our van, I’ve had to use sealant to stop the leaks, and in fairness, that has kept them dry. But the most recent oil change and both are leaving a puddle after being parked up, despite being religiously cleaned and a smear of Hylomar added (as I’ve always done). I’ve never been convinced that the aftermarket covers on there have actually got a decent enough sealing surface, I.e. that they’re perpendicular to the head all the way round the pressing. They don’t rock, and the bails are tight. I figured genuine VW ones would probably be a better quality pressing to test this theory, as it’s difficult to get a flat face in there to properly check.

Interesting points made about the gaskets though - my supply does seem to be a pretty hard material, maybe that is the reason why I’m struggling currently. I’d really like to not be using any sealant as it is a bit of a pig to clean off each time!

 

[67panel]

I have loads of original rocker covers , based in Upton so close to you.

 

[static]

Once upon a time, long long ago, I bought a brand new, Volkswagen de Mexico longblock. It was very shiny. (Announcer: “though it turned out to be complete junk”)

The new valve covers leaked oil. They were warped. Various fancy-ass gaskets from the Volkswagen shop did not help either.

I swapped out my fancy new valve covers for some old, crusty (but genuine) valve covers off of an old Beetle. Problem solved.

Oh, and before blaming the cork gaskets, tighten the bales first.