I have been fighting this for a long time, tried all sorts of seals to get the valve covers to seal. Covers are Edelbrock elites.

I hate the damn drip at the rear outward corner.

Is there a good solution ?

 

YES...I would either use thicker gaskets...if these valve covers are stamped steel and weak. I use both factory thickness and thicker ones...it all depends. I get them bonded to the valve cover with RTV....making sure that the layer at the bottom where I am bonding the gasket to the valve cover is thick enough to work...but not so thick that the RTV oozes out all over the place and makes a mess. I go ALL the way around the valve cover with the RTV. When I am done bonding the gasket to the cover...and the gasket can not move. I then make sure the head surface for these gaskets to seal against the head are CLEAN and dry....I apply a thin layer of RTV on the gasket...all the way around and install the valve cover...put the bolts in and just SNUG it. I let that dry...then torque them to the 80 lbs/in.

On some heads due to the surface that the gaskets seals against...NOT being machined flat like newer style heads are done......I do not use the Fel-Pro new style of gaskets that use NO sealer. I do not like the rubber valve cover gaskets also....I prefer the cork. AND these gaskets are for the style of valve cover that have the bolt holes at the top and bottom...And NOT in the middle ..for an aluminum headed Tuned Port engine or an LT-1/LT-4.

I do not have any issues with the valve covers leaking. I am not concerned about trying to put the valve cover gaskets on so I can remove it without damaging the gasket. I am more concerned about oil leaking out.

DUB

 

Make sure the mating surfaces are mating correctly. Take some modeling clay, or Play-Do, and roll it up fairly thin. Put this on the mating surface, and tighten down a valve cover, no gasket. When you remove the valve cover, you should be able to tell if there are any thick spots in the clay where the surfaces may be warped or whatnot.

Scott

 

One of the biggest things is to make sure that you are not over tightening the screws equal pressure is a must. I use the Fel-Pro gaskets and use valve cover hold down tabs to help spread out the load more evenly across the flange of the valve covers. Keep in mind that you want to make sure all surfaces are clean on the covers and the heads before marring them together.
Good Luck

 

These are the valve covers in question:

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/...vc-elite.shtml

They are cast aluminum, with a fairly beefy mating surface flange. You could torque them down pretty snug without any distortion. I don't think the tabs would do much on these, although they work great on stamped valve covers.

Scott

 

Buy the fle pro steel core gaskets with the anti torque rings. The work for me and my cheap valve covers, plus their reusable.

 

Also, to prevent the gaskets from shifting you might consider glueing them to the cover using a thin layer of gasket maker (permatex or such).

 

I've used blue RTV on them before but after some time same results.

Heads are Dart Pro 1's.

I do however also use spring oilers

 

You could also glue them to the head.

 

That may be because blue RTV sucks. Try black or grey. Or maybe something like High-Tack.

Scott

 

For valve covers I like "The Right Stuff". Boy it sure is a pain in the *** to get that stuff off, but it seals like no other.

 

I all ways use the permatext non hardening gastet maker .it doesnt leak when oil gets on it like the silicone