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Old 03-27-2017, 02:38 AM
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marks73ta marks73ta is offline
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Default Super Duty 4 cylinder (1980's) valve cover gaskets.

Anyone raced or are familiar with the '80's Super Duty 4 cylinder? I have a pair of the large SD removable top valve covers on my 406 Pontiac that were modified by welding valve cover spacers to the bottom. With the removable top, I'm wondering if there was a gasket for that top or was it an interference fit to keep it from leaking? These do not seem to fit so well without some kind of gasket. Any help would with finding these gaskets, if they exist, would be greatly appreciated.

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Old 03-27-2017, 09:06 AM
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I guess your making up some!

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Old 03-27-2017, 12:04 PM
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Tom Vaught Tom Vaught is offline
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Speaking of removable top valve covers for the Super Duty 4 Cylinder engine.

I was told in the 80s by one of the Pontiac Engineers that they were looking to copy the Ford Rocker Arm Stud Stabilizer System on the SD-4 engine which was one reason for the removable top cover on that engine. By changing the top you could install a more aggressive camshaft and have the valve cover act like a stud girdle.

See pictures of Ford System and SD-4 engine valve cover.

http://351cleveland.wikifoundry.com/...ain+Stabilizer

My Boss, Lee Morse, (Later head of the Ford NASCAR program) and I put that deal together. He was also the Boss 302 Expert before the NASCAR job.


Tom V.

Always wondered why the CV-juan boys did not incorporate that feature in their rocker arm stud head (as a substitute for the more common shaft systems) very early on in production.
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Old 03-27-2017, 08:58 PM
BruceWilkie BruceWilkie is offline
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Mark, a friend had a set of 2 piece valve covers that used a long o-ring for the upper piece. We couldnt get a replacement so we used a thin bead of sealer and wiped of the tid of excess that squeezed out. Changed rockers a few years later and wasnt too bad to remove old sealer.

Used to make conveying belts to custom length with poly belting and I had rolls of stuff leftover...Managed to use it all or give it away. We welded the belts with our hands and a lighter when we didnt have the proper clamp and heating iron for the job. Either way the weld was smoothed with nail clippers and/or file. Think this stuff would be perfect for what you need.
Think company name was Eagle belting. Stuff comes in various diameters... Our company stocked it in 500 ft rolls and also repackaged the stuff in 30 foot rolls.

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Old 03-27-2017, 10:15 PM
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Hey Bruce. At Nestles we had several intake belts that led into equipment using several flexible round belts that ran at differing speeds to turn product. When they wore out or broke, we used a clamp and melting iron just like you described to replace them and melt them back together. That would probably work great. We also had poly packing that was used as gaskets between plates on depositing equipment. Although the packing was not near as stretchy as he belting. I guess I need to look up at the parts store to see if they have any bulk gasket tubing/o-ringing material that I can use.
If I can extrude a perfect bead of silicone in the receiver step and let it harden/dry and form an o-ring like gasket, that will still allow the cover to be removed. Does any one know what Pontiac did for those? There's a company that still uses the Pontiac SD 4 design for racing but I can't remember who that is. If I can find them maybe they have something if they still use the original designed cover???

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