[grivera]

One thing to remember with all this is when installing aftermarket parts like the Tomawhawk valley pan and/or an aftermarket intake, make sure you dry fit the parts first and clearance areas as needed. The flange on these pans often interfere with the aluminum intakes and prevent good port alignment or bolt holes from lining up. It would suck to “glue-in” the pan and have to remove it to clearance it.

[Jay S]

For me using RTV on the valley tray or valve covers always resulted in bad tendencies for extra to get sucked into the oil pump pickup. The Right Stuff does much better and has a much higher modulus of elasticity for those things, stretch’s without leaking and bonds to itself, keeping extra that squishes out up were it was used to seal. I prefer to use it on aluminum valley covers, it seems to be much more resilient for leak prone areas. However, on a stock valley tray my favorite method is a cork gasket glued to the valley pan with Indian head shellac gasket compound. It was obviously meant to use on Pontiacs.

[grivera]

Originally Posted by rolling money pits

Would the “valve cover gasket” method work/apply in this instance? ?

I always use RTV in the areas where the block, heads and pan meet, so the removal isn’t as easy as a valve cover for me.

[78w72]

I use the cork gasket with a very thin film of ultra black RTV just to aid in sealing, nowhere near enough to ooze out. Same for most other gaskets. When its just a very thin film it is easy to remove & usually is reusable at least 1 or 2 times, any residue on the block surface peels right off with a rag & brake cleaner or even just your fingers. I have reused V/C cork gaskets 4 or 5 times that way.

Also agree with the comment that these parts should be dry fitted first to verify no clearance issues, I had to grind a little off the Tomahawk pan to clear the underside of a factory iron & HO aluminum intake... but the felpro VP gaskets have 4 notches in those areas to use as a pattern, it must have been an issue on some factory pan/intakes too if they notched the gasket, but its only like 1/16 that needs clearance in those areas so not a big deal.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by rolling money pits

Would the “valve cover gasket” method work/apply in this instance? Adhering gasket to valley pan, then on block side use grease or whatever, to seal it.

I’ve read about that, in the past never applied it, was a careful RTV guy, and of course had weeping here and there.

Or, is the valley pan a different animal in that there’s multiple parts/seams - block and heads - it seals, unlike the VC which has a nice uniform surface it rests on?

I have never personally tried that, using grease. On valve covers, I glue them in the covers with weatherstrip adhesive, just enough to hold them. Then on the head side just install clean and dry. Every now and then a little RTV may be needed if there is a little weeper. The idea of applying grease and sealer in the same area just never seemed right to me. I have however used a little grease on Holley bowl and metering block gaskets in the past. But for the last 20 years or so they have come with an anti-stick coating already on them.

[rolling money pits]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

I have never personally tried that, using grease. On valve covers, I glue them in the covers with weatherstrip adhesive, just enough to hold them. Then on the head side just install clean and dry. Every now and then a little RTV may be needed if there is a little weeper. The idea of applying grease and sealer in the same area just never seemed right to me. I have however used a little grease on Holley bowl and metering block gaskets in the past. But for the last 20 years or so they have come with an anti-stick coating already on them.

Not sure what you mean-

“The idea of applying grease and sealer in the same area“

What I read before is similar to what you do, gaskets glued to valve cover, then head side is either dry or some form of grease, wanna say hi temp wheel bearing. Not slathered on, I guess thin skim coat with fingers.

[tooski]

Originally Posted by rolling money pits

Would the “valve cover gasket” method work/apply in this instance? Adhering gasket to valley pan, then on block side use grease or whatever, to seal it.

I’ve read about that, in the past never applied it, was a careful RTV guy, and of course had weeping here and there.

Or, is the valley pan a different animal in that there’s multiple parts/seams - block and heads - it seals, unlike the VC which has a nice uniform surface it rests on?

That's what I did. I dabbed black rtv on the corners, and two other spots on each side. I then coated the head side with petroleum jelly. I had to spend a little time trimming the gasket for a better fit. The first assembly when I used only rtv I still had to clearance the bottom of the intake runners.

[65 Lamnas]

Back in the day of covered wagons when the only aftermarket heads were Wenzlers, we only had D and O port heads. I had a set of 71 HOs that has maybe .080" milled from them for compression. Ended up using RTV due to the corners wanting to leak using gaskets.

[Dragncar]

I run a Nightmare SS valley cover. Gasket with contact cement between it and cover and a little dab of RTV in the corners.
No leaks, perfect.
I finally have a Pontiac that does not leak a drop and it took a fair amount of effort.
I stopped using RTV on cork for the most part. Permatex #2
But my Steffs pan is sealed with The Right Stuff. Teflon scrapper so there is no gasket except for the rear main cap where I used 2 of the cork gaskets side by side and thin layer of TRS.
When I remove it someday a razor knife down the sides will take care of that hard Right Stuff.
I will take my time though, expensive pan.

[jamaca85]

I use a gasket. I glue it with rtv to the pan and let it dry. never had an issues. easy to remove pops right off