Valve cover gaskets -- Sunday version

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxx>]

Important news first: passenger valve cover gasket was indeed toast.
May have been flexible fiber 20 years ago, but isn't now. FelPro
replacement is two layers of rubber sandwiching a metal core --
improvement. Biggest cause of leak: timing chain cover is not flush
with mating surface on head. Is real close, but you can feel the step
up when putty knife runs around it. Was also significant crap buildup
on that end where engine had been sucking it in. Rather than reseat
whole timing chain cover, I installed new gasket in a THIN bed of
silicone (a little thicker on that end). Should be fine. Valve cover
is settling into it's gentle torque tonight. Will tighten fully tomorrow.

Will be a couple of days until driver's side finished (started with
the easy one first). Then will report if #5939 is FINALLY leak free...

Got to thinking last night (my DeLo gives me much to think about): ALL
my vehicles have PCV. Wouldn't be "CV" if they didn't vent entire
crankcase. Sure enough, Ford factory manuals state "xx engine is
equipped with a positive closed-type crankcase ventilation system
re-cycling the crankcase vapors to the intake manifold." And that's
ALL they say. A few paragraphs about testing the PCV valve, and that's
it. Certainly nothing akin to tech manual page D:06:03.

What threw me: my Fords are MUCH less susceptible to vacuum leaks
after intake manifold. To isolate some noisy rocker arms on the 400,
ran engine with valve covers off altogether (word of experience:
unless you want oil all over the driveway do this one side at a time,
with that side jacked up). Can pluck PCV valves out of valve covers
with so effect on idle. If a valve cover leaks it makes a mess, but
that's all. Have never had an engine as susceptible to vacuum leaks
elsewhere as PRV.

Have always heard biggest benefit of PCV is reduction of sludge under
valve covers. Is not emissions related (my '69 has it). Guess it
reduces sludge throughout entire engine.

Bill Robertson
#5939 (a lean mean air sucking machine)