Gasket maker and cork type gasket!

[kickster]

Sorry for posting this in wrong forum. I just dont know which forum it may belong to!

I found the source of my oil leak, it is the same valve cover gasket that I replaced less than a month ago.

The shop that sold me the gasket gave me another one for free. It looks like a cheap cork type gasket. This time I want to make sure it is not leaking out. Here is my question. Does Liquid gasket makers damage cork gaskets? I am planing to use a little gasket maker on top of the cork gasket to make sure it is 100% sealed. I am not sure if I can use them both at same time without having a chemical reaction!

Thank in advance

 

[tpi]

I think it goes in the maintenance/mechanical forum.

Anyway is the valve cover stamped steel? If so check for deformed sealing surfaces, especially around the mounting holes. No amount of sealer or various types of gaskets will seal bent/deformed valve cover.

 

[rpn453]

I prefer rubber gaskets (and I used some kind of blue neoprene gasket that worked good last time I did one), but cork works too. As tpi said, make sure you have flat flange surfaces. If not, you can just hammer them flat. If you want you can use some silicone RTV on it. It shouldn't really be necessary if the flanges are good, but it will help seal it. Proper bolt torque is also very important on valve covers.