<VV> Otto Pan/Valve Covers Gaskets

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/27/2006 12:17:30 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
harding.ian at gmail.com writes:

Hello,

I have a set of Otto oil pan and valve covers, and also  have "normal"
gaskets.  Is there any downside to using a thicker  gasket, other than
that I might have to get longer  bolts?

Thanks,

- Ian



The benefit of using the Otto pan, and to some extent, the valve covers, is  
that the rigidity of the castings makes the thin gasket work well. You have a  
hard time using the thinner gaskets with the stamped steel oil pan. Unless it 
is  brand new, the steel pan is likely distorted from years of being torqued 
down  till the gasket squeezes out. The thick castings presents a flat side to 
the  gasket - matching the flat side of the case (or head) and fully 
capturing the  gasket. Can you you still over-torque it? Yes, but there is no need to  
overly-tighten the bolts. The method I use is to glue the gasket in place  on 
the pan (or onto the valve cover for those gaskets) let the glue set up  a 
bit, then lube the other face of the gasket - I use HRL assembly lube w/  
grathite - then bolt them in place. When torquing the bolts, remember that the  bolt 
is going into aluminum, not steel. Be gentle! - Seth  Emerson