Valve Cover Gasket

True or False?

Should the valve cover gasket be immersed or coated in fresh engine oil
before use?

 

Don't need to do that, no.

 

False.

 

False

 

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Melbourne,

Excellent question, but not necessary, as per the other responses.
However, the underside of the gasket might stick to the head if you put
it all together 'squeeky clean', so leaving a light film of oil on the
head's mating surface (or the underside of the gasket) is an OK idea.

'Curly'

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Now that you mention it, what *can* happen is that the points of the gasket
where it goes on either side of the cam bearing caps *can* hang up and not
seal properly when you tap the cover down, so a light skin of oil couldn't
hurt to help the points slither all the down to their seats. I've never
oiled the gasket because there's usually a bit of oil on the cam bearing
caps to begin with, and on my hands from just having done the valves.

It *is* important to make sure there's not grit or dirt at the point where
the cam bearing caps and the head meet, otherwise the gasket may sit up on
the dirt and allow leakage.