Valve cover bolts backing out on me - antiseize? lock washer?

[AuroraGirl]

Ive never had this before, but ive had to tighten the bottom, rearward bolts on my valve covers twice now. I say to myself, just snug em. Ive never had valve cover bolts back out, but it seems to be what they are doing.

But its only the bottom, rearward bolts. Esp the one by the master cylinder, its a bitch to get at.


Can I use some blue threadlocker (anti sneeze) to keep them from vibrating out, or perhaps a lock washer? They stop leaking since the gasket is new and when it stays compressed no oil comes out

 

[SquareRoot]

A good cross-thread beats Loctite everytime.

 

[WFO]

I've always used a washers, lock washers, and spreader bars on mine. Never had them back off on their own.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Currently the force spread bar and a bolt are the only things on them.

 

[crpntr78]

Can you peen a slight crown in the spread bar? That way it's putting down pressure on the valve cover while also putting up pressure on the bolt, there by acting like a lock washer.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Thats a unique solution. Do you mean maybe put it on a hard surface, over hanging, give some curvature to it?

 

[shiftpro]

Cork gaskets Taylor or the blue rubbers with the metal sleeves? If you're using the latter your bolts may be a tad too short.

 

[Jethro224]

Can you peen a slight crown in the spread bar? That way it's putting down pressure on the valve cover while also putting up pressure on the bolt, there by acting like a lock washer.

This.
Open your vise up a little, lay it across and hit it with a ball peen.

 

[Turbo4whl]

GM used to sell these, aftermarket still does:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sma....69i57j0l7.36648j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

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Summit's picture ^^^

The GM originals were galvanized steel and thicker. Need longer bolts.

 

[78C10BigTen]

Mine slightly back out too

 

[RecklessWOT]

**** it, let them headers smoke.


In all seriousness though, a little threadlocker should do the trick. Just nothing too hard, personally I hate using the stuff unless I absolutely have to

 

[RecklessWOT]

A good cross-thread beats Loctite everytime.

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[AuroraGirl]

I was thinking using the same pressure I periodically put back on them. Just because it dont have to be much harder than hand tight with a deep well(fastest way to get there since hard to reach) then a snug with a ratchet. When i change valve covers, ill use a different bar and bolts that they provide, makes sense the bolt just could be too short, they might not be FROM my truck, as i saw evidence of 2 previous valve cover jobs prior to mine. some rtv mess, 2 different colors, and a tiny bit of cork left over from gasket before the one i took off, it was sandwiched on a corner.