When did steel valve cover gaskets appear?

[jckkys]

Ford began using heavy gauge steel valve covers on small blocks sometime in the mid '80s. Does anyone remember what years? The steel-rubber re-usable valve cover gaskets were introduced at the same time. The 5.0 4bbl Mustang GTs had finned aluminum valve covers but 5.8 HO 4bbl trucks including Broncos, had stamped steel covers with a Ford oval and screw on oil filler cap. I think these would look nearly original on EBs while being leak proof and make it easy to add oil out of the 1 quart bottles.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Looking at the Summit listings for gaskets, I can't find the change. Keep us posted. I'm looking for a set of good quality steel covers with PCV ports and GOOD baffles.

 

[broncnaz]

Im not 100% but I believe the steel core ones came out about 86 along with the mustangs aluminum valve covers. Which I beleive is what it was ogrinally designed for

 

[76 bronco J]

>>> pretty sure the steel core-bonded O-ring cover gaskets didn't show up till 1993... they're recommended for use with valve covers that don't have a lip on the outer gasket seal surface.... I ground the lip off my aluminum bronco script covers to use them, though I've heard some people have used them on some valve covers with a lip.... Ford Racing still sells a high performance gasket kit for the 5.0 with really good head gaskets that they claim are '93-'01 5.0 production parts.... this kit is on my Y-aluminum head 5.0 crate engine & a friends aluminum AFR 165 head 5.0 engine with a 9 psi. supercharger...... part M-6051-A50 >> tech notes > Recommended for high performance applications and with Ford Racing supercharger kits. This gasket kit really works and will eliminate sealing issues associated with 5.0L engines for most applications. The kit includes: 2 expanded graphite head gaskets (M-6051-B51), 2 high-tech metal with bonded O-ring rocker cover gaskets (M-6584-A50), and 1 engine set of torque-to-yield cylinder head bolts. NOTES: ¹ The bolts can be used three times. New bolts are available from Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealers. Same parts as used on production 1993-01 5.0L. ² Do not use kit with �lipped� valve covers. http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=1763

 

[jckkys]

I have a 1987 Crown Vic police interceptor that looks like a white version of the original Men In Black movie Crown Vic. The engine is a 351w that came with a 2bbl. variable venturi carb and AOD. Ford made 100s of 1000s of these. The valve covers on the '87 are stamped steel about 3 times as thick as those on '60s and '70s small blocks and the lip turns up so as to not interfere with the rubber-steel gaskets that are OE on these engines. The long filler neck on the front left cover can accept a PVC as used on the Crown Vic or a breather hose. The right cover has a breather or PVC hole in the back like earlier OE stamped steel covers. There must be other years and models that have these desirable features before and after 1987. The baffles work as well as any OE valve covers but may need to be modified for roller rockers. If you find an '80-'91 Crown Vic with a 351 consider it as a good transplant donor. The VV carb is a POS and the water pump is wrong but the rest of engine is great. Not made for roller lifters but small base circle cams fix that. They're getting harder to find tho.

 

[76 bronco J]

I have a 1987 Crown Vic police interceptor that looks like a white version of the original Men In Black movie Crown Vic. The engine is a 351w that came with a 2bbl. variable venturi carb and AOD. Ford made 100s of 1000s of these. The valve covers on the '87 are stamped steel about 3 times as thick as those on '60s and '70s small blocks and the lip turns up so as to not interfere with the rubber-steel gaskets that are OE on these engines. The long filler neck on the front left cover can accept a PVC as used on the Crown Vic or a breather hose. The right cover has a breather or PVC hole in the back like earlier OE stamped steel covers. There must be other years and models that have these desirable features before and after 1987. The baffles work as well as any OE valve covers but may need to be modified for roller rockers. If you find an '80-'91 Crown Vic with a 351 consider it as a good transplant donor. The VV carb is a POS and the water pump is wrong but the rest of engine is great. Not made for roller lifters but small base circle cams fix that. They're getting harder to find tho.

>>> hmmm... the Ford OEM parts catalog lists the cork style E7ZZ-6584-C gaskets as the stock valve cover gaskets for the '87 crown vic... lists the F1ZZ-6584-B gaskets which are the M-6584-A50 Ford Racing gaskets as original to '92-2001 5.0/5.8's.......maybe police packages were different, someone changed the gaskets since new or catalog is wrong......

 

[baddad457]

FWIW: I used Felpro's steel insert cork gaskets on my 96 E150's 351 last month, no leaks there, no sealer used. Gained a little clearance inside for the Cobra roller rockers too.

 

[jckkys]

I bought new steel type gaskets at the Ford dealership, they described them as the stock replacement parts. They were the first I had seen with no tabs and $40+ price tag, but I'm happy with them. The valve covers were clearly made for the steel gaskets. An '89 Crown Vic PI I had used the same parts. The police engines have an F150 Lightning cam. roller timing chain, and spot faced rod bolts so the valve covers may have been unique also.

 

[baddad457]

Neither the timing set nor the rod bolts are unique to the police engines. The roller timing set was used on many applications starting in the late 80's.

 

[jckkys]

baddad seems to feel a need to interject useless comments that do nothing to answer the question about valve cover gaskets. Perhaps the purpose is to impress us.

 

[baddad457]

baddad seems to feel a need to interject useless comments that do nothing to answer the question about valve cover gaskets. Perhaps the purpose is to impress us.

Well as I recall, you introduced to all reading this, that false information regarding police engines having "special parts" Perhaps you were the one trying to impress others who know no better ? %) Talk about "pot calling the kettle black". So 'scuse me for correcting you. ;D