Victor Reins valve cover gasket leaking
 

I've used Victor Reins valve covers mostly with success. Lately they have been leaking soon after install even when glued with a little rtv. What gives? 300SD
Engine hruns well and has little blow by.

What do you use?

I've been using Victor Reinz. Had OK experiences, however the one on my '85 weeps slightly.

Have read some anecdotal tales of them leaking after install.

Quality may be dropping?

I just installed a Victor Reinz on another car and I would say it was a better fit. It clung to the cam cover and stayed in place while installing it. The one I installed on my '85 kept dropping off. Maybe that was a sign.

Next time I'll go with an Elring valve cover gasket. Apparently they are making the Genuine ones (aka the OEM supplier). They aren't much more, I don't think, anyway.

The seal goes on dry, no RTV. You might want to make sure you didn't over tighten the bolts holding it down, they should be all equally snug I think it's like 8 ft lbs. but snugged down should be fine.

I posted a thread a couple years ago about the Victor Reinz VC gaskets not going on easily without a little something to keep them in place during install.

People chimed in saying they use RTV, gasket-maker (very lightly applied), or even a bit of motor oil to get the gasket to stay. I think some people put them in the freezer first as well.

You have to be uber-careful when tightening the VC down. Learned that the "Damn is it that time already?" way.

A friend had work done at the biggest indy in town, that still works on a number of this generation, and the VC gasket even leaked a little after their install.

I used an MB sourced valve cover gasket, not a problem. OEM as shown below:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8474/...8d423020_c.jpg

On the other hand, the oil pan gasket I used was Victor Reinz, and it is once again leaking. :mad:

I know what to get next time.

Interesting. I had a Victor-Reinz gasket and one of the corners was rolled out and not seated when I tightened it down, so it leaked. I recently purchased a new Victor-Reinz gasket and it seems like they are now thinner than they used to be. I did everything properly but it looks like it's leaking quite a bit already.

I installed a new VR valve cover gasket on my OM601. The old one was leaking slightly at the passenger rear of the head. I cleaned everything very well, the gasket fit ok, and I torqued it to spec center outward to the ends. It leaked bad. I took it off and cleaned everything again, then reinstalled. Got the motor hot and retorqued when hot. Still leaked. At this point in time, I blame the gasket. I want to get an OEM gasket to replace the current VR one. Pretty frustrating...

Make sure the rocker cover / valve cover isn't bent out of shape. Make sure the little towers that you screw the cover screws into are fully seated. Make sure the sealing surface on the head is clean.

A Mercedes Genuine valve cover gasket for my 220D is $7 and for my 300TD is $28. Depending on your car, the price is probably somewhere between those two. Don't let using aftermarket parts frustrate you when Genuine is not that much more in the grand scheme of things.

(please note that the prices I gave are online prices, not from your local dealer)

And is sealer required say on Elring or MBZ? I'm going to switch. I have way too many projects to spend time practicing because of crappy parts.

Trick I use to keep them in place is I tie fishing line around the valve cover and gasket. Put the knot outside the gasket and when it's in place and snugged down snip the fishing line and pull it out.

The last VR valve cover gasket I installed has been weeping and leaving a few drops of oil where I park. It did not want to stay on the valve cover during installation, either. I need to revisit it and try a new gasket as I am getting pretty fed up with oil stains everywhere.

that's for tranny gasket ;)

10-11 for valve cover (14-15 nm)

I use RTV on gasket cover edges to hold the gasket ....wait 30 mins...snug...go...go...no leaks.....


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The Elring gasket on my 300D wasn't leaking when replaced (timing chain replacement + valve adjustment).

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8476/...3371cd53_z.jpg

According to this site, Bruss also supplies parts to Elring... and Reinz. Curious if that's different from Victor Reinz. Could it be?

Bruss Products for Mercedes BMW Porsche Audi VW Saab Volvo Mini :: epsparts.com - European Parts Specialists, Ltd.

Do the valve cover bolts on this car have a rubber grommet with a steel bushing through the center under them? If so, the rubber might be crushed out and compression of the main gasket is lacking.

There is also the possibility that the valve cover is bowed under the bolts further reducing compression.

Install the valve cover less main gasket and measure between the surfaces, the distance should be less than gasket thickness.

rest assured that victor reinz valve cover gasket quality has gone down. We've used VR for 25 years at our shop. In the last year or so we've had almost a 100% comeback for leaking.

I was using VR gaskets on an 83 617, tried every trick I could think of including another valve cover. they always leaked at least a little and some made a mess. I just installed an elring and it's nice and dry after 800 miles or so.

I am too pessimistic not to use Silicone Sealant on Valve Cover Gaskets of any type; not just on Mercedes.

Very interesting.

At work, we usually have a few different choices as far as gasket manufacturers go. I usually like to use Felpro when possible. If the Victor Reinz gaskets are causing come backs all the time, I'll avoid the brand if possible. Thanks for the tip.

I put a new VR gasket in after the most recent chain replacement and valve adjust job and it leaked...pretty bad. I resorted to the Blue RTV solution as recommended by some and it's mostly fine. Used a super thin bead so maybe just a bit more would do the job. Next time around though, I'm going to try another brand.

Bad news for Me. A long time ago I padded My Order with Victor Reniz Valve Cover Gaskets to get the free Shipping.
I have 4 unused ones left.

I have never had a leak with them as I always have used Silicone Sealant on them.

The parts stores here either don't have the gaskets or want $20 each for them. I called this site. Apparently Elring has quit making them. I ordered some VR & will try a more thorough surface cleaning and not tightening as much.

If that doesn't work, I'll move on to RTV. Other engines have sealed with RTV applied lightly with a gloved finger. It shouldn't be such an ordeal to get this leak stopped. I was 2 quarts down without much driving.

Have you tested cover compression as outlined in post 15?

I have not done a compression check. The car starts immediately in the summer and after the 1st glow in the winter when using synthetic oil. The oil cap sits and barely moves when loosened.

One car has ~ 170,000 mi, the other ~250,000. More gaskets should be here Saturday.

My valve cover gasket does not leak. However, the engine had a very bad leak when I bought it, not because of the gasket (since I re-used the same gasket after finding the cause of the leak), which was wires crimped between valve cover gasket and head on opposite corners. The front of the engine was covered in oil. That's how I got the car for less than 1/2 of asking price. I took the gasket off and there were indentations in it on opposite corners from the wires. I put it in a bucket of boiling water and let it sit to take the indentations out, installed with dabs of adhesive between gasket and valve cover (none between gasket and head) so it does not drop during the install.

Here's how I torqued the valve cover gasket:

Do not use a torque wrench! Just snug it in stages, by feel. First, make the nuts just barely tight (it will probably leak), then drive it and get the engine nice and hot, get out and tighten the nuts a bit more by feel. Wipe it clean. Let it cool off overnight and get the engine hot again and check for leaks, tighten a little more if you find leaks. It may take 2 to 3 attempts. The idea behind this procedure is to let the rubber slowly spread via heat cycling instead of crushing it the first time when the rubber is cold. Now I am curious what brand VC gasket I have. I'll have to look and see if it is legible/visible while it is installed.

You still don't get it. CAREFULLY READ POST 15 IF YOU WANT TO SOLVE YOUR LEAK, it has nothing to do with cylinder compression.

There is no rubber grommet on the valve cover or bolts. The studs have a steel shoulder. The valve cover seal runs inside the studs. The seal when installed holds the shoulder of the valve cover slightly off of the shoulder of the studs.

I checked that the cover is flat using a straight edge then installed another VR seal. The mating surface of the head was degreased using engine cleaner on a rag. The seal was installed on the valve cover without any sealant. I took care to make sure that the curves of the seal lined up with the valve cover and snugged the nuts.

The valve cover is held very slightly off of the shoulders of the studs by the seal.The seal is leaking. I'll go back and snug again to see if the leak stops.

My next step is to degrease and use a little RTV. I would say that the VR gaskets are not thick enough. Installing a valve cover seal is not rocket science and should not require such consideration.

If l can't make this one work, I'll try a factory seal if they are still available. Per this site, Elring is no longer making them.

I like Funola's method ..

but if these are available in CORK...
and you use RED RTV all over them ( all four sides ) ... as thin as possible.... and CURE overnight...
Then a thin coat of RED RTV in the cover only....
and do not over tighten... over tightening is the primary cause of gasket leaks.....
Cork is also available in sheets.... to cut your own...if you get a sheet... you can cut smaller ones out of the middle of the ones for the valve cover.

All 4 nuts were fairly loose, I went for diesel, returned, sprayed the oil off directly below the gasket then snugged them down a bit more. We'll see if it leaks.

Dang, just ordered a new VC gasket because mine is leaking. Mine's been on and off several times, I figured a leak at this stage was to be expected.

Guess what brand of gasket I just ordered? :(

Don't stress - the last time I bought a gasket at the dealer it was a victor!

Generally, a shoulder bolt is to allow the bolt to tighten so it does not back out and maintain a specified compression distance of the gasket.

The M104 and many other modern car makers use this method as it assures proper gasket compression.

In other words, the bolt gets tightened until the shoulder hits the head, any additional torque is to prevent the bolt from falling out and won't compress the gasket farther.

If you are not bottoming out the shoulder, you are not tightening the bolts enough. Of course, if the factory manual says otherwise, do what they say. ( And post the exact verbiage here. )

I replaced my VC gasket this weekend with another Victor Reinz gasket and I don't see any more leaks coming from it. This time I torqued it down properly instead of guessing at it. I noticed some RTV on the oil pan gasket, so replacing that properly might eliminate the rest of my oil leaks.

The leak seems to be stopped after going back and snugging all 4 nuts again. The valve cover is on the shoulders of the studs. I have another car to do and will follow the same procedure

ie 1. make sure that the gasket fits the cover well enough to easily stay in place without sealer between the gasket and cover.

2 install nuts snug but no where near tight.

3. Start & run engine until normal operating temp.

4 re-snug all 4 nuts.

Will report back with results after driving for a while.

Yes
 

I agree with this.

Many times I have been forced to scrap abused (warped or cracked) valve covers, thus careful inspection and flat surface (true) checking is basic routine for me.

I am OBSESSIVE :) about cleaning the cylinder head mating surface, and valve cover lip.
IMO; The perfect cylinder head mating surface cleaning tool is an X-ACTO knife
X-ACTO Knives | Cutting Tools, Hobby Knives, Craft Knives
with a good supply of
X-ACTO No. 17 Blade
X-ACTO No. 18 Blade
X-ACTO No. 19 Blade
Replacement Blades for Carving and Utility Knives | X-ACTO
When every millimeter of the cylinder head mating surface looks almost freshly machined, I am satisfied. :)

Preheating a crumpled NEW gasket with a heat gun or crock pot is a common trick I use to prevent installation and/or leak issues.

I have used gaskets from every manufacturer, even the worst customer supplied trash where I was forced to use silicon based sealers.

I won't defend any manufacturer, they all have bad batches, or cut corners to make more profit, even NEW star marked MB gaskets have occasionally been junk (less often than any other).

The critical factor is usually cleaning / preparation, installation, full nut draw down requires test drive to operating temperature and recheck.

If you MUST use a sealer, NEVER use to much, excess tends to end up in the oil pan and can plug your oil pickup screen.

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That is fine as a last TOOL....

but not as a last STEP ....

If you look at a micrograph of the surface of metal it is amazingly rough...stick two pieces together without some kind of goo and you only have like %20 or less actual contact surface.

So the last STEP in cleaning is to use Acetone and paper towels... you wipe small areas over and over again until there is nothing showing on the towel except the wet Acetone.

Use gloves in well ventilated area.

Glad to hear my method worked for you. I was not able to see what brand of gasket I have. My guess is Victor Rienze.

On your next gasket, to speed up its seating, soak it in boiling water for 15 min before hand, do not over tighten and do it in stages after engine reached operating temp by feel till the leak stops. I'd not recommend a heat gun, boiling water provides even heating (softening) of the rubber, a heat gun will not.

Hmm
 

I forgot to mention that I use brake clean, work a three inch area scrape several times then wipe (brake clean) repeating until clean.

My only objection to Acetone is personal safety:
To often (winter) I am enclosed in a garage with open flame heaters = BOOM.

.

I was not saying Acetone was the best....only using it generically as a solvent to really clean the metal.

HOWEVER ... I would NOT use BRAKE CLEAN .......... for several reasons...

Some of which are talked about in these threads from weldingweb...

Search Results - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

Probably the safest stuff to use is alcohol.... cheap and does not leave the dangerous residues that Brake Clean does... or have cancer causing ingredients.

You are probably ok. The older ones were good. Who knows... They may have switched manufacturing to China or something.

For what it's worth, some non-chlorinated Brake Cleaner contains acetone.

The chlorinated one I usually buy contains Perchlorethylene.

Don't know if Trichlorethylene is allowed anymore. Best to check the MSDS for the one you are using.

Never had the need to scrape the head with a razor or use brake clean. I just take many small patches of rags and wipe the head clean of the oil (wipe from inside to outside so as to not get any dirt into the head, then tighten in stages with engine hot. No leaks doing it this way. Never used silicone on the VC gasket. I'd worry about bit's of it coming off and plugging oil galleries.

I saw some seepage today. I may pull the cover off and check it for straightness by putting it on a sheet of glass. I used a machinists straight edge and it seemed fine. This is becoming tedious.

Installed the VR gasket. No special attention was paid than usual for a valve cover gasket, and certainly no special procedures. Make sure the sealing surfaces are CLEAN, then install and bolt 'er down.

So far so good.

Both of my Sds are seeping after new gaskets and procedure above. I'll pull them back off, check again with a straight edge and glue if I can't find anything wrong. I don't want any more practice.

I never use silicone gasket maker,I use the old form a gasket.It does not flake off in your oil,clogging up pickup screen.

Part of the Key to using Silicon Sealant is do the best you can to avoid applyint too much. More importanly let the stuff cure and solidify/cure as much as 4 hours depending on the temp. That way it cannot easily wonder anywhere.

I would never use Silicon Sealant around any Oil Passage or other important passage as the stuff is thick and it is too hard to tell how much is going to squish out.

If some Silicon got down in your Crankcase it is likely to float and it is unlikely to pass through the Screen on your Oil Pump. If pieces the size of the holes in the Screen passed through your Oil Pump they are not going to damge it unless there is a large volume of them and they are not going to make it through your Oil Filter.

That being said the Old School Permatex type non-hardening, hardening and Avaition type Gasket Sealers have been around before I was born in the 1950s and they still work fine and are still selling. I also don't think it is just Old Timers like Myself that are using it; so younger People must also have a need for them.

Personally the non-hardening, hardening Permatex is what I use on Core/Freeze Plugs and both can be used on surfaces that you wipe off the Oil as best you can and you can use it and have it work.

Anyone have a pic of the head / cover and bolts? I suspect the bolts are not being tightened enough / cover bent or bolt is bottoming out. ( bolt could be bottoming out on shoulder or crud in hole. )

The most direct way to test is to put cover on head less gasket and look for areas of non contact. Next, install the bolts and lift up on the cover, measure the gap all around. Check the thickness of the gasket and see if it is larger than the cover gap.

From prior posts, these use a shoulder bolt, typically shoulder bolts are used when a pre determined gap is needed with the ability for the bolt to be tight. If the cover is set up this way and the shoulder not bottomed out the gasket does not get full compression.

Of course it is far easier to blame the evil gasket makers. . .

OK I did a Valve Adjustment today and I reused the Valve cover Gasket. Instead of using Silicon Sealant I tried 2 thick layers of Copper Kote.

I used a hand Wire Brush and rubbed off the exterior Silicon Sealant that was there from the other Job. I applied the Copper Kote but on the head I just wiped off the Oil so as to not end up with the Valve Cover glued to the Cylinder Head.

After I have had a chance to drive it some I will post back if it leaks or not.

I have been driving it for several Days in 85 Degree plus Weather on 2 long trips and no leaking from the Copper Kote or anywhere on the Valve Cover Gasket. So if you don't want to use Silicon Sealant Copper Kote could be another Choice.

Note that Silicone sealant was used inside of the Gasket Channel and that glued it to the Valve Cover and I did not loosen or otherwise disturb that.
The Copper Kote was used on the bottom edge of the Gasket between the Gasket and the Cylinder Head. This is My 3rd reuse of this particular Victor Reinze Gasket.