R1990 - I had a fit with this too. Ended up needing the rubber grommets for the valve cover bolts. You won't believe how much your originals have compressed over the years. I probably pulled the valve cover two or three times before I figured that out. I want to say I also used a bit of MB sealant in the valve cover channel before attaching the gasket --- just a tad. No leaks since. Good luck --- oh yes, just tighten with a 1/4" nut driver by hand. Doesn't take much torque. Just go in two or three stages and do in any crisscross pattern. 71Rcode