Ok I searched, but I still have to ask. Im just about to finish up my re-build and I need to put the valve covers on. Nothing in the Haynes/Chiltons says anything about putting oil on the gasket. Putting RTV on the heads and then putting oul on the gasket just seems like they would counter ask one another. Anyone know for sure the right method to doing this?

 

You definitely do not want any oil where the RTV goes (as you already figured out). RTV is very sticky, but won't stick if there is the slightest film of oil. And that means leak. So be sure that part is clean enough to eat from before the RTV goes on.

And once you clean up those small spots, there's no point messing up the rest of the head. That rubber seal is intended to work with no oil on the sealing surface.

 

does rtv even go on the valve cover gaskets?

I wouldn't do it after a rebuild, knowing I would have to go back in and reset valve lash and re-torque head bolts.

 

the only place you want to use ANY RTV on the valve cover is on the semi-circles at the front and rear of the head

no oil needed either; in fact, you want to clean off any oil from the flat surface of the head where the gasket lays, and clean out the groove out in the valve cover; you want them as clean and dry as possible for the best seal

the gasket will seal just fine as it's sandwiched between the head and valve cover



here's a great example of the WRONG way to do it

yes, this is MY picture






see all that read RTV sticking out? well it protrudes inside into the valve cover just as much as it's sticking out. If one of those blobs breaks off and finds it way into an oil passage, it'll stop the oil flow to say, a main bearing... and then you end up with a spun bearing... not fun...

 

just to clarify some, that's rtv between the half moon and the head not the half moon and the cover gasket right?

 

precisely

although some might find it necessary to dab just a little at the edges/sides of the half moon, where it transitions from head to rubber gasket, because they'll leak there sometimes

BUT, use it sparingly



ideally, if you can get away with it without leaks, don't use ANY RTV ANYWHERE

I didn't apply any RTV at all when I installed my valve cover with the gasket provided in engnbldr's rebuild kit, and it never leaked a drop; even after removing and reinstalling the valve cover multiple times to adjust the valves

 

Mr. Toyota says:


(you're putting the rtv on the head where the sharp "corners" of the rubber gasket meet the head.)

When I did it OTHER than this way, it leaked. So I suggest following the manual.

 

Is this thread about the 22RE or the 3.SLO??????

 

that's a good question Keith, lmao

I was talking about a 22r/re... I have no idea when it comes to a 3.0



re-reading the original post, his exact words are "I need to put the valve covers on", key word covers being plural, SO, I think is is about a 3.0

 

Thanks everybody. It's times like this I am so glad I found Yotatech. I did not oil the gaskets and I tightened them all evenly, and put black rtv at the corners. Notice I did not say torque, I only have large torque wrenches so I just snuged them all evenly with a small 3/8" drive Craftsman. Fingers crossed. This was on the 3.0 to clarify. I actually had two sets of gaskets, the blue felpro ones and the enginetech set that came with the master kit. I went with the enginetech set due to the ideology that they would seal better. They seem to have more surface area touching the head (hopefully im right).