Re: FIRE! Plastic Eagle valve cover wanted

[farna@xxxxxxx]

The timing being off likely let to much fuel in the exhaust ports, where it was burning in the manifold. My guess is the two nearest the carb got the extra, so got hotter faster. 

Unless you're dead set on keeping that thing stock, I'd invest in a metal replacement cover. You can't just take the metal cover off an earlier or later AMC though. The cover kits require tapping the guide holes in the head, and you may have to drill them out for the tap. The secret is to NOT wrench down real hard on the cover bolts! Tighter will CAUSE leaks, not stop them! I always clean all gasket contact surfaces with paint thinner or mineral spirits -- that's a MUST!! Then put a thin coat of silicone on the valve cover, place gasket, and let it sit AT LEAST 1/2 hour, an hour is better. Once that's set, put a thin layer of silicone on the head where possible (the back s tough!), then place the cover and put bolts in. Just snug the bolts at this point. As soon as they start to put a little pressure on the cover/gasket, you're done! Once that sets up for 1/2 hour to an hour, go back and tighten the bolts about 1/2 turn, no more. If you're concerned about them working loose !
 pull each one, put lock-tite on, the run back down and tighten that half turn. I'd count the turns required to pull it out so you don't over tighten. 

There are cheap cork gaskets which should work with this method, but there is a higher density gasket out there too -- it's a black material. The high density gasket is less likely to deform and leak when overtightened, but I don't know how to ask for it other than to look at the more expensive gasket if more than one is stocked. 


On January 27, 2006 eddiestakes wrote:

> If anyone has a good one for sale, let me know, had a car fire not once but
> twice last night, first car fire I have had since mid 1970s. Not sure what
> caused it but the middle ports below the carb on the intake were glowing
> red, and it set the dried oil there on fire. 

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