BD240 valve cover


IHC in the early to mid-fifties.

User avatar

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 630

Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 10:04 pm

Post Wed Jan 14, 2015 7:24 pm

Re: BD240 valve cover

I would also use a hair dryer on it to heat up the metal and the paint so it will move easier, go easy with the dryer, not too close or you will scorch the paint. I find the paint will be more pliable when warmed, so as to not crack it.
Bill
KB owner since 1972 and still loving it.
Retired Lineman, mechanic, fabricator, retired motorcycle racer.
South Amherst, Ohio

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 609

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:55 am

Location: Cassville, Wisconsin

Post Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:51 pm

Re: BD240 valve cover

Good point Bill, thanks for the tip.
1956 S-102 Short Bed BD240

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 8937

Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Fri Jan 16, 2015 8:38 am

Re: BD240 valve cover

I spent a little time with my best friend Google and this is what I found out.
Steel becomes a workable dull red at about 1000 degrees F.
A commercial heat gun can reach 1400 degrees F.
An average paint will burn around 400 degrees F.
A hair dryer should not exceed 131 degrees F.
Was this valve cover warped from being sand blasted? There must have been some external force to cause a that change.
Do you have a flat surface, preferably steel, where the valve cover can be set to see where the distortion starts?
Are you able to clap the cover down and have the raised surface overhang? Maybe, clamping something like angle iron to act like a lever then carefully force the cover
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 609

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:55 am

Location: Cassville, Wisconsin

Post Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:13 pm

Re: BD240 valve cover

No blasting was done to this valve cover, it still had the original paint on it. All I did was use paint stripper on it. If you look at the picture I posted, it looks as though it was formed this way from the factory you can see the lines in the metal from the press. I am going to put the lip under the press and using slight pressure on it with a piece of 1" thick steel on top of the lip, by using the 1" piece of steel it should bring the center down even to the corners.
Last edited by KSever on Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1956 S-102 Short Bed BD240

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 8937

Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:21 pm

Re: BD240 valve cover

I have total confidence in your finding the best way to get this situation under control.
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive

Site Admin
Site Admin

Posts: 4938

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:10 am

Location: Nampa, Idaho

Post Fri Jan 16, 2015 10:42 pm

Re: BD240 valve cover

If I remember correctly, these had a thick cork gasket for the Valve cover and the oil pan. Cork would compress in the corners and where it bolted down, and where it did not have that much pressure or as in your case, it tended to "fill" the space. At least that is what I remember when I worked on the trucks I had when I was about 44 years ago.

Those are my thoughts.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 609

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:55 am

Location: Cassville, Wisconsin

Post Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:10 pm

Re: BD240 valve cover

Thanks Lloyd,
The gaskets you get in the full overhaul kit I got from RockAuto come with a thick rubber gasket for the valve cover and thick cork for the oil pan. The rest of the gaskets are all cork also. I truly believe I can get it pressed down enough using the press to seal with the gasket sealer. I won't get to it the week, I want to get the engine mounted back in the frame so I can get it off the engine lift.
1956 S-102 Short Bed BD240

Site Admin
Site Admin

Posts: 4938

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:10 am

Location: Nampa, Idaho

Post Sat Jan 17, 2015 12:05 am

Re: BD240 valve cover

I thought of something else, probably the reason that they now use "rubber" on the valve covers, The Cork did get really brittle on the Valve cover over time, as long as it was not disturbed it was not an issue. I would imagine that it was the heat that did that. The oil pan gasket does not get as much heat. At least that is what I just remembered. Had to scrape off the gasket and then put a new one on.

Yard Art
Yard Art

Posts: 74

Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 8:58 pm

Post Mon Apr 09, 2018 4:32 pm

Re: BD240 valve cover

So generally a rubber gasket would be better than a cork gasket right???

I do have the tilt valve engine. On Rockauto it lists a rubber and a cork gasket. It says the rubber gasket is the old design and the cork gasket is the new improved design. Doesn't this seem backwards?

Also, only the gaskets for the non tilt valve come with new grommets so I'm thinking about ordering one of those gaskets just to get the new grommets. Any other ideas or suggestions for the grommets?

Site Admin
Site Admin

Posts: 4938

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:10 am

Location: Nampa, Idaho

Post Mon Apr 09, 2018 6:37 pm

Re: BD240 valve cover

Rubber is also likely to get hard with heat. For myself, I prefer the cork gaskets, I know that is sort of contrary to what I said, but if you are not in and out of the cover, they do seal good. Just my opinion.
PreviousNext

Return to L, R and S

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.