Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines Side cover gaskets

This may be a silly question, but I'll ask it anyway. When installing side cover gaskets on a 250, the package contains 6 washers to install on the cover bolts. Do these washers go inside the cover or outside.
Thanks, Al

Outside.

MBHD

Thanks MBHD;
I'm having problems with leakage from my Offy side covers and had to rethink about the washers. The outer edges of the gasket seal pretty well(not perfect), but the oil seems to be coming mainly from the bolts. I'm using neoprene gaskets and "Permatex High Tack Spray a Gasket" as the sealant. I'm torquing the bolts to 60 inch pounds, and then retorquing after a few runs. Still get leaks. Any ideas?
thanks, Al

I've found that the cast in bolt bosses in the lifter galleries are sometimes protruding past the gasket surface of the block. That will make the cover bottom before the gasket is making a good seal. A straight edge run along the gasket surface will show any that stick out. A few minutes with a file will trim down the high bosses. Pack the area with rags to keep the filings out of the engine. Flush to about 1/16 inch lower than the gasket surface is good.

Also check to see the cast alum side cover is flat and not curved or warped. If the holes in the side covers don't have a chamfer on the outside similar to the dimple on the factory steel covers then you can make one with the tip of a 7/16 or 1/2 inch drill bit. This will cause the rubber washer to be worked into it and seal snugly around the shank of the bolt rather than have a tendency to squeeze out from under the head of the bolt. Chamfer the hole to about 1/3 of its' depth.

Have you got the right bolt to hold the side covers on. The ones I have are flared and have a ridge that runs around the outer edge towards the side cover.

Larry

Thanks for your good information. I will be doing some checking today.
Thanks, Al

I found a slightly cupped washer with rubber bonded to one side at OSH hardware. It fits under that original flanged bolt and seals 100%.

Thanks Richard. Although we don't have OSH up here, I will try at our local hardware.
Thanks, Al

I had a 250 side cover rust out on me.Helluva mess!! But I cut(bandsaw) out some quarter inch aluminum using the old cover for a template, drilled it for the three bolts,a little RTV to hold the original style gasket in place and it worked just dandy. Bolts were simply a 5/16X3/4 UNC cap screw with a flat washer and a 1/8 neoprene gasket (cut with 2 hollow punches) Nice and simple and it sealed perfectly. Got a few snaps of one but I can't figure how to add one to this post

Thanks to Mike G, My side cover leak is fixed. I filed down the side cover bolt bosses to below the gasket surface on the block. This fixed the problem. I used a cardboard templet that covered the well and only left the bosses exposed. This kept the filings out. Thanks Mike.