Valve cover gasket

[Sam Massey <Sam.Massey@asa.co.uk>]

Hello listers,

Prepare for a simpleton mechanic style question, but one which has bugged me for a quite a time. I am one of the few (many ?) semi un-mechanically minded people on this list and enjoy the lighter parts of the quattro list to the specific engine-tinkering type - but for some odd reason, I still attempt a few jobs, rather than rush down the garage.

Last week I removed the valve cover gasket and flushed the gauze with a corrosive cleaner to flush it out (as recommended by a number of local mechanics), but after replacing the cover and fitting a new gasket (pre-oiled) and tightened the bolts in a diagonal sequence - I now have a slight oil leak onto the exhaust manifold. I attempted this job three years ago and had the same outcome in an old volkswagen - ended up down at the garage. The question is what am I doing wrong? or what am I not doing? I really dont want to be beaten  on this one.

Thanks for any advice,

Sam