Re: speaking of valve cover gaskets...

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

-----Original Message-----
From: steveb@cme.nist.gov <steveb@cme.nist.gov>
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 1998 10:36 AM
Subject: speaking of valve cover gaskets...


>I went to change the VC gasket on my '85 5000S a few weekends ago
>with a new rubber gasket that I got from Olympic Parts.  (It even
>has the VW/Audi symbol and an Audi-looking part number on it.
Unfortunately
>I don't have the part number in front of me.)
>
>The problem: the new gasket has metal grommets to go over the studs
>that hold the valve cover on.  These grommets appear to fit the studs...
>except that the studs have a non-threaded section just before the top
>of the head, and the grommets don't seem to fit onto those non-threaded
>sections, with the result that the new gasket doesn't seat against the
>top of the cylinder head.
>
>Do I just need to apply more force to press on this new gasket?  It
>didn't seem receptive to that idea at the time, but it was getting
>dark and I didn't work at it very long.  Or did I get the wrong gasket?
>It seemed to fit otherwise.
>
>Thanks,
>Steve
>
>P.S.  I wanted to thank everyone for their help with my previous
>laundry list of help requests; you've been very helpful and informative
>and have saved me a ton of money so far.  :-)
>
Hi Steve;

    I installed this style of gasket (OEM from the dealer) on my '91 200q
and it slipped right on with no problem, but the studs may be different than
those on your older engine.
    I would not force it over the studs or you'll have a problem getting the
grommets off if you ever have to remove it.
    It sounds like you don't have too much interference; how about
increasing the diameter of the grommets slightly with a rat-tail file?  I
think the grommets are there to prevent over-compression of the gasket at
the studs.

HTH

Fred Munro
'91 200q  247k km