Don't stress - the last time I bought a gasket at the dealer it was a victor!

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Generally, a shoulder bolt is to allow the bolt to tighten so it does not back out and maintain a specified compression distance of the gasket.

The M104 and many other modern car makers use this method as it assures proper gasket compression.

In other words, the bolt gets tightened until the shoulder hits the head, any additional torque is to prevent the bolt from falling out and won't compress the gasket farther.

If you are not bottoming out the shoulder, you are not tightening the bolts enough. Of course, if the factory manual says otherwise, do what they say. ( And post the exact verbiage here. )

I replaced my VC gasket this weekend with another Victor Reinz gasket and I don't see any more leaks coming from it. This time I torqued it down properly instead of guessing at it. I noticed some RTV on the oil pan gasket, so replacing that properly might eliminate the rest of my oil leaks.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

The leak seems to be stopped after going back and snugging all 4 nuts again. The valve cover is on the shoulders of the studs. I have another car to do and will follow the same procedure

ie 1. make sure that the gasket fits the cover well enough to easily stay in place without sealer between the gasket and cover.

2 install nuts snug but no where near tight.

3. Start & run engine until normal operating temp.

4 re-snug all 4 nuts.

Will report back with results after driving for a while.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

I agree with this.

Many times I have been forced to scrap abused (warped or cracked) valve covers, thus careful inspection and flat surface (true) checking is basic routine for me.

I am OBSESSIVE about cleaning the cylinder head mating surface, and valve cover lip.
IMO; The perfect cylinder head mating surface cleaning tool is an X-ACTO knife
X-ACTO Knives | Cutting Tools, Hobby Knives, Craft Knives
with a good supply of
X-ACTO No. 17 Blade
X-ACTO No. 18 Blade
X-ACTO No. 19 Blade
Replacement Blades for Carving and Utility Knives | X-ACTO
When every millimeter of the cylinder head mating surface looks almost freshly machined, I am satisfied.

Preheating a crumpled NEW gasket with a heat gun or crock pot is a common trick I use to prevent installation and/or leak issues.

I have used gaskets from every manufacturer, even the worst customer supplied trash where I was forced to use silicon based sealers.

I won't defend any manufacturer, they all have bad batches, or cut corners to make more profit, even NEW star marked MB gaskets have occasionally been junk (less often than any other).

The critical factor is usually cleaning / preparation, installation, full nut draw down requires test drive to operating temperature and recheck.

If you MUST use a sealer, NEVER use to much, excess tends to end up in the oil pan and can plug your oil pickup screen.

.

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ASE Master Mechanic
https://whunter.carrd.co/

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
2003 Volvo V70

https://www.boldegoist.com/

That is fine as a last TOOL....

but not as a last STEP ....

If you look at a micrograph of the surface of metal it is amazingly rough...stick two pieces together without some kind of goo and you only have like %20 or less actual contact surface.

So the last STEP in cleaning is to use Acetone and paper towels... you wipe small areas over and over again until there is nothing showing on the towel except the wet Acetone.

Use gloves in well ventilated area.

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

Glad to hear my method worked for you. I was not able to see what brand of gasket I have. My guess is Victor Rienze.

On your next gasket, to speed up its seating, soak it in boiling water for 15 min before hand, do not over tighten and do it in stages after engine reached operating temp by feel till the leak stops. I'd not recommend a heat gun, boiling water provides even heating (softening) of the rubber, a heat gun will not.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

I forgot to mention that I use brake clean, work a three inch area scrape several times then wipe (brake clean) repeating until clean.

My only objection to Acetone is personal safety:
To often (winter) I am enclosed in a garage with open flame heaters = BOOM.

.

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
https://whunter.carrd.co/

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
2003 Volvo V70

https://www.boldegoist.com/

I was not saying Acetone was the best....only using it generically as a solvent to really clean the metal.

HOWEVER ... I would NOT use BRAKE CLEAN .......... for several reasons...

Some of which are talked about in these threads from weldingweb...

Search Results - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

Probably the safest stuff to use is alcohol.... cheap and does not leave the dangerous residues that Brake Clean does... or have cancer causing ingredients.

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=10414

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

You are probably ok. The older ones were good. Who knows... They may have switched manufacturing to China or something.

For what it's worth, some non-chlorinated Brake Cleaner contains acetone.

The chlorinated one I usually buy contains Perchlorethylene.

Don't know if Trichlorethylene is allowed anymore. Best to check the MSDS for the one you are using.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

Never had the need to scrape the head with a razor or use brake clean. I just take many small patches of rags and wipe the head clean of the oil (wipe from inside to outside so as to not get any dirt into the head, then tighten in stages with engine hot. No leaks doing it this way. Never used silicone on the VC gasket. I'd worry about bit's of it coming off and plugging oil galleries.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

I saw some seepage today. I may pull the cover off and check it for straightness by putting it on a sheet of glass. I used a machinists straight edge and it seemed fine. This is becoming tedious.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Installed the VR gasket. No special attention was paid than usual for a valve cover gasket, and certainly no special procedures. Make sure the sealing surfaces are CLEAN, then install and bolt 'er down.

So far so good.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

Both of my Sds are seeping after new gaskets and procedure above. I'll pull them back off, check again with a straight edge and glue if I can't find anything wrong. I don't want any more practice.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.