getting nuts back on after new gasket

[mick_p]

Hi All

New valve covers look great but I am having a hard time getting the nuts back on. I changed the gasket which has left precious little thread to get the small nuts back on. I am worried that I will strip the thread because I cant get enough purchase for the nut to take properly.


Any suggestions.

[airhead]

There is something seriously amiss there. You should have enough thread left to allow the nut to have some stud on the other side of it when fully screwed up, with a washer installed. Were the covers supplied with studs and you had to fit them yourself? If so, they may be screwed too far into the covers, or the wrong length to start with.

Bill................;-)

[mick_p]

Hi Bill

Covers were provided with studs. I had to fit them myself and yes I did screw them all the way in. I tried screwing them in half way but then they turn as I turn the nut.
I pulled out the studs from the originals (they were also screwed in all the way but of course the gasket is compressed with age) and checked the length was the same. So I am guessing the answer is to screw the studs in halfway with some loc tight type of product and go from there?

[Bob_Roller]

How thick is your new gasket, as compared to the old gasket ?

[nhmaf]

Yes, the new gaskets will generally be thicker of course, but I don't believe the gaskets compress to half the thickness
of the new, original one - I'll have to get out to my garage in the next 24 hours and check - think that I have some new
gaskets somewhere....

[tagordon]

I replaced the studs on my valve covers also. What I had was the kind with no threads in the middle of the stud. Thus only allowing you to insert it a certain depth. After fabricating my new studs from stainless steel bolts I inserted them untill they bottomed out. Same results as you, not enough threads for washer & nut. I checked the length of the original against the new & they were exactly same. So I measured what should be extending from the cover by reinserting the old stud. Then using Loctite I installed the new stainless steel studs.
Are your old studs threaded all the way end to end? Or is there no threads in the center portion?  

[mick_p]

The ones I used are threaded all the way. The originals I pulled out were also threaded all the way.

I just purchased some new ones from the local dealer that have no thread in the center section. They just arrived and by the look of these they are slightly longer than the originals (?) I need to get them home and pull off the covers to check. Otherwise I was going to go the loctite solution.