Three types of valve cover gaskets...

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

The three types are cork, rubber, and Victor Reinz has
one made of stainless steel with rubber seals.

Which one would you guys recommend?

 

[BrooklynBay]

The OEM gaskets are usually rubber with metal inserts for the bolts. Some gaskets such as transmission pan gaskets have small metal discs in the rubber to prevent the gasket from getting over tightened & pushed out of place. Cork isn't so durable, and cracks over time. Paper gaskets become brittle, crack, and fall apart. I had a new water pump gasket blow apart after a few months. Do you have any information about the stainless steel gaskets?

 

[lobo411]

Get the cork ones. I tried the Victor Reinz ones and Fel-Pro's Permadry gaskets and could never get them to completely seal/stay torqued. The cork ones they replaced never lost an inch-pound of torque or a drop of oil in 10 years.

Sometimes newer isn't better.

 

[rb142]

Anything but cork. The OEM rubber with metal rings are the best.

 

[SoHK_alumni]

I opt for the bonded metal/rubber ones when I can but any will work.

The old school cork certainly work, but are so soft that over torquing of the valve cover bolts can be a real problem.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Permatex has something called aviation form a gasket. It's basically a special type of caulk which is used instead of standard gaskets. I've used it on boiler circulator pumps, and didn't have to wait for it to harden. You apply it, then forget about it. I've never used it on automotive parts yet.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Permatex has something called aviation form a gasket.....

Great minds must work the same, LOL; I have a bottle of that stuff on my workbench and use it on everything. Used it on LIM gaskets with great sucess, and coated the valve
cover gasket with it today.

The right side seemed to be the only one leaking, and it
was the easiest to get to, so that's what I replaced. I used
the Victor Reinz type, which is SS with a bonded rubber
seal. Wasn't sure which type to use until I removed the
old one, which was a FelPro rubber. Thought I might as
well try the VictorReinz and see how it works...
Thanks for all the suggestions.