Take it to a self service car wash (late at night when the attendent
isn't there), cover the distributor and carb with plastic bags, and use
the low pressure suds to clean the big chunks of grease off. They
typically leak out the back of the valve cover, the oil drains down the
back of the engine and all over the bellhousiing, tranny, and transfer
case. I dropped the tranny support on my '87, the grease/dirt layer was
1-1/2" thick!

Will wrote:

> There are plenty of jeep valve cover gaskets out there, I just can't
> find one for the 88 jeep wrangler with the 4.2L engine. I think I will
> go with the permatex rtv route, sounds like people have had luck with
> it. I suppose I will have to whip out some degreaser before I get
> started; its lookin' pretty dirty under the hood.
>
> Thanks for the help guys... I'll have to let you know how it goes.
>

 

Take it to a self service car wash (late at night when the attendent
isn't there), cover the distributor and carb with plastic bags, and use
the low pressure suds to clean the big chunks of grease off. They
typically leak out the back of the valve cover, the oil drains down the
back of the engine and all over the bellhousiing, tranny, and transfer
case. I dropped the tranny support on my '87, the grease/dirt layer was
1-1/2" thick!

Will wrote:

> There are plenty of jeep valve cover gaskets out there, I just can't
> find one for the 88 jeep wrangler with the 4.2L engine. I think I will
> go with the permatex rtv route, sounds like people have had luck with
> it. I suppose I will have to whip out some degreaser before I get
> started; its lookin' pretty dirty under the hood.
>
> Thanks for the help guys... I'll have to let you know how it goes.
>

 

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:43B2A506.7439F49A@sympatico.ca...
>
> I haven't had any issues finding new gaskets. They make the cork ones
> and a total rip off expensive rubber one that just plain don't work. I
> think my last cork one was a 'fel pro' or something like that.

To my knowledge, ... 'Fel_Pro' doesn't make a simple cork gasket for these
things ....... I believe it's a cork/metal combination (i.e. a step closer
to a 'life-time' gasket). I used to replace with a Clifford (as the valve
cover is now a Clifford Al. replacement ... which actually keeps the engine
oil IN the engine :), but I think that now the vendor I get them from is
dealing in MOPAR covers / gaskets.

 

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:43B2A506.7439F49A@sympatico.ca...
>
> I haven't had any issues finding new gaskets. They make the cork ones
> and a total rip off expensive rubber one that just plain don't work. I
> think my last cork one was a 'fel pro' or something like that.

To my knowledge, ... 'Fel_Pro' doesn't make a simple cork gasket for these
things ....... I believe it's a cork/metal combination (i.e. a step closer
to a 'life-time' gasket). I used to replace with a Clifford (as the valve
cover is now a Clifford Al. replacement ... which actually keeps the engine
oil IN the engine :), but I think that now the vendor I get them from is
dealing in MOPAR covers / gaskets.

 

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:43B2A506.7439F49A@sympatico.ca...
>
> I haven't had any issues finding new gaskets. They make the cork ones
> and a total rip off expensive rubber one that just plain don't work. I
> think my last cork one was a 'fel pro' or something like that.

To my knowledge, ... 'Fel_Pro' doesn't make a simple cork gasket for these
things ....... I believe it's a cork/metal combination (i.e. a step closer
to a 'life-time' gasket). I used to replace with a Clifford (as the valve
cover is now a Clifford Al. replacement ... which actually keeps the engine
oil IN the engine :), but I think that now the vendor I get them from is
dealing in MOPAR covers / gaskets.