Hi All,
I went to the dealer today to look at the "factory fix" for cooked valve cover gaskets. It is essentially a replacement type exhaust manifold gasket (the ones with a perforated aluminum face backed with gasket material) with a shield of the same material that extends up 2- 2 1/2". The shield is limited to the area between the inner studs on the exhaust ports.
The gaskets were originally intended for motor home use when the "hi-temp" orange gaskets failed to cure the problem.
The gaskets run around $4.50 each. Visually, they're not very appealing, but if you don't show your engine compartment often, it may be a viable fix.
One other item of concern... the package was labeled "Contains Asbestos Fibers". The back (insulation side) is a typical exhaust gasket-type material, with the usual "dusty" feel for this type of gasket. Given the warning on the package, one can only assume that some of this residue is friable asbestos fiber. One would also assume that since these gaskets are for sale in 2002, that the asbestos is not of a hazardous type... although I'm not sure that the non-hazardous types make good insulators... I know we lived with this stuff for years, but I have personally shut down entire assembly lines because of torn pipe insulation in a plant - I'd hate to see a New England or California member have these discovered on his car, and have to pay for abatement... just something that bears checking into before plopping down your 9 bucks.
I've been away from Asbestos issues for a couple years... anybody have more current info?
Thanks,
Steve Charette
Imperial Services
www.imperialservices.net
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