Just picked up a Felpro valve cover gasket for my 96. And it came with a bag of 15 little grommets. What are these grommets for? I've never taken off the valve cover before but I assume it's for something underneath it

 

They replace the metal spacers the bolts go through. I never replaced.mine with my felpro but maybe I should have because my cover leaks worse... then again maybe my cover is bent

 

Oooo that makes sense. Haha i feel stupid now. Thanks man. Think there is less of a chance of snapping bolts using these? Seems like there should be at least

 

Possibly..but then again idk. You only use 5 ft/lbs. I just wish I knew why my valve cover leaks even worse now. I even spent like 20 minutes to scrape off oil buildup around head.

 

Those grommets on my 2001 went on the bolt holes, basically just sealing the hole on the valve cover gasket.

 

Do they go between the valve cover and head, in the holes of the gasket? If so, they prevent crushing the gasket......real easy to do with a thin/stamped steel valve cover. I believe over-tightening just about anything causes more leaks than cures.

 

They replace the metal ones that come from factory. But I read somewhere back when I did it to keep the metal ones so just left them. If someone can voucher that replacing with the hard rubber ones fixes the problem then I guess its worth spending a few hours....

 

I was leaking oil real bad until I replaced the gasket with a new felpro with the supplied grommets last August. Popped the old ones out, worked the new ones in, and put it all back together. Haven't lost a drop since.

And yes, the grommets "mount" the bolt holes of the valve cover, meaning you should see them on both top and bottom.

Hope this helps.
Steve

 

Sounds like I have to meticulously remove the valve cover again....Thanks

 

Do the steel sleeves go in the new grommets?

 

From everything said above, it sounds as though the steel sleeves are obsolete with the supplied rubber grommets. Correct me if I'm wrong?

 

I just replaced my VC gasket Sunday and I put the steel sleeves back in the new grommets. This question bugged me so I just called a tech at Federal Mogal, makers of Fel Pro gaskets, and he confirmed that you have to reuse the sleeves to keep from overtightening and crushing the gasket. I checked and I have no leaks.