All,
When replacing valve cover gaskets, do you use any sealant on the gaskets or go with just the gasket?
-Rob

I prefer a thin film of sealant. Grey or Orange RTV is local and cheap. Curil is better, but not local and not cheap. Loc tite same story as Curil......

Rob: I'm on my first 914, and recently pulled a cover for the first time to check the valve lash. The cork gasket looked good, and was stuck to the cover with some goop that was hard and looked like it would last a decade. So I put a real thin layer of Sil 100GP Bondaflex, a clear-ish silicone based compound, on the side of the gasket that went against the alu head rim (after cleaning the latter). I wiggled it a little to be sure it was back at the old spot--the sil 100 is just insurance. Most definitely a good seal, a few weeks out--no sign of anything escaping. The tube says "retains elastomeric properties from -70 to 450 degrees f. Seems like that should cover me. I've run VW vans for about 35 years, and hate starting over with a new gasket if the old one is clearly fine, but may not seat back exactly as before--hence the silicone. --Chris H in the DC 'burbs

Also, remember that there is a right and wrong way to install the valve covers and one of them will promote leaks more than the other...

The VW logo goes UPSIDE DOWN when the cover is installed correctly.

I thought you were still on vacation?

Thanks Jake, That could be the problem, I have the logo righ side up. I'll switch it around.