One piece valve/tappet cover question

[van Dyck]

This my first go at a Model T engine overhaul. I'm not new at engine rebuilding - been doing it since the early '60s.
The engine I'm working on is supposedly a '25. It has the two rectangular valve chambers with the single long cover with the oval hole for linkage pass-through. The single long cover gasket has this hole also (obviously). However, this cover/gasket arrangement does not seal the chambers between #2 and #3 cylinders, and I can see a valve stem and spring through the oval hole. It does not look right to me: dust can enter and oil can escape.
What am I missing here? What can I do to correct this?

 

[stevests]

That is how they were designed. Earlier blocks use two seperate gaskets & covers. Not much you can do about it.

 

[FRANK PKNY]

You can make a simple seal out of tire tube, cut a metal frame from sheet metal. Cut a slot in the rubber with a razor. They were open stock but I always felt they should be sealed better. JMHO PS If the engine is for show leave it alone.

 

[van Dyck]

The engine is going into a TT long box truck and is going to be used only on special occasions like cruise nights, show-n-shines, etc.. The owner assures me the truck will ever have to work another day in its life! And he is not into the show circuit - he's just a retired farmer who enjoys reliving some of what he remembers from his youth. Kinda nice to be young at heart in the "November" of life.
I'll check back tomorrow and evaluate all suggestions. Thank you for now.

 

[Jalopy Tin]

This is how i did. Sorry for the crappy cellphone pictures.
Used two plastic pipe ends, have to pretend they are bakelite
One round and one rectangular. The rectangular had to be trimmed a bit.
A question only, are these holes also some sort of crankcase ventilation, wich now will be prevented? Maybe it's enough with the oil filler cap?
/Tom

 

[rond]

Van Dyck,
You have an earlier engine. Like stevests says, that engine should have two doors, and the area between the vertical walls between cyls 3 and 4 will be open, but the valve chamber area will be sealed.

The oval hole in the one piece valve cover is for the NH carburetor linkage to pass through. When the vaporizer became standard, the valve cover became a solid cover AND there was a solid cast iron web between the cylinders 2 and 3 jugs. The fill cap is enough ventilation.

 

[tmodelman]

The full length valve cover uses a full length gasket. Don't worry about the bit of opening for the throttle rod. The later full lenth covers used the oval hole, prior to early '23 the hole was smaller round one as in this picture. There are plenty of spaces where dust will fly in and oil will fly out Remember that there's not even a oil filter nor an air filter for the carb...!!

This picture is somewhat incorrect as the fasteners for the valve cover should be studs, with hex nuts,,,,shown are the later dome nickle plated valve cover bolts used in late '26 and into '27.

 

[jackdaron]

Dan you're right as usual,did you get my PM?

 

[van Dyck]

It would seem to me that the pre'22 engines using two separate covers that Ford engineers were not concerned with valve chamber ventilation, that the oil filler spout and cap was sufficient.
Yes, it never ceases to amaze me that these early engines had neither air nor oil filtering devices. I am also amazed at how relatively clean the Ford engines remained in service comparing them to the OHV Chevrolet 4 cylinder with their non-existent side cover!

I do have 3 other T engines to compare with, however, they are not accessible until the snow melts.

Thanks all for your responses.

 

[van Dyck]

I noticed, tmodelman, in your picture, the absence of cotter pins on the pan bolts and castellated nuts. Is this common practice; was this an assembly line cost cutting measure; were cotter pins found to be unnecessary in this application?
Just curious.