MOPAR Performance Valve covers cracked at corners?

[bigmanjbmopar]

WTF? I was noticing a leak and decided to go a head and change the gaskets and noticed cracks in the corners 2 one of them and 1 one the other, one crack so bad I could see a tiny bit of light through it.

I am very disappointed now I thought these were supposed to be tougher than the rest?

Now I am afraid these corners will just break off! sux. chrome covers better?

 

[MRHWS]

Sounds like they may have hit the floor in the past.

 

[BuckNeccid]

That's not too tough a fix. Grab some of the aluma-weld rods and follow the instructions. You can fill and weld that crack with a propane torch with them. I've had to use two torches for speed and ease on the cast covers, but it does work. I'll agree with MRHWS, sounds like they've been dropped or something, they are pretty rugged. AND they seal a lot better than the stamped chrome ones.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aluminum-re...727?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a16826507

 

[Cevidicus]

they are cast aluminum. I over tightened a corner on one a while back and it cracked midway up on the side.

just gotta be very careful with them and get the best gaskets you can get.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Here is a pic of one of the cracks,

Also another pic of the fix hope it works. Was out today for a cruz no leaks so far so good.

Versa Chem 4 minute quick set steel epoxy.

 

[Cevidicus]

Very similar to what mine did. I had a buddy tig weld the crack.

Let us know how the epoxy works out. I bet it works fine, just gotta be careful on that corner from now on.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Lesson learned, $5 epoxy fix vs $120 for new covers. Hope it holds, we used this stuff on a friends 98 durango water pump. the heater hose inlet just sits in there with an o-ring...if the pipe is old and even slightly worn the o-ring even new does nothing. Guess you are supposed to get new pipe at the same time as the pump but we didn't know. bought this stuff and it is still going 6 months later and hard as steel to.

Thanks everyone for the help.