old 731: Valve Cover Gasket Question & Zerks wont take grease?

[DigitalFusion]

Hey all,
The valve cover gaskets on my ancient 731 are shot. Do I have to buy gaskets, or can I just use some ultra black or something?
Also, only one of the grease zerks will take grease. Any recommendations on what to do?

 

[Tazza]

Hi temperature silicone is your friend! I use it all the time, works a treat. Get the parts clean first though, then i see no reason why there would be a problem.
The grease nipples un-screw, just replace any that won't take grease.

 

[jkwilson]

If they won't take grease, replace them, but first, if you aren't sure of the quality of your grease gun, try a good one. My old one always gave me trouble. My NAPA guy gave me a gun to try. He told me to use it on on the clogged fittings and to come back with the gun or to pay for it in the next few days. About 90% of the fittings I was going to replace took grease with the new gun, and I bought it.

 

[mrfixitpaul]

If they won't take grease, replace them, but first, if you aren't sure of the quality of your grease gun, try a good one. My old one always gave me trouble. My NAPA guy gave me a gun to try. He told me to use it on on the clogged fittings and to come back with the gun or to pay for it in the next few days. About 90% of the fittings I was going to replace took grease with the new gun, and I bought it.

Depending on which fittings are frozen, you may need to clean out behind the fitting. Sometimes if you move the arm or whatever the pin is for while keeping grease pressure on the fitting it'll allow grease to push through.

 

[coreya3212]

Depending on which fittings are frozen, you may need to clean out behind the fitting. Sometimes if you move the arm or whatever the pin is for while keeping grease pressure on the fitting it'll allow grease to push through.

OK, I am gonn atell everyone about this , but dont laugh. Greasing my 825, one of the pins wouldnt take grease, I tried like a bugger, almost broke my wrist trying to squeeze grease in there. So i pop the nipple out and put in a new one. Same drill again. So replace and repeat about 2 more times. Then I realize whoever the SOB previous owner drilled the hole for the grease zerk about halfway through and quit. I couldnt drill through either, so i grease that pin manually everyso often.....

 

[DigitalFusion]

OK, I am gonn atell everyone about this , but dont laugh. Greasing my 825, one of the pins wouldnt take grease, I tried like a bugger, almost broke my wrist trying to squeeze grease in there. So i pop the nipple out and put in a new one. Same drill again. So replace and repeat about 2 more times. Then I realize whoever the SOB previous owner drilled the hole for the grease zerk about halfway through and quit. I couldnt drill through either, so i grease that pin manually everyso often.....

thanks for the replies everyone.
I am just going to use some silicone gasket maker then. BTW - the gaskets were horrible, I had a hell of a time finding out where exacltly was leaking on my machine, because what was happening was that the oil would leak out of what turned out to be about a 1/4” gap in the gasket, run down to the fan, and spray EVERYWHERE in the engine compartment.
I asked my wife to pick up a new grease gun and some grease on the way home from work yesterday. The new gun she got me takes 14oz cartridges, which I havent seen before to be honest. The grease she bought is in 3oz cartridges. I'll have to get some grease today and try them again.
Corey... what you say is confusing to me. The pins have to be drilled where the zerks are?

 

[coreya3212]

thanks for the replies everyone.
I am just going to use some silicone gasket maker then. BTW - the gaskets were horrible, I had a hell of a time finding out where exacltly was leaking on my machine, because what was happening was that the oil would leak out of what turned out to be about a 1/4” gap in the gasket, run down to the fan, and spray EVERYWHERE in the engine compartment.
I asked my wife to pick up a new grease gun and some grease on the way home from work yesterday. The new gun she got me takes 14oz cartridges, which I havent seen before to be honest. The grease she bought is in 3oz cartridges. I'll have to get some grease today and try them again.
Corey... what you say is confusing to me. The pins have to be drilled where the zerks are?

Sorry, no the grease zerk is inserted in the sleeve portion of the pivot pin on the lift arm. Its supposed to be meant to grease the pin. The hole you drill in the sleeve and insert the zerk in is only drilled deep enough to insert a zerk, but doesnt go all the through so grease can ever get to the pin. The point was to make sure that you have a opening to where you want the grease to end up.

 

[coreya3212]

Sorry, no the grease zerk is inserted in the sleeve portion of the pivot pin on the lift arm. Its supposed to be meant to grease the pin. The hole you drill in the sleeve and insert the zerk in is only drilled deep enough to insert a zerk, but doesnt go all the through so grease can ever get to the pin. The point was to make sure that you have a opening to where you want the grease to end up.

Ya I just re read my post, its is a zerk “for greasing the pivot pin”....