My mechanic warns against over-torquing the stock cork valve cover gaskets. Can I ruin them by over-tightening them?
Not under normal circumstances. Actually, they don’t require much torque (20-25 inch pounds), but unlike cork and neoprene that can be ruined and permanently deformed by over-torquing, AMS silicone gaskets are far more forgiving. However, with this said, extreme over-torquing can harm most any gasket including REAL silicone gaskets even though they are more forgiving than other gasket compounds. It is vital you (or your shop) follow the instructions included in each package because as a rule, they DO NOT require as much pressure to seal as other gaskets.
