replacing all the spark plug seals on the valve cover and was having a bitch of a time getting them to fully seat.

i read that taking a socket that is a tad smaller then the spark plug hole on the valve cover and pushing down on the seal works. i tried that and it worked but almost all the seals now have small tears in the lip

any ideas?

pic shows about how far i can get them in by hand. after that the socket was needed to fill that gap in the arrow. the part that is folded upward in the pic is now where there are small tears

 

I wouldn't push in the middle. Use a deadblow hammer and hit around the edges till it's flush or find something a little bigger than the seal that's flat and lay it on the seal and then tap it in.

Another thing, before you install the valve covers put a coating of motor oil around the spark plug pipes (not sure what they're called...) and the seals so that it'll go in nicely.

 

anything is worth a shot now. maybe i wasnt clear. i wasnt pushing in the middle of the seal. i knows theres a metal ring along the outerwall of the seal to keep it tight in the cover. i was pushing down on that area.

im going to put a little oil between the seal and the valve cover to see if that gets it in easier

 

Oil and if that's not easy enough, you can get a bushing driver of the appropriate size that makes it fool proof.

 

used some lucas assembly lube and it worked like a charm.