# Valve cover gasket Saturn ion **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** ion, saturn\ **Created:** [June 17, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-cover-gasket-saturn-ion/119340 "2018-06-17T03:48:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jb79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@jb79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jb79)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-cover-gasket-saturn-ion/119340/1 "2018-06-17T03:48:14Z")
hi all, I’m putting in a new valve cover gasket, the thing was hard to get out and was was pretty hard. 125K and never been done. I had to use a small screw driver to pry it out. I was wonder what is a good way to clean the grooves? I want to make sure the new one doesn’t leak. I never done this before just using directions from some dude on youtube. Here’s pics ![Resized_20180616_223553](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/f/f19b73690bb743bf696e0fa5a30bf72e17aecb51.jpeg) ![Resized_20180616_223613](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/b/bc6abda8bf0899b0f0e2463d1885179a0dfd6ca5.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 3:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-cover-gasket-saturn-ion/119340/2 "2018-06-17T03:52:16Z")
I’ve always used a pick or an ice pick will do. Run it in the groove keeping it at a low angle so you only force the old gasket out and you don’t scratch the mating surface. Yosemite ---
**Author:** ![jb79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@jb79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jb79)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-cover-gasket-saturn-ion/119340/3 "2018-06-17T03:55:29Z")
Im afraid I might have scratched a bit around the spark plug location, but not severe. It was stubborn to get off and a lot of little pieces which made it tricky. Can I use a metal brush to make sure I got it all? I also see people use other materials and some not, like RTV, and another stuff. Also a lot of small peices got stuck and can’t tell if I got it all. It loooks like the factory used some other stuff on the top of the gasket I noticed after I got it off. Can I also clean the thing with break cleaner? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-cover-gasket-saturn-ion/119340/4 "2018-06-18T20:24:54Z")
Yup, brake cleaner is a good product to use. It won’t take off the stubborn gasket but the wire brush (a fine one) will. New RTV - that’s what was the actual gasket was - will seal some really unfriendly surfaces so don’t worry too much about minor scratching.