To liquid gasket or not!

I use liquid on these. A very thin layer just colouring the gasket. Works well. I have used different types with minor differences, but there are many opinions on what is the best.

/Peter

 

Permatex grey motoseal: Specialty Gasket Makers : Permatex® MotoSeal® 1 Ultimate Gasket Maker Grey has been my favorite for several years now. I use it on cars/motos, and boat applications. It will actually stop oil seeping on old Brittbikes and Detroit Diesel two strokes. There can be no greater compliment. Best of all, it is NOT silicone. A smear on the gaskets is all that's needed

 

I use Permatex "RightStuff" on all seams and Permatex #2 (which funny enough looks like #2) on most paper gaskets as it never completely hardens.

I use Pematex "Anaerobic Sealer" on O-Rings and pitted housings.

 

And thermostat housing gaskets? Just the gasket dry or ....?


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Silicone has it's uses...it's great in the bath and shower.

OK, I'm being a bit of a smartass. My dislike of silicone is for several reasons, one of which is the common misuse of the stuff - which is not silicone's fault. But it seems that folks commonly goop the stuff on then the squeeze-out goes...who knows where? I once had to overhaul an engine due to silicone squeeze-out clogging an oil passage. But again, that's not the fault of the product. What I do not like about it is that it glues the parts together which is the OPPOSITE of what I want in a mechanical assembly. IMO, a non hardening sealer is much superior in every way. Most of the problems with gaskets not sealing occurs because the parts' mating surfaces are not true or they are pitted/corroded.

In that regard, IF the mating surfaces are true and not rough or pitted, sealer isn't really necessary at all though, as pointed out, good old #2 (a shellac-based sealer) has been used for as long as I can remember and it does a good job. That being said, the one place the silicone IS a good choice is for certain areas where there is a fair sized gap that must be sealed - many intake manifolds specify a bead of silicone at the front and rear for that purpose. AND, if you have bad mating surfaces, a bead of silicone will seal them if it is applied correctly - not a bead and then immediately "smashed down" by tightening the bolts. OF COURSE, the better solution in that case is to clean up/true the mating surfaces.

In reality, just about any of the automotive sealers will work fine for routine assembly use.

 

What do you folks think of the new-ish polyester urethane-based Hylomar type sealants?

 

not as good as the older stuff.

 

Loctite 3020 (spray) is great if you want to get the gasket to stick to the surface while mounting, it also improves sealing. If you want to add sealant, or skip the gaskets, Loctite 518 could be used. This will not clog your oil channels.

On the gasket corners for the valve covers I used a thin layer of Permatex or RTV silicone, but I can not remember the brand or typ at the moment.

 

+1

There seems to be a transatlantic divide over product choice but I do know that the engine builders at two top-notch Ferrari specialists in the UK use 3020 on large gaskets such as the sump pan and 518 on other areas as I have discussed it with them.

Small bead of RTV on the ends of the cam cover gaskets. But Mike, above is right, RTV is generally good for bathrooms not engines!