Gasket sealing

[Raider]

I am beginning the re-assembly of my 2000 engine and wondered what thoughts people had on gasket sealing.

Do you use gasket sealer like hermetite etc or as I have always done, just grease to locate the gasket and then bolt the bits together?

The theory here being that it's the gasket that forms the seal, not the sealer and that any spare grease won't do any harm whereas any gasket sealer that comes adrift could get in oil ways etc.

[Tim Bancroft]

I have always sparingly used a gasket sealer, no issues at all.

Good luck Martin.

[Richard B]

Certain places I use Blue Hylomar;

Waterpump housing to head.
Sump gasket (make sure the sump is true and not belled by any bolt holes)

Evrywhere else I go for no sealent.


Do check the straightness of the front aluminium bridge piece. On Alisons 1500 engine when are working on it, the face to the sump was a very impressive sine wave.  ??)

I can see why the steel replacement bridge pieces are popular. (Same part for 4 & 6 pot engines)

[rotoflex]

When I put this engine together, & for things since, I used Permatex Aviation gasket adhesive on most gaskets.
I recently replaced the thermostat gasket & gave a try to just using grease on the gasket, & was astonished to find that it hasn't leaked.

It will be interesting to see if this thread progresses as a directory of what gasket sealant/adhesive to use where.

[piman]

Hello all,

I only use grease on copper head gaskets, blue hylomar for thick paper gaskets (To keep them in place as much as anything) and nothing on thin paper gaskets. Super glue for the rocker cover gasket, rocker cover side.

Alec

[Raider]

Very interesting replies there - and a variety too.

Thanks for the specific advice as well.

I'll print this thread and refer to it when I work on the engine again next Saturday.

[heraldcoupe]

Just to throw a spanner in the works, I grease all card and paper gaskets. Head gaskets generally go on dry, or with a coat of shellac (Wellseal) on shim steel or copper gaskets,

Cheers,
Bill.

[Gt6s]

I use grease on paper or card gaskets.

I used to build fuel transfer pumps, manifolds, and metering units on bulk fuel tankers using greased gasket method none of those leaked and fuel can easily find leaks

[Greeks]

I get someone to do it for me  ;D

[Greeks]

But seriously, superglue on the rocker cover? ... interesting. Mine always seem to get stuck in and reused forever anyway.

[piman]

Hello Greeks,

that's because it's an aluminium cover so no location of the gasket, just a few dabs at strategic points, not full length, by the way.

Alec

[Greeks]

ok i got you

[Pom Down Under]

Grease is generally close to hand, very cheap, and works well.     ;)

[sparky_spit]

A light smear of Blue Hylomar on both sides of the headgasket around the oil feed hole to the rockers.