Use sealer? Yes or no?

Just wondering what others think about the need for a sealer material on the timing chain gasket? I've always put a think coat of form a gasket on both sides of the timing chain cover gasket, but is it really needed? I also put it on the fuel pump gasket in the past, but not on the oil pump gasket, yet there is where there is 40 lbs of pressure most of the time.

I can tell the factory put something on as the old gaskets were very difficult to remove. But I vaguly remember someone telling me it was unnecessary with Fel Pro gaskets.

So please give us your opinion. Thanks!

I generally use Permatex #2 on both sides

Before we had "silicone", we had Permatex (#1, I believe, sets up hard, #2 a little less so?). I use a thin "skin layer" of silicone on valve cover gaskets and other similar paper-type gaskets. It seals the gasket and will not allow oil to "wick" through the gasket, keeping things cleaner . . . AND making removal MUCH easier and related clean-up much nicer. I had enough "time" scraping the old 3M "yellow" gasket adhesive in my younger years!

A thin/skin coat of high-heat black silicone on the gasket, on all sides, let it sit overnight, then assemble. Even on FelPro "printoseal" gaskets, too. Using your fingers CAN be acceptable and also put a nice texture in the silicone sealer.

NTX5467

I don't remember what we put on the timing chain gasket. It was forty years ago that we had it off.

On the fuel pump gasket, I use a thin coat of new motor oil.

2X for Marty's method !

Mike in Colorado

Being aluminum with a water seal, I use Leak Lock https://www.google.com/#q=leak+lock&tbm=shop&spd=5677129466281146109 with a gasket on the Buicks. That is for both the timing cover, which I haven't replaced many times and the water pump. After 50 years of owning Buicks, I have gotten away with a couple of broken water pump bolts with the Leak Lock.

When I reassembled the Riviera around 20 years ago I used hardened Allen head 1/4-20 machine screws on the water pump, Leak Lock on the gasket surface, and Never Sieze on the bolts. The hardened bolts resist rust and bonding with the aluminum. Seems to be working pretty good.

Bernie

I use Permatex. Not really for the sealing effect but to hold the gasket in place as I position the part for installation.

Probably any product will work. NTX cured RTV method sound interestings and I will try to remember it...if I have enough time to wait for a cure . I used bearing grease when I replaced a water pump in Idaho (2007 on my way back from the Seattle meet)...I did not have sealer, but did have some grease of replacement bearings. And still no leaks.

Please don't glob on red or blue RTV unless you want to make it look like a chevy engine.

Willie

I love these type of questions, as what one gets in terms of answers is diverse opinions. It does appear all use something. Myself I would apply something, probably some Permatex product, but only on the side of the gasket making contact with the cover and not on the engine side.

Why only on the cover side? So that, hopefully when the cover has to be removed the gasket will come with it, and not stick to the engine block. Makes gasket removal/replacement easier; that is the theory anyway?

An interesting theory Dave, but considering the cover is aluminum, and the block is cast iron, in my humble opinion, scraping against the block would be less prone to metal damage. Also, after breaking down and buying the permetex gasket remover juice, I noted the old gasket on the block came right off where as the gasket on the aluminum was still holding fast

I also called the shop where I get things done that I don't want to do, and their response was RTV only around the water ports and the joints with the oil pan but definitely do not RTV around the oil pump. Otherwise a thin coat of Form-a-gasket on the entire thing.

NTX, no offense but, they said put the part on while the RTV was wet, do not let it cure first.

I'm not adding their vote to the poll.

Please don't glob on red or blue RTV unless you want to make it look like a chevy engine.

Willie

That's funny.

This is what I use. The GM Gray RTV Sealer.

JohnD, the reason I let it "cure" first is to have enhanced sealing AND a gasket that will come off easily, should that ever need to happen. Considering ALL the decades we used to chase oil leaks from valve cover gaskets, even hammering on the hold-down bolt holes for a flatter surface, it was really oil wicking through the gasket that caused that situation, just we didn't realize it back then. Perhaps some Permatex #2 might have taken care of it back then as it kept intake manifold bolts (with bolt holes that went through castings into the internals of the motor) from leaking oil?

My silicone skin coat also works with carb base to intake manifold gaskets, too! Not trying for enhanced "adhesion", just better sealing and ease of disassembly.

Although I questioned this recommendation of my machine shop operative at first, he strongly recommended a Mr. Gasket gasket scraper over any others. I got one AND agreed with it being the best one to have. FWIW.

As with other things, everybody's got their little tricks of how to do some things . . . Sharing can be fun and interesting!

NTX5467

When I changed the thermostat, I used a thin film of motor oil on that gasket, too.

I use black weather strip adhesive to hold the gaskets in place

Before there were cars, very specific procedures were required before you dumped a virgin into the volcano. I KNOW a lot of stuff I do is just ritual and farting around, but I know I repeat the process the same each time. That keeps you from leaving a step out.

Look at the Brits. They had been making gaskets out of oceanographic charts for centuries. Here is a picture of Henry Ford when he visited Britan to show them how to many gaskets.

They never figured it out and eventually Ford bought Jaguar and sealed up most of the leaks. Buying Jaguar pretty much sealed the deal for gaskets worldwide.

Bernie

How about some VASOLINE, sp?. bedroom butter, hehe.

Back in the old days, some call the 'GOOD OLE DAYS', we used grease a lot, made a lot of gaskets with heavy paper and a BALL PEN HAMMER.

Dale in Indy

OK, I will chime in on this just to share something I learned on my first car.... (a 1962 MG Midget).

Many gasketed components like engine pans and valve covers are pressed steel with dimpled and irregular surfaces that make sealant removal very difficult. Since it is "relatively easy" to scrape sealant from a flat machined surface, I only apply sealant to flat machined engine parts. Adding engine oil on the other side ensures that the gasket does not stick to the gasket to allow removal of the part with little or no damage to the gasket that remains attached to the machined surface.

I have used basically the same big tube of Permatex #2 gasket sealer for many years. The trick I learned on my first car was to seal the thick cork valve cover gasket to the head to keep residual oil from leaking down the sides of the engine when the valve cover is removed. And, unlike valve covers and engine pans, the machined castings do not get deformed by over-tightened fasteners.

While running this poll, I found that Fel Pro runs it's own Tech Support forum board. So I posted the question there specific for the application and part number of their product. The answer was ...Dry...RTV at the timing chain to oil pan/block intersection. I know the block is flat so I have no problem with dry on the block. But I'm probably going to RTV around the water jacket holes on the timing chain cover side only.

While running this poll, I found that Fel Pro runs it's own Tech Support forum board. So I posted the question there specific for the application and part number of their product. The answer was ...Dry...RTV at the timing chain to oil pan/block intersection. I know the block is flat so I have no problem with dry on the block. But I'm probably going to RTV around the water jacket holes on the timing chain cover side only.

Dry is fine for almost all applications. Holding a dry gasket in place as you position the item into place to secure is a different story. Like I said, thin coat to hold the gasket in place. I do agree a ounce of caution around the water jacket for the water pump is a good bet.

Although I haven't done the job many times, it is a good idea to RTV or Leak Lock the threads four bolts that are tapped into the water jacket.

And I use 4 to 6 fine threads through the oil pan bolt holes to keep the gasket in place while I navigate it. They can stay. They don't hurt anything.

Bernie

In terms of holding a gasket in place, I routinely make use of sewing thread to tie it in place while installing.

How about some VASOLINE, sp?. bedroom butter, hehe.

Back in the old days, some call the 'GOOD OLE DAYS', we used grease a lot, made a lot of gaskets with heavy paper and a BALL PEN HAMMER.

Dale in Indy

Dale, I still make most of my gaskets that way. Nothing worst than buying a new gasket that's been folded in half. I also use Permatex.....

A "think coat." One made out of form a gasket even. Sounds like something you wear when you have some serious thinking to do JD... That brings us around to thinking about Silicon. That is the stuff RTV is made of. If you need a lot, you can even go in Home Depot, Or Lowe's and get 100% silicone in tubes that fit a standard caulking gun. I've put stuff together all sorts of ways. It basically depends on the application. Silicone is everywhere today, even some of the girls on Buicks will tell you of it's enhancing qualities. Dandy Dave!

In terms of holding a gasket in place, I routinely make use of sewing thread to tie it in place while installing.

I use Liquid Nails.

Thinking of the old brown #2 Permatex. Seems to me I read somewhere years ago that it was produced to aid in the assembly of aircraft engines during World War II. Dandy Dave!