Nate1647545505 Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Are there any general rules when applying RTV sealants to gaskets / engine parts? Also and information on thread locker and anti-seize (copper based?) would be appreciated. T.I.A. A now 19 year old Nathan smile.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate1647545505 Posted May 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Alos, what brands or OE should I purchase? Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desperado Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Yes, there are rules, don't use the shit if you have a gasket available. Use a good quality gasket, either factory or FelPro. And if you really need an adhesive for assembly, use Indian Head gasket Shelac. I have been wrenching for 20 years. And have done it this way ever since I was old enough to break a bolt loose. And I have NEVER had a gasket leak. RTV, is a gasket replacement. Not a sealant. There is a black gasket sealant out there, but it's not a silicone based RTV. RTV is meant for mating surfaces that there are no gasket available for. And unmachined or uneven surfaces to fill voids. If you have tried to replace a gasket, with a good brand of gacket and it still leaks, it will seal it, but if it's leaking wiht the proper gasket in place, then it has other problems with the mating surfaces not being flat enough to get a good seal. And you are simply putting a bandiad on the problem. First Rule, NEVER PUT ANYTHING IN A TUBE on a head gasket. Go back, read that several times and remember it. There are copper spray adhesives for head gaskets, I have never used them, and don't plan to. Heads are finely machined, and should never need a sealant other than the head gasket, if it does, it needs machining, because its' no longer flat as it should be. Second Rule, buy good gaskets, the cheap stuff is just that, and will require glooping on RTV to get it to seal. Don't go this route. Some poor bastard will need to remove that part that you just glued together with RTV, and it's a pain in the ass to deal with and clean off. Thrid Rule, if its' got a new gasket, the fasteners are torqued to spec, in the correct order, and its' leaking, the mating surface is not machined properly and should be either machined or replaced. Antiseize, this is something that you MIGHT want to put on your header bolts, but I can't think of anywhere else on a car that it is useful. Remember that pulling steel bolts into aluminium, you should ALWAYS wet the threads with oil. This will be all the antisieze that you would ever need and it gets you a correct torque on a bolt, this is especailly true for head bolts on alu motors. If you are that worried about a bolt breaking off, buy a better grade bolt.You really can't get to strong a bolt in 99.9 % of the time. There are a very few exceptions to this on cars. Stronger is better. Thread Lock, here again, there are times that this is required, or useful. But can be taken to extreem. On little 4 banger vibration monsters like the Chrysler 2.2, threadlock everything. High power 4 bangers can litterally shake the bolts loose. But other than that, flywheel, torque convertor, flexplate, and studs, if you use them for heads ot mains will benifit from threadlock. Other places, buy a GOOD torque wrench, make sure that the fasteners are torqued to factory spec and don't worry about it. Engineers, that are ass loads smarter than we are about this shit came up wiht these numbers for torque specs, don't question them, just do it and things will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
still2hi Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Originally posted by Desperado: Remember that pulling steel bolts into aluminium, you should ALWAYS wet the threads with oil. This will be all the antisieze that you would ever need and it gets you a correct torque on a bolt, this is especailly true for head bolts on alu motors. that i didnt know! thanks graemlins/thumb.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate1647545505 Posted May 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Thanks for the information... Is there a differance between RTV and Gasket Maker and High temp Engine RTV? Is Permatex a good brand to use? Are there any percautions to using RTV? or Gasket Maker on aluminum peices? I can bring the peices to Geero's and you can educate me there smile.gif Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desperado Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Originally posted by Thailand Racing: Thanks for the information... Is there a differance between RTV and Gasket Maker and High temp Engine RTV? Yes there is a difference Is Permatex a good brand to use? No, it's the only brand to use Are there any percautions to using RTV? or Gasket Maker on aluminum peices? Back to what I was saying, unless no gasket exists for the part, don't use RTV, if you have to use it then no, there is nothing specail that you need to do. I can bring the peices to Geero's and you can educate me there smile.gif Yes, PM me before you bring the stuff as I am not always at Geero's Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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